This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
RSL came into Saturday's night game against the Columbus Crew on a hot streak. The team was unbeaten in its previous seven games, and had won its past two. Since June 11, RSL was 3-0-4 and was on its third longest undefeated run in club history.
But Columbus' Robbie Rogers had other plans.
Rogers gained his second and third assists of the year early in the first half. Eddie Gaven scored on a Rogers assist in the fifth minute, then Tommy Heinenmann followed that up by knocking in a header just five minutes later, giving the Crew an early 2-0 lead.
Before Saturday's game, RSL's defense had been having a superb year. The combination of Nat Borchers, Kyle Beckerman, Jamison Olave and goalkeeper Nick Rimando had allowed one goal or fewer in 14 of their past 18 MLS games. As a team, RSL's defense had given up only 12 goals all season, with three of them coming on penalty kicks. But, Olave's presence was missed on the defensive end as RSL gave up 12 shots on goal, with five of them on target.
"Obviously we wanted to play the same back four we played last week," said RSL coach Jason Kreis. "But with Olave's injury and with Tony Beltran's slide injury, we just couldn't do that. Two of our back four were different, but to me it wasn't about the back four. It was our entire defensive effort and focus."
The final score could have been worse as Columbus repeatedly shredded through the RSL defense by utilizing its secondary break, which left Rimando facing an onslaught of yellow jerseys running his way. The goalkeeper had several spectacular saves in the first half that ultimately kept RSL in scoring range for the rest of the evening. Rimando's résumé now boasts 83 career shutouts, with 47 of them coming with him wearing the Crimson and Cobalt. Last year RSL allowed just 20 goals in its 30-game regular MLS season, breaking the 2007 Houston Dynamo's record of 23. RSL has now allowed 14 goals this season with 15 games left to play.