This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
Sandy • In an uncharacteristic red flash of temper, midfielder Kyle Beckerman not only forgot his role of captain during Real Salt Lake's 3-0 loss to Chicago on Wednesday, but his own words of just a day earlier.
With RSL trailing 1-0, in the 11th minute, Beckerman head-butted Fire midfielder Daniel Paladini in the center of the Rio Tinto Stadium field. Not only did Beckerman earn a red card and an ejection, but he will also be ineligible for Saturday's big MLS game at Los Angeles against the Galaxy.
Beckerman wasn't available, but his coach was.
"I won't be sleeping tonight," RSL coach Jason Kreis said. "The questions are now in front of the players — how will they react?"
The day before, Beckerman talked about the team's advantage of having veteran leadership and keeping an "even keel."
Wednesday's result turned what could have been a magical night into a nightmare. It was Salt Lake's worst margin of defeat at Rio Tinto and it came before an energetic and loud record crowd of 20,762, many of whom gathered to drink in the return of midfielder Javier Morales.
"He's been a big part of this team," RSL midfielder Will Johnson said about Morales' return after nearly five months from a fractured and dislocated ankle. "It will be fun to see him get back and get sharp."
Now, with back-to-back defeats by a combined score of 7-1, RSL (15-9-6) can forget about the Supporters Shield as well as its advantage of having a game in hand on its Western Conference. Every team has now played 30 games.
"To take two results like this in a row at this time of year could be critical," Kreis said.
With four games to play and five points more than FC Dallas, which sits atop the wild card teams, RSL still looks to be a lock for third place. Real is 10 points behind the Galaxy and three to second-place Seattle.
Players who were still in the RSL locker room following Wednesday's loss were not commenting on Beckerman's foul. Kreis talked with Beckerman after the game and was told by Beckerman that he had been on the receiving end of several kicks before the final heel clip by Paladini.
It was Beckerman's first red card for 2011 — the second of his 12-year career — and RSL's sixth this season. Nat Borchers has two, while Jamison Olave, Tony Beltran and Johnson have one each.
"I didn't see the play, to be honest," Borchers said of Beckerman's red. "I can't comment."
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