RSL routs Colorado, within one point of Western Conference playoffs

Sandy • With Colorado defender Eric Miller tight on him, Real Salt Lake winger Joao Plata beat goalkeeper Tim Howard at the near post to score late in the first half, wheeling away for a shimmy celebration and a fist pump.

After 40 minutes of trying to solve a Rapids defense that dropped deep and defended in numbers, the goal opened things for RSL in an eventual 4-1 win in the Rocky Mountain Cup on Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Plata’s goal changed things “completely,” RSL coach Mike Petke said. “And that’s why we’ve really been preaching, we need to finish at least one chance early on because teams do come in and sit in. It just opens the game up so much more, and that’s when we’re at our best. But in the last two games now we’ve had teams sit in on us, and we’ve found a way.”

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando (18) hoists up the Rocky Mountain Cup with the team. Real Salt Lake defeated the Colorado Rapids 4-1 for the Rocky Mountain Cup at Rio Tinto Stadium, Saturday, August 26, 2017.

The win moves RSL (10-13-5) within one point of FC Dallas for the sixth and final playoff spot in the crowded Western Conference standings. Vancouver and Houston are tied for fourth with 38 points, with Dallas sitting at 36 points and RSL at 35 points. Vancouver and Dallas each have three more matches than RSL to play this season, and Houston has two more matches than RSL to play.

With Colorado sitting back, RSL shot early and often, finishing the first half with 17 shots as Howard made four saves, including two right before halftime after Plata’s goal.

Plata’s goal was his seventh of the season, tying Yura Movsisyan for the team high. He passed up a chance for his eighth, however, after Jefferson Savarino drew a penalty kick in the 49th minute.

Plata is RSL’s normal penalty kick taker. Saturday, he handed the ball to Silva, knowing that he had the chance to score in four consecutive games.

“I told him I wanted to take it,” Silva said, “and he respects that. I’ve known him since 2012. We get along really well. But, I told him I owe him dinner for that.”

Silva stutter-stepped, and as Howard dove to his left, Silva drove a shot into the other side of the net to became the second player in club history to score in four straight league matches, joining Jeff Cunningham (2006).

Silva added his second goal and RSL’s third in stoppage time, converting a long ball from Brooks Lennon — who followed that with a goal of his own with the assist from Sebastián Saucedo near the end of over seven minutes of stoppage time.

Colorado had cut the lead to 2-1 in the 82nd minute on a goal that was initially waved off for offsides, then reversed on video review. Micheal Azira sent a ball over the top of RSL’s back line to connect with Joshua Gatt for a header.

Both teams finished the match with 10 players. RSL left back Danilo Acosta was shown a red card for a tackle from behind in the 57th minute.The numbers evened back up with Colorado forward Alan Gordon’s second yellow in the 77th minute earned him an early trip to the locker room.

RSL routs Colorado, within one point of Western Conference playoffs

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