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Need a lasting takeaway from Saturday night?

Jermaine Jones looks awfully comfortable in Colorado burgundy. Conversations leading to the first stop of the longest stretch of road games in Real Salt Lake history revolved around the Rapids' latest acquisition.

And that added dimension, once again, made the ultimate difference. The surprise team of the Major League Soccer season resides on the east side of the Rockies. RSL's 1-0 loss to Colorado Saturday night spotted the Rapids three more points, upping their 2016 total to 20 through the first 10 matches of the year.

Jones introduced himself to the Rocky Mountain Cup rivalry with a bang. His game-winning goal 90 seconds into the second half was his third in four games with the Rapids. That total eclipses the number of goals he had in 28 appearances in two seasons with the New England Revolution.

It's no longer hyperbole: Jones is a game-changer, both in the Western Conference and the rivalry with RSL.

"Well, Jermaine scored, so that's good for him," RSL captain Kyle Beckerman said. "[It was] just a good battle. [Jones] was almost playing like a forward. It was hard-fought and what I would expect."

Colorado coach Pablo Mastroeni lauded Jones' versatility in different spots on the field, which allows him to "deliver the goods."

"That's why he is where he is in his game, and that's why he'll be joining the national team, and at 34, he's still a guy who has so much left in the tank and so much to offer," Mastroeni said.

Meanwhile, RSL has no other choice, but to sleep this one off. The trek has just begun.

The loss to the Rapids also featured RSL's first shutout of the year after the club had scored in each of its first eight matches to start 2016. In addition, RSL lacked the precise finishing touch it showcased early in the season. Part of that is due to Zac MacMath's stellar night, but after Jones' goal put RSL in the hole, RSL continually pressed for an equalizer that never came.

"We will give credit to [MacMath] and we've just got to get back to work this week and see if we can tidy up some finishing and hopefully do better next week," Beckerman said.

The next stop on RSL's five-game tour is at Houston, where the Dynamo may have — at long last — found a groove. Houston topped Sporting Kansas City 2-0 at BBVA Compass Stadium, its first shutout in nearly two months.

"It's a disappointment," RSL right back Tony Beltran said. "We wanted to start off this road trip with some points, but I think that the important thing is that — especially in the second half — we showed so much fight and the belief to win was there, and we never gave up.

"So even though we walk out of here with nothing, we have to respond really quickly because it's going to be a rough stretch."

The road, as RSL once again learned in stop No. 1 of its trip, is rarely kind.

Twitter: @chriskamrani —

Real Salt Lake at Houston Dynamo

P Saturday, 6:30 p.m.

TV • KMYU