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Real Salt Lake doesn't have much time to dwell on the flood gates that flung open Saturday night at Mapfre Stadium. The club boarded a plane Sunday to New York City, where for the next few days it will train and prepare for the finale to a six-week-long road trip that now certainly demands some points.

RSL's late comeback attempt against a Columbus Crew team in transition fell short in the 4-3 loss, dropping the club to 1-3-0 in the first four games of the longest road trip in franchise history. New York City FC welcomes RSL (6-4-2, 20 points) to Yankee Stadium on Thursday night, which will serve as a chance for redemption following a poor defensive showing in Columbus.

"Obviously it's always tough, but we have high standards for us as a team and individually," said Jordan Allen, who scored in the loss. "Right now I have to say we haven't met those standards."

A week after playing a near flawless match in the 3-1 win at Sporting KC, RSL's back line struggled to find its footing from the outset. The Crew's quick-hit, counter-attacking style tested the RSL defense for the entirety of the match, never allowing the visiting defenders or midfielders to catch a breath.

Norwegian forward Ola Kamara had a banner evening, registering the first hat trick by a Columbus player in 12 seasons. RSL's defense was so off kilter, he could've had more, too. Kamara bounced a close header over the cross bar, struck a loose ball off the post and had a shot inside the box saved by RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

In all, Rimando was forced into making six highlight saves, which kept RSL within striking distance.

"I think we didn't really figure out in time how to deal with the Columbus style of play," said midfielder Luke Mulholland, who put RSL up 1-0 early. "And, we didn't move the ball around the field. We introduced the outside backs and didn't really prepare as we were doing a lot of running off the ball. I think the result of this wears down on the players throughout the game."

RSL coach Jeff Cassar said if Joao Plata buried the first-half stoppage-time penalty attempt to make it 2-2, RSL could've managed the second half differently. Instead, he said, the team had to push in search of an equalizer and leave itself a bit more open to the Crew's deadly counters. Like Allen, Cassar said turnovers played into the Columbus gameplan.

"There was a lot of good things that we did and I think we could have done better on some poor turnovers. [They] really can you hurt you against this team," he said. "I thought we had a few of them."

Mulholland said cutting into the 4-1 deficit late in Columbus to pull RSL within a goal was a positive, but that he wouldn't forget the subpar moments that put the club in that sort of sizable hole on the road.

"I think the damage was done before we started our comeback," he said.

A bounce-back performance at awkward, cramped Yankee Stadium would give RSL momentum heading into the two-week MLS break for the upcoming Copa America Centenario tournament. The match against NYCFC will likely see the return of several starters, such as Javier Morales, Burrito Martinez and Yura Movsisyan, who were on the RSL bench in Columbus.

Cassar, however, won't man the bench in the Bronx on Thursday. He was ejected in the final minute of stoppage time after objecting to the amount of time added in the loss.

"I lost my cool and said something I shouldn't have," Cassar said.

Twitter: @chriskamrani —

Real Salt Lake at New York City FC

P Thursday, 5 p.m.

TV ยป KMYU