Klein, who spent eight seasons with the Kansas City Wizards before he was traded to RSL in the offseason, had mixed emotions all night long. Those emotions were even more convoluted by the fact that RSL tied Kansas City 3-3 before 15,038 fans.
The tie inched RSL (10-13-7) a point closer to Colorado, which lost to New England 3-1 on Saturday, in the race for one of the four spots in the Western Conference playoffs. Colorado remained at 39 points while fifth-place RSL upped its total to 37 points.
"This was a game we could have won," said Klein, who received the loudest ovation of any RSL player during pregame introductions. "But you never know. At the end of the day, this could be the point that we need."
Klein had a hand - make that foot - in RSL's final goal of the night, which came in the 81st minute and tied the match 3-3. Klein sent a nice ball to forward Jason Kreis, who rocketed a shot off the right post of the goal. But Kreis was right there for the rebound and scored past Kansas City goalkeeper Bo Oshoniyi.
"We came from behind twice, and obviously we feel good about that," RSL coach John Ellinger said. "It's one of those things where we both didn't want to lose. They're a very good team."
Kansas City (9-13-8, 35 points) stayed alive in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt. The Wizards took a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute when midfielder Josh Wolff boomed a shot past RSL goalkeeper Scott Garlick.
RSL tied the match in the 35th minute. Klein delivered a pass to Atiba Harris, whose header from 10 yards out found the back of the net.
Harris gave RSL a 2-1 lead just before halftime with an unassisted goal in the 44th minute. His two goals on the night doubled his goal output for the entire season.
The Wizards came back with a Scott Sealy goal in the 54th minute and a Jose Burciaga Jr. goal in the 63rd minute to regain the lead 3-2.
RSL forward Jeff Cunningham, who entered the night as the leading goal scorer in the MLS with 16, didn't enter the match until the 78th minute. Cunningham pulled his hamstring late in RSL's 2-1 loss Sept. 23 at FC Dallas.
RSL has two more games remaining in the season: Saturday against Houston and Oct. 15 at Chivas USA.
"With Colorado losing, it keeps us in the hunt," Ellinger said. "We all hope that that game on Oct. 15 is a meaningful game."
Race for Fourth
A look at the two Western Conference teams fighting for the fourth and final playoff spot:
W L T Pts
Colorado 11 13 6 39
RSL 10 13 7 37
RSL 3, K.C. 3
* Real Salt Lake is two points behind Colorado for the final playoff spot.
* RSL has two games remaining: Saturday against Houston and Oct. 15 at Chivas USA.
