It all paid off for Real Salt Lake's Kyle Brown on Saturday against the Colorado Rapids.
Sure, Brown had started a couple of game for Real's first team before. He had even scored a goal for the team. But in no way does it compare to the game-winner Brown scored in the 30th minute of Real Salt Lake's 1-0 win against the Rapids at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
With his tally, scored from six yards out right in front of the goal after Chris Brown's long diagonal bomb from the left rebounded right to him, Kyle became the star of the game that kept Real's hopes for a Rocky Mountain Cup trophy alive.
"Kyle is a player that we feel has really started to come into some confidence and come into some form, and we've noticed that in training and noticed that in the reserve games, and we have wanted to give him a real opportunity," Kreis said.
Kyle Brown's start against the Rapids came as something of a surprise. The team had planned on starting Fabian Espindola, but the Argentinean complained of pain in his groin when he showed up for the game, and Brown got the call.
"Give credit to Kyle, because that is not the easiest thing to do, to show up at the stadium thinking that you are not starting and then be thrust into the starting lineup an hour before kickoff," Kreis said.
It might actually have helped Brown perform in the game.
"Sometimes it's better not to be thinking about the game the whole day before you come in," Brown said. "Either way it's all right. I get to play, and so I'm happy."
Brown has played in eight of Real's reserve division games, started in two of them, and scored two goals in 529 minutes of play. For the first team, Brown had two starts and one goal (scored on Sept. 8 at Houston) coming in to the game. Brown's achievements this season have boosted his confidence, and contributed to Saturday's performance.
"[My confidence] definitely is rising and rising as I keep scoring goals," Brown said. "I'm scoring goals in the reserve games, and that definitely helps your confidence. That's what it's supposed to do, so I'm happy doing that."
With the win, Real's record against the Rapids this season is 1-1-1. The teams will play one more game this season, on Oct. 20; that one will decide the winner of the Rocky Mountain Cup, annually awarded to the winner of the regular season series between Real and the Rapids.
"It's always good to play for something, and the way our year is going, we needed that win bad," goalkeeper Nick Rimando said. "The guys have been working hard, and everybody wants the points. We haven't been that lucky the last two games, and tonight, especially against Colorado, a special game for a couple of these guys, we got the win and that's what we needed."
The match was the first for Real against the Rapids since RSL acquired Kyle Beckerman from Colorado in exchange for Mehdi Ballouchy. Beckerman had been looking forward to the game.
"It felt great," Beckerman said. "Anytime we can get a win against Colorado, or any team right now, it's good for us. Personally, yeah, it felt great, getting back at the old team."
Kreis altered his lineup significantly for the game, among other things leaving Eddie Pope on the bench. That meant the coach was free to give the captain's armband to Beckerman, and on the day the team's midfield workhorse would face his former team.
"I didn't need any more motivation, but for Jason to give me that, it felt really good," Beckerman said. "I thank him for that; it was a good notion on his part, but there was no need for more motivation for that game."
Peter Richins is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
