as many an RSL defender can testify from training sessions day-in and day-out).
Despite the early misfortune, justice for RSL came in the form of an in-form Freddy Adu, repeatedly bursting down the left side of Colorado's penalty box after being released by Cunningham (combination play between Carey Talley, Mehdi Ballouchy, Chris Klein, Adu, Harris and Cunningham was clicking all night long, with the group knocking it around on the most perfectly-groomed surface in MLS).
After taking an attacking first touch, Freddy knew Mastroeni was going to make his patented last-ditch tackle to block the 15th minute shot that caught Rapids keeper Bouna Coundoul leaning to his far post. The deflection off the U.S. international was just enough to squirt past the Senegalese keeper's right outstretched arm and inside the near post for a justified equalizer.
With closely-contested offside calls on both sides leading into the break, Real Salt Lake looked confident at 1-1, light years ahead offensively of the RSL team that could barely string together five passes just two weeks ago in the 0-2 loss to Colorado at Rice-Eccles Stadium. On the minds of many RSL observers was the pending and much-anticipated MLS debut of Ivory Coast native Jean-Martial Kipre, one which would eventually come in the 66th minute. Kipre was inserted for Stewart at right back, entering in an offensive-minded substitution from Kreis, who appeared to be responding to the Rapids' sub of Jose Cancela for Jovan Kirovski.
While Cancela was settling the Colorado midfield with his creative and probing passes to the flanks for Nico Hernandez and the most dangerous crosser of the ball in MLS, Terry Cooke, Kipre took over the right back position and quickly showed his desire to get forward and combine. Getting very lucky with an offsides call after getting sucked off the line and spun by Gomez, the pacy debutant Kipre settled down and got his feet wet at the Major League Soccer level (we must also remember that Jean Martial will get beat this year -- he doesn't yet know the strength and weakness' of opposing teams, but Jason Kreis will prepare him)
With Rimando coming up with huge saves on Gomez throughout the second half, the most dangerous opportunities were had by both teams at the end of the match in extra time. Trading counterattacks back and forth, the whistle was blown after the three minutes of extra time to end a well-fought battle, with RSL earning an important point on the road.
Although it wasn't the full three points that RSL was looking for, the improvements made in the span of ten days has the squad feeling good about themselves and with 10 days off before the next match, look for mastery of the little things to emerge (crisper passing, sharper service and runs on set pieces and tighter marking in the defensive third).
The team gets its next chance in a Western Conference match at Pizza Hut Park against the team that Coach Kreis scored 92 goals for -- FC Dallas, a team that RSL owes payback, after the 2-2, 93+ meltdown in the season opener.
Brian Dunseth, the former Captain of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team, who scored the game-winning goal in Real Salt Lake's first-ever win in its home opener in 2005 vs. rival Colorado, can be heard each week on KALL 700 AM the Zone, providing analysis during RSL game broadcasts and co-hosting the pre- and post-game shows for RSL home games. A nine-year veteran of MLS play, Dunseth is now a licensed realtor for The Bringhurst Group in Salt Lake City, and looks forward to your feedback at brian@slchouses.com.
