The road continued to be unkind to Toronto FC as they dropped a 2-1 result to the best team in the Western Conference, Real Salt Lake, Monday evening at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
RSL scored first, but a late equalizer from Amado Guevara looked to be enough for TFC to escape Utah with a point. That is, until Robbie Findley put home the game-winner for Salt Lake three minutes from time.
The Reds looked to get on the board early as Julius James threw his body at a throw-in, heading a shot just wide of the frame in the third minute of play.
In the next minute Jim Brennan approached the Salt Lake penalty area, beating a pair of defenders with soft touches over their heads. On his last touch Brennan placed the ball into the path of Jarrod Smith. The Toronto striker struck his shot from the top of the area well over the crossbar.
Even though Salt Lake maintained much of the possession early on, TFC goalkeeper Greg Sutton didn't see any action until the seventh minute. RSL strung together an nice passing combination that found Yura Movsisyan crashing in on Sutton, whose reactions were able to deflect the first-time shot from Movsisyan from only a few yards away.
Sutton and Movsisyan came together again in the 24th minute in a more literal sense. With both players looking skyward to chase down a high ball on the edge of the penalty area they collided, sending both crashing to the turf. After lying on ground for a few minutes, both eventually got to their feet and continued playing.
The post came up huge for the Reds in the 27th minute. Robbie Findley received a nice ball from Chris Wingert less than a yard from the back post. With Sutton completely beaten, Findley struck his shot square off the post and back out the other side.
As the half was winding down Sutton was perfectly positioned to block a shot from Kyle Beckerman. The Salt Lake midfielder ripped a blast from 30 yards that was fisted away by the Toronto goalkeeper.
The 44th minute saw the best scoring chance for the Reds as Laurent Robert leaped over Dema Kovalenko to get his head on a cross whipped in by Rohan Ricketts. Robert's header beat Rimando but it struck the underside of the bar and bounced away.
Abdus Ibrahim closed the half by sending a header inside the six-yard box into the outer side netting.
The young Toronto striker opened the second period in similar fashion. A TFC corner kick found Ibrahim on the back post. His touch was directed on goal, but nicked by Kovalenko. The ball squirted free just in front of the line, but was smothered by a diving Nick Rimando.
Salt Lake began pushing for a goal around the hour mark, with a close header from defender Jamison Olave. The hulking defender latched onto a Javier Morales free kick, bouncing his header just wide of the post.
Olave's shot foreshadowed what would be coming in the 63rd minute. Wingert sent a pinpoint diagonal ball over the Toronto area that Olave nodded into the back of the net, sending the Salt Lake crowd into a frenzy and adding to TFC's road frustrations.
Falling behind did not discourage the Reds as they began to push for the equalizer with urgency. Second half substitute Jeff Cunningham chased down a ball into the side of the area in the 72nd minute. With only Rimando to beat, Cunningham fired a rocket that was stopped by the inside of Rimando's knees as he collapsed onto it.
Ibrahim forced another save from Rimando in the 75th minute. Streaking down the sideline the 16-year-old broke free from his markers and curled a shot that was saved by a diving Rimando.
The Reds brought the score level in the 84th minute on a free kick from Amado Guevara. Placed almost directly in front of the goal, about 25 yards out, Guevara tucked his shot perfectly into the upper corner, out of the reach of Rimando.
The score stayed level for just about three minutes. Beckerman uncorked a blast from the corner of the area that was parried away by Sutton. Findley beat out two Toronto defenders to the loose ball, then while sliding slammed it into the open net.
Scott McAllister is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
