For the second consecutive year Real Salt Lake find themselves bounced out of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at the hands of their intermountain rivals, the Colorado Rapids. And just like last year, it was a goal from Jacob Peterson that gave the Rapids the victory, with a stoppage-time strike that skipped past goalkeeper Chris Seitz and off the post into the net.
"It was another individual [effort] goal that came from us losing possession right in the middle of the field when we didn't need to," said RSL coach Jason Kreis. "The main thing is that we had done so much hard work to that point and then we lose the ball on a quick counterattack and the game is over."
Seitz, who played an otherwise excellent game, dealing with the pouring rain and wet footing at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, was left stranded when Peterson stormed in on goal unmarked.
"All I tried to do was stay big and cut down his angle and credit to him he made a great shot," said Seitz.
RSL's lineup featured many regular starters, pressed into action due to injuries and a lack of depth, while Colorado opted to rest many of their first team players. RSL did not even fill the allotted 18 roster spots, dressing only the 11 starters and six substitutes.
"It would have been nice to have given some of the guys the night off," said Kreis. "But we just don't have that luxury right now."
Because of the depth issues Kreis expects his entire roster to be prepared to perform.
"All of the guys who are right now considered quote-unquote reserves all need to step their game up," said Kreis. "They need to realize that they are all going to get their chances and opportunities and it's going to be important what they do when they get them."
Kreis also felt that his training methods might have affected his team's approach to the game.
"We've over-coached over the past few weeks," said Kreis. "We were trying to hammer tactically what we need to do differently and trying to set our game plans and maybe we haven't allowed them enough time to just play."
Losing late in the second half was particularly frustrating for RSL because they had played so well in the second half, tying the game on an excellent goal from Chris Klein.
"We know we had a chance to win," said Seitz. "We created enough opportunities to win. We can say that about a lot of games, but it is good to know that we have the chances to score and we have the chances to win. We need to start capitalizing on them."
In the final analysis, perhaps the loss is not the worst thing to happen to RSL. With no more Open Cup fixtures on the schedule, it clears some congestion on the calendar and might allow more time for healing and gelling the roster.
"The Open Cup is an interesting beast because sometimes it makes your schedule even tougher," said Kreis. "At the end of the day, when you look at it quite realistically, sometimes it is better to get out of it in this round then it is in the last round. Unless you're going to win it, you put a lot of effort for nothing and make your schedule more difficult."
Geoffrey Urland is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
