With a first-place berth and first blood in the Rocky Mountain Cup both on the line, the Colorado Rapids hit for two goals in the final half-hour of the match to claim a 2-0 victory against arch-rival Real Salt Lake on MLS Primetime Thursday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
Omar Cummings finally broke the tense deadlock with a goal in the 65th minute, then Christian Gomez converted a penalty kick with seven minutes to go to put the game away as the unceasing offensive attack by the Rapids finally broke through.
The initial minutes of the game saw each team have good possession through the midfield, but each defense looked well organized, disrupting any attack that began to look dangerous.
The first good chance of the game came 14 minutes in. Jacob Peterson's shot was deflected dangerously by RSL fullback Chris Wingert into the path of Cummings at the top of the goal area, but the ball spun just out of reach of the Rapids forward.
That initial chance seemed to bring the game alive, as Real had their first chance just after. Some nifty footwork on the ball by Fabian Espindola opened up some space at the corner of the penalty area. Utilizing it fully, Espindola took a quick, curling shot, but Rapids 'keeper Bouna Coundoul easily gobbled it up.
Two former Rapids nearly made good things happen for Real in the 18th minute, as Wingert received a back pass from Espindola and sent in a nice cross that looked destined for Kyle Beckerman's head. Coundoul, however, was able to charge out of the goalmouth to punch the ball out of danger.
Cummings nearly put the Rapids up in the 23rd minute. His hard header of a Christian Gomez corner kick went straight down and took a hard, wicked bounce up toward the net, but Salt Lake 'keeper Nick Rimando was able to make the quick reaction save to push the ball up and over the net.
Salt Lake had another chance from outside of the box in the 29th minute, when after a long string of good passes Beckerman took a low, hard shot from the outside of the box, but it was aimed right at Coundoul.
RSL nearly scored again in the 30th minute. Dodging streamers thrown by the Rapids supporters, Andy Williams took an outswinging corner that was perfectly placed for Matias Mantilla, but the tall fullback's powerful header went well wide of the net.
Real had another great chance off of a corner in the 42nd minute. Scottish forward Kenny Deuchar headed the ball down toward the corner of the net and looked to have Coundoul fooled, but Kosuke Kimura contorted his body to head the ball back away from the goalmouth before falling back into the net.
The Rapids began the second half on the attack, having two nearly identical dangerous chances only minutes apart. In each case, Colin Clark made a good run down the left flank, breaking free before sending a hard cross across the face of the goal. Luckily for RSL, no Rapids forwards were able to keep up with the play and in both cases the ball skipped harmless through the penalty area.
Clark nearly put one in himself in the 54th minute, running on to a cross from Peterson, but he was unable to get it on frame.
As a steady rain began to fall, the Rapids continued to attack and create good chances. In the 60th minute, Herculez Gomez played a low cross to the front of the goal which Cummings met, sending a powerful header just wide of the net.
Another good opportunity for the Rapids came minutes later. After some good combination play between Cummings, Peterson, and Christian Gomez, Gomez sent a pass back to the onrushing Pablo Mastroeni. He was jostled just enough by Dema Kovalenko on his shot attempt to send it above the goal.
The Rapids attack finally found a way through in the 65th minute. Christian Gomez sent Clark down the line, where he sent in yet another low ball across the box. This time, Cummings was there to meet it, and his redirection caromed off of Rimando's leg and up into the net for Cummings' third goal on the season.
Real sought to inject some life into their offense by substituting Robbie Findley into the game for Kenny Cutler. But the move initially seemed to improve the Rapids offense more, as Cutler had been shadowing Christian Gomez all game. With his nemesis off of the field, Gomez had much more time and space to direct the midfield.
The Rapids nearly got another in the 76th minute. Cummings used some nifty moves to beat Nat Borchers along the touchline. His cross was cleared right to Peterson, who passed it to Herculez Gomez at the penalty spot. Gomez's redirection, however, went just wide of the net.
Salt Lake kept valiantly fighting, earning a corner kick that nearly led to the tying goal in the 78th minute. The Williams service to the far post curled away from the goal to Deuchar, whose header beat Coundoul but went just over the net.
The Rapids scored their second in the 83rd minute. Mantilla was called for handling the ball while trying to prevent Herculez Gomez from dribbling into the box. Christian Gomez struck the resulting penalty hard to into the left of the goal, giving Rimando no chance and scoring his second goal on the season.
Real nearly got one back in the 89th minute off of a free kick. Espindola took the shot from 20 yards out and hit it hard and low past the wall, It took an amazing save from Coundoul to keep Real off of the scoreboard.
The game ended just after, putting Colorado atop the West and giving them a leg up in the Rocky Mountain Cup standings -- and keeping Real Salt Lake from claiming first place in the conference for the first time in club history.
Geoffrey Urland is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
