On the surface, Saturday's 0-0 draw with Toronto FC could have been a missed opportunity for Real Salt Lake. Real extended Toronto's MLS-record scoreless streak to 822 minutes, but couldn't get a goal to give them more than one point over a struggling side.
Given how the game played out, however, Real are leaving Toronto feeling like that draw was like a victory. A strong second-half defensive effort and 12 saves from goalkeeper Nick Rimando gave RSL a draw in a match that by all rights should've been a blowout.
Real allowed a season-highs in both overall shots (24) and shots on goal (13) and were outshot 24-5 by the Reds. When midfielder Fabian Espindola was issued a red card in the 35th minute, it looked like RSL was destined for their ninth loss in 13 road games this season.
"They were knocking on the door all day searching for that elusive goal," said team captain Eddie Pope. "We went down a man, had our backs against the wall ... certainly we could've crumbled at some point and given up a goal. But we were able to fight, scratch and all that stuff and get out of here with a point."
After Espindola was sent off, RSL essentially gave up their attack and concentrated on keeping Toronto off the scoreboard.
"That's what happens when you go a man down," Rimando said. "You expect that it's going to be a battle and that's what it was. They had their chances, but we fought."
The Real goalkeeper emerged from the match with his fifth clean sheet of the season and raised his MLS-leading save total to 121. By comparison, New England's Matt Reis entered Saturday's play second in the league with 95 saves, and Reis had played 24 games to Rimando's 21.
Rimando made a number of impressive stops, but his toughest effort came in the game's opening minutes. TFC striker Andrea Lombardo managed a close-range shot at Rimando in the goal area that the 'keeper was able to block but not collect. The rebound went directly back to Lombardo, who fired again at an even closer range, but Rimando was there for his second stop in under 10 seconds.
"[Toronto] plays really well here," Rimando said. "Everybody played defense today and did what they had to do. I think that's like a win for us."
Real Salt Lake ends their four-game road trip with a 1-2-1 record and now have four of their remaining six games back at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Though RSL face a stiff challenge in squeaking into the eighth and final playoff spot, Pope took solace in the fact that they were able to keep Toronto's scoreless streak alive. Pope knows all about a lack of goals -- he was part of the Real club whose 557 scoreless minutes in 2005 stood as the league record until TFC's drought this season.
"You know they'll be pushing and pushing, trying extra hard," Pope said. "The thing about it is we've been in that position ... when you haven't gotten a win or haven't scored a goal in however many games.
"We've been there in their shoes and we knew how hungry they would be. But we also knew that if we held fast and stood up to it we'd be difficult to score on. Nick Rimando in goal, he was unbelievable."
Mark Polishuk is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
