Real Salt Lake continued their offensive struggles, falling 1-0 to the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday evening at Arrowhead Stadium.
Eddie Johnson's goal off his own rebound, scored in the 19th minute, was all the Wizards needed on the night. RSL has now scored one goal in their last three matches. Kansas City moved into second place in the Eastern Conference with the win.
Coming in winless in their last six games, the Wizards showed their intentions early. Kansas City midfielder Carlos Marinelli corraled a rebound from midfielder Davy Arnaud's shot and blasted a shot from about 15 yards out. Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando made a diving save to his left, knocking the ball out of bounds in the second minute.
Arnaud then had a chance of his own in the fifth minute from a free kick some 25 yards out. Rimando once again turned the shot away.
Arnaud knocked on the door again in the 11th minute. His 20-yard shot appeared headed for the upper corner, but just tailed away at the last second and sailed harmlessly out of bounds.
Wizards defender Jose Burciaga, Jr., set up Arnaud for yet another shot, this time in the 15th minute. His effort was off the mark, grazing the net of the near corner of the goal.
In the 19th minute, the Wizards took the lead. Johnson broke past RSL defender Daniel Torres after receiving an excellent long ball from Burciaga. The U.S. international, in his first game back after returning from playing in both the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa America, pounded his first shot off the left post. But he quickly returned his rebound goalward for the score, his seventh goal in his last three league games.
Kansas City nearly doubled the lead in the 32nd minute. Wizards midfielder Michael Harrington got onto the return end of a give-and-go, leaving him open into space on the left wing before holding the ball up near the endline. He passed the ball into the center of the box to Marinelli, who pounded the ball from eight yards out but Rimando palmed the ball over the bar.
In the 41st minute, RSL forward Kyle Brown gathered a long ball behind the Wizards defense. Hartman came out of the box about 10 yards to deflect Brown's off-balance shot to nullify the threat.
Real struggled offensively, not quite getting into a rhythm conducive to chances. They finished the first half outshot 12-1, though Kansas City was able to get just four on target.
Real Salt Lake earned more possession after the interval with the entrance of Jamie Watson and creative playmaker Andy Williams for forward Kyle Brown and Chris Wingert respectively. In the 54th minute, Watson sent a floating kick on goal but Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman took a step out of the net and made an easy leaping save.
Watson blasted a line drive effort on goal in the 67th minute, but again Hartman was in position to make the save slightly off-center in front of the goal.
The Wizards' lead was nearly erased in the 79th minute as Burciaga tried to head a long ball back intended for Hartman. However, the nod was short and saved only by Hartman extending and punching the ball away from RSL's attackers.
Thunderstorms erupted in the 80th minute. Rain pounded the field but the wind was a bigger factor affecting play, cutting diagonally across the Arrowhead Stadium field.
RSL threatened again in the 85th minute through Atiba Harris, who plowed and danced his way through two Wizards defenders in the box and went in on Hartman at the right post. Hartman held his ground at the near post and the shot caromed off him for a corner, and with it went Real's final chance on the night.
Thomas Foote is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
