Real Salt Lake put a positive spin on the end of their season, beating regional rivals Colorado Rapids 1-0 in what ended up being the final game of the season. Robbie Findley's goal in the 87th minute put the game away and earned Real the Rocky Mountain Cup for the first time as winner of the season series between the two teams -- but more importantly, eliminated the Rapids from playoff consideration.
The Rapids needed to win, and still get some help, if they were to make a tremendous comeback and reach the postseason. Instead, they kept the Los Angeles Galaxy alive, who must defeat the Chicago Fire in a winner-take-all scenario on Sunday afternoon for the final available playoff spot.
Kyle Beckerman began his return to Colorado, the team who traded him midseason for suspended midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy, with a bang, earning a yellow card caution just after the opening whistle for a hard tackle on Jose Cancela.
The beginning of the game was end to end, with each time trying to sprint back on counterattacks after killing their opponents' attacks. Salt Lake seemed to focus many of its early attacks through Fabian Espindola on the left trying to take advantage of rookie defender Kosuke Kimura.
RSL's Chris Brown had the first good chance of the game in the 16th minute, as he beat Ugo Ihemelu to a high bouncing through ball at the top of the box. He got his shot off before colliding with Rapids 'keeper Bouna Coundoul, but it went well wide of the goal.
Colorado squandered an excellent chance in the 31st minute, when Jovan Kirovski used a nice spin move to shake loose his man and play a nice through ball to a streaking Colin Clark. Clark was able to juke past Real 'keeper Nick Rimando and face a wide open net, but unbelievably his shot caromed off the post.
Real Salt Lake nearly struck as well in the 32nd minute, as Nathan Sturgis' long-range shot looked to have beaten the diving Coundoul, but the effort was just wide of the post.
Espindola found himself guarding Kimura in the box in the 33rd minute, as the Rapids defender received a nice pass from Cancela at the top of the box. Kimura used a step-over move to beat Espindola and unleashed a low skipping shot, but Rimando was able to smother.
Salt Lake had another excellent chance in the 37th minute, when Beckerman played a nice ball forward to a streaking Espindola. Espindola had only Coundoul to beat, but the Rapids 'keeper timed his dive just right to snatch the ball away.
In the 38th minute Cancela played a nice pass forward to Jacob Perterson, whose flick found Conor Casey wide open in box. Casey's shot was rushed however, and hit the side netting.
The rivalry game was a physical affair, with two RSL yellow cards and 11 fouls split roughly evenly between the teams. Because of the rough play, the Rapids were forced to use two of their substitutions early due to injuries to Ihemelu and Terry Cooke.
Alecko Eskandarian took his turn in the 41st minute, taking a first-time shot from outside of the box from a ball played back from Beckerman. Although he was wide open, his shot was mis-hit and went well to the left of the net.
The Rapids had the first chance after the break, with Kirovski's cross from the right edge of the box, but before Casey could get his head to the ball, Rimando was able to leap and catch it.
Cancela continued to create good chances for the Rapids in the 50th minute, playing a surgically precise ball through the middle of the Salt Lake defense to Casey, but Rimando did well to scamper off of his line and get to the ball first.
The Rapids continued to get the better of the play in the 53rd minute. Clark had Kirovski open in the box, but Pope was able to reach back and tap the cross away out of danger.
Soon after, Pope was substituted out of the game to a nice ovation from the Dick's Sporting Goods Park crowd, bringing to an end the career of one of the best defenders MLS has seen.
Rimando came up big for Salt Lake again in the 58th minute, as he dove to block a strong shot taken by Peterson from just outside of the box.
Talley had the first good Salt Lake chance in a while in the 67th minute, attempting a bicycle kick off of a long corner. Although the effort looked great, his shot went off the side netting.
Real nearly lucked into the lead in the 71st minute, as Facundo Erpen played a poor back pass that Brown was able to get to first, but his first touch failed him and the ball went harmlessly out for a goal kick.
Eskandarian had another great chance in the 73rd minute, taking a long free kick from the right side, earned when Erpen scythed down Beckerman (gaining as yellow card in the process). Coundoul, expecting Eskandarian to send in a cross, looked surprised when the hard shot came in, but was able to recover to make the save.
Salt Lake nearly took the lead in the 81st minute when substitute Findley beat the offside trap and found himself all alone with only Coundoul to beat. The Rapids 'keeper, however, was able to come out and take away the angles, and Findley's shot from wide on the right trickled just past the post.
Findley made up for his miss in the 87th minute, again sprinting past the Rapids defense to reach Carey Talley's through ball, beating an on-rushing Coundoul to the ball at the top of the box and poking the ball past him and into the net for his eighth goal of the season.
Rimando saved the game for Salt Lake in the 89th minute, punching away Omar Cummings' cross and then quickly getting up to make an acrobatic save on Tony Sanneh's volley.
Williams nearly finished off the game in added time. Coundoul came way out of his box to play a ball, and mishit it to the waiting Williams, who calmly settled it and took a long, low shot from 30 yards that grazed the post before going wide.
But needing a win, the one goal was enough for Real to end the Rapids season, and have a little joy to finish theirs, as they celebrated with their supporters and the Rocky Mountain Cup on the field after the final whistle.
Geoffrey Urland is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
