The chances keep coming, the targets are set, but unfortunately for Real Salt Lake, the ball isn't going into the net.
"We expected to get something here, the confidence was high," said RSL forward Kenny Deuchar.
After a defensive, counterattack filled match. RSL came up a few minutes short of getting a point on the road. Tony Beltran headed a free kick into his own goal as the Kansas City Wizards took a 1-0 victory Saturday night.
"I think we had chances," Deuchar said. "I'm not sure that there was great defending."
RSL changed their offensive mindset after the first half. Real generated only one shot on goal in the first half; they quintupled that to five for the match.
"We started off the first half with just one on top, so chances were at a premium," Deuchar said. "The second half we were in more of attacking (mode)."
The game plan apparently was for RSL to counterattack and take advantage of small field. RSL almost pulled it off with a flurry of chances in the second half.
"As an outside back we had to pick our times to go forward," said Beltran.
Coming into Kansas City riding a club-record five-game unbeaten streak. But to extend it, they would need some success on the road, where they have been shut out three out of five times this season, and scored just two goals away from Utah on the season.
"The offense, the chances are there. And it's tough away from home because they catch you more reserved than when you're playing at home and you have the crowd behind you," Beltran said. "I think we have to let the scoring happen. We can't force it. We have very talented forwards and the goals will come."
RSL coach Jason Kreis cited the role of goalkeeper Nick Rimando in the counter-attacking scheme.
"I didn't think they (the defense) played awful," Rimando said. "I thought they played good. They moved the ball well. It's a small field, so I think the majority of the chances come from the goalkeeper."
It was the second own goal RSL was involved in in two matches. Both came on free kick deflections. But unlike last Saturday's game, where RSL benefited from a New England own goal to tie the score, Saturday's own goal came after Beltran beat Jimmy Conrad to a free kick swung into the area, but sailed it right over Rimando.
Thomas Foote is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
