REAL SALT LAKE vs COLORADO RAPIDS
RIO TINTO STADIUM, Sandy, Utah
Oct. 24, 2009 (WEEK 32) / MLS Game #221
7 p.m. MT (FSC/FSE)
For the second consecutive season, the playoff futures of Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids will come down a last-day meeting, this year at Rio Tinto Stadium. A year ago, the Rapids held a lead - and the playoff spot - over Real, until Yura Movsisyan's goal gave RSL a 1-1 draw and leapfrogged the side into the MLS Cup Playoffs over Colorado. This year, once again, a Rapids win and they are in, ending a two-year postseason drought. A draw will eliminate Real, but that or an RSL win will still see both teams anxiously awaiting the other results from the weekend - either result could see both teams passed for the final wild card berths.
REFEREE: Jorge Gonzalez. SAR (bench): Chris Strickland; JAR (opposite): Greg Boles; 4th: Ramon Hernandez MLS Career: 38 games; FC/gm: 25.4; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 11; pens: 13
INJURY REPORT: REAL SALT LAKE - PROBABLE: FW Fabian Espíndola (R hamstring tightness), MF Nelson Gonzalez (R knee contusion), DF Chris Wingert (R rectus strain) ... COLORADO RAPIDS - OUT: MF Colin Clark (L ACL tear); MF Jacob Peterson (R ACL tear); MF Jamie Smith (L knee strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
FINED NEXT YELLOW CARD: RSL: Tony Beltran, Will Johnson, Clint Mathis, Robbie Russell ... COL: Conor Casey, Cory Gibbs
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (16 meetings):
Real Salt Lake 5 wins, 15 goals ... Rapids 8 wins, 19 goals ... Ties 4
AT SALT LAKE (8 meetings): Real 3 wins, 7 goals ... Rapids 3 wins, 7 goals ... Ties 2
• The teams play for the Rocky Mountain Cup, awarded to the winner of the season series by supporters' groups from both clubs.
• Real maintained their hold on the cup last season in the most dramatic of circumstances - a Yura Movsisyan goal in the 90th minute of the season finale at Dick's Sporting Goods gave RSL a 1-1 draw, leveling the season series - and sending Real into the MLS Cup Playoffs ahead of their regional rivals.
• Colorado won the Rocky Mountain Cup the first two years it was on offer before RSL took it in 2007, claiming the trophy in a 1-0 win in the regular season finale at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
• The Rapids haven't lost in their last three home meetings against RSL, the latest a 2-0 win in the first meeting this season. Real haven't lost in their last three home meetings against Colorado, including the 1-1 draw in the last meeting.
• Coaches record: Jason Kreis vs. COL: P8 W3 L2 D3 ... Gary Smith v RSL: P4 W1 L1 D2
THIS SEASON (MLS):
5/2: COL 2, RSL 0 (LaBrocca 11; Kimura 60)
6/6: RSL 1, COL 1 (Movsisyan 79 - Cummings 88)
• The Rapids gained a small measure of revenge for last year's regular season finale, taking a 2-0 victory against Real on May 2 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in this year's first meeting.
• The Rapids opened the scoring with an 11th-minute strike. Colin Clark took off down the left flank and swung in a cross to the heart of the box where Nick LaBrocca raced in unmolested to nod home his first goal on the season.
• In the 35th minute, RSL reserve goalkeeper Kyle Reynish was called upon to make his MLS debut when Nick Rimando suffered a cut hand that forced him from the contest. RSL was dealt a further blow four minutes from halftime when defender Jamison Olave was sent off with a straight red card after a tackle on Conor Casey.
• The Rapids finally took advantage at the hour mark. Jordan Harvey long cross from the left found Terry Cooke on the opposite side of goal. He laid the ball back for Kosuke Kimura just outside the edge of the area, and the Rapids fullback lashed home a low angled shot for his first professional goal.
• Then on June 6 in the first meeting between the teams at Rio Tinto Stadium, the Rapids maintained their lead in the Rocky Mountain Cup competition by coming back for a late 1-1 draw.
• The game's first goal finally came 11 minutes from the end. Taking a crossfield pass in the right side of the area, Yura Movsisyan cut back inside, skipped away from a trio of defenders and lashed a shot inside the left corner for his second on the season.
• Yet just three minutes later Real were left a man down when Robbie Russell was sent off by referee Jeff Gontarek for a second bookable offense.
• It took the Rapids just six minutes to take advantage through a stunning strike. Omar Cummings spun off his marker at the edge of the area and hammered a blistering drive that sailed over RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando and off the underside of the crossbar and in, his third goal of the year and first since March 28.
• Here's Kreis's team (4-2-1-3): Nick Rimando - Robbie Russell, Nat Borchers, Jamison Olave, Tony Beltran - Ned Grabavoy (Andy Williams 70), Will Johnson - Clint Mathis - Yura Movsisyan, Robbie Findley (Luis Miguel Escalada 76), Fabian Espindola (Chris Wingert 83). Substitutes Not Used: Jean Alexandre, Raphael Cox, Tino Nunez, Kyle Reynish
• Here's Smith's team (4-3-1-2): Matt Pickens - Ugo Ihemelu, Cory Gibbs, Scott Palguta (Ross Schunk 84), Jordan Harvey - Terry Cooke (Kosuke Kimura 31), Nick LaBrocca, Colin Clark - Mehdi Ballouchy - Jacob Peterson (Greg Dalby 71), Omar Cummings. Substitutes Not Used: Preston Burpo, Ty Harden, Michael Holody, Rob Valentino
REAL SALT LAKE
Real Salt Lake saw their bid for a return to the MLS Cup Playoffs put in dire straits, falling 1-0 to Toronto FC on Saturday afternoon at BMO Field. Real have 37 points from 29 matches on the year, now two points out of the final wild card spot.
LAST MATCH
• Real Salt Lake had all but ensured their playoff chase would remain intact to the final weekend with a crucial 2-0 win at home against New York at midweek, ending a three-game winless run. Toronto FC was coming off back-to-back draws, in the second a stoppage-time leveler scored by San Jose.
• Amado Guevara had rattled a free kick off the bar and RSL's Kyle Beckerman cleared a shot off the line in the first 45 minutes, then the game's lone goal came in the 48th minute.
• Chad Barrett split a pair of Real defenders after latching on to a through ball, but 'keeper Nick Rimando was able to parry his shot. But Jim Brennan was able to turn it back goalward with his right foot, the ball slipping past an RSL defender and just inside the post for the all-important winner.
• Real coach Jason Kreis made no changes to the team that claimed a vital 2-0 win the Wednesday before at home against the New York Red Bulls.
• Here's Kreis's team (4-3-1-2): Nick Rimando - Chris Wingert, Nat Borchers, Jamison Olave, Tony Beltran (Pablo Campos 76) - Clint Mathis (Andy Williams 59), Kyle Beckerman, Will Johnson - Javier Morales - Fabian Espindola, Yura Movsisyan (Robbie Findley 59). Substitutes Not Used: Nelson Gonzalez, Ned Grabavoy, Robbie Russell, Chris Seitz
• "There was a lot on it - both teams knew it, Toronto came out full force as did we and the game ended with one goal," Robbie Findley said. "I think we knew that was going to happen, but credit to them they came out, they played well. We obviously had our chances and couldn't put them away."
TEAM NEWS
• RSL had ensured they would remain alive to the season's final week with the midweek win against New York, but still went down to a sixth defeat in their last seven road games.
• "You know we put so much into that game I'm so proud of what the guys put forth in that match and I think we have to consider ourselves fairly unlucky not to have taken any of those chances that we had and we'd be sitting in a different position," Kreis said. "But for me, the game is a little bit of a microcosm of the season."
• RSL will not control their own fate, even with a victory against Colorado. While they will almost certainly end the Rapids season with a win (they hold nearly all the tiebreakers, unless they win by just a single goal), Real must also hope that no more than one of the four teams tied on 39 points wins over the weekend.
• "First and foremost, you have to take care of your own business," midfielder Will Johnson said to The Salt Lake Tribune. "You have to win the game. That should be our only focus right now, not trying to calculate every different scenario. ... You win your game and then you cross your fingers."
• One question will be answered Thursday, when Chicago meets Chivas USA. A Fire victory will leave just two spots available for the final weekend. They will know before halftime Saturday if Toronto FC (one of the teams on 39) have won; D.C. United (a second on 39) will complete their game during the second half of the match at Rio Tinto.
• "We just can't worry about that stuff," defender Chris Wingert said to the Tribune. "We just have to try to win the game. We know that if we win and we don't make it, it's nobody's fault but our own. But at the same time, in terms of just Saturday, we'll be satisfied. You know, if we can come out and put a good performance in and win the game, we'll know we did what we could, this week."
COLORADO RAPIDS
The Colorado Rapids saw their late-season winless run reach six games, falling 2-1 to FC Dallas on Saturday evening at Pizza Hut Park. The Rapids have 40 points from 29 matches, still sitting in fifth place in the Western Conference and still just holding onto seventh place in the MLS overall table.
LAST MATCH
• FC Dallas had kept their remarkable postseason charge alive with a third consecutive win the weekend before at San Jose, while the Rapids kicked off the game knowing a victory would secure their place in the top eight overall despite having played to four consecutive draws.
• But the home side went ahead just four minutes into the game. Dave van den Bergh swung in a free kick from the right side and it found George John in a scrum at the back post, the rookie heading home his first professional goal.
• Another set piece led to FCD's second in the 66th minute, and again it came from a central defender. This time Dax McCarty played in a free kick, where Atiba Harris headed it back across goal. Ugo Ihemelu was all alone to side-foot the ball off the 'keeper and in, the goal coming against his former club who dealt him Aug. 31.
• Five minutes, though, Colorado pulled a goal back. Nick LaBrocca had the ball tackled away in the left side of the area but Pat Noonan was able to get to it and skip through a couple of tackles before poking home his second Rapids goal, but it wasn't enough.
• Rapids head coach Gary Smith made one changes to the team that played to a 1-1 draw with the New England Revolution on Oct. 3 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Pat Noonan started in the midfield in place of the suspended Mehdi Ballouchy.
• Here's Smith's team (3-1-4-2): Preston Burpo - Drew Moor, Cory Gibbs (Michael Holody 63), Scott Palguta (Ross Schunk 87) - Pablo Mastroeni - Kosuke Kimura, Nick LaBrocca, Pat Noonan, Jordan Harvey - Conor Casey (Facundo Diz 69), Omar Cummings. Substitutes Not Used: Greg Dalby, Ty Harden, Matt Pickens, Rob Valentino
TEAM NEWS
• For the second season in a row, the Rapids' playoff destiny will lie with Real Salt Lake. Last year, they had only to hold out with a one-goal lead at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, but Yura Movsisyan's stoppage-time leveler sent RSL into the postseason for the first time in club history ahead of Colorado.
• "It's not the way we planned it, is it? But we're still in it," said Smith. " ... There are so many different angles and ways of looking at it. Maybe that grief that we experienced last year will be replaced by adulation, but it doesn't always work out that way."
• After a 1-0 home win against Toronto FC on Sept. 5, the Rapids sat in third place in the Western Conference and firmly in command of a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs. They suffered two losses wrapped around four consecutive draws since.
• "What we have to make sure is our result in the weekend is better than any of those other four teams that can still get in. We need to lick our wounds and get ready for the weekend," Smith said.
• It is a simple equation: A Colorado win and they will be assured of a place in the top eight overall. A tie, and they need to hope that no more than one of the teams tied on 39 points wins over the weekend. A loss would mean very tense mathematics - and also won't ensure Real have booked a place.
• "We're missing really five starters out of that group," Smith said. "We've struggled on occasion where we're missing mainline players and tonight, we struggled again. We've just not been able to absorb those losses very well. The lads have shown a lot of determination and resilience to get the points that they have in the last four games, which have been ties."
• Since seeing Jacob Peterson and Jamie Smith go down to injury, the Rapids boss had tried to rearrange his team, even going to a 3-5-2 scheme for the last three matches, with Pat Noonan in the attacking role behind the front two in Dallas. He will welcome back Julien Baudet and Mehdi Ballouchy from suspension for the RSL match.
• "We've tried to adapt [to the injuries]," said Smith. "But in doing that, we've taken the edge off the team."
