Real Salt Lake completed their first season on a down note, ending their inaugural campaign with a late 1-0 loss to the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
The lone goal of the game came in the 87th minute by Rapids substitute Fabrice Noel on a pass from Jeff Cunningham -- Colorado's only shot on goal in the match -- and left Real with a 12-game winless streak to conclude their expansion season.
With the Rocky Mountain Cup still to be decided -- as well as a potential move up the Western Conference standings for the Rapids -- the tension was high from the start. Colorado held most of the early possession, without generating any real quality chances at goal.
The best opportunities fell to RSL, who had six shots on goal to none for the Rapids over the opening 45 minutes. In the sixth minute Melvin Tarley got the game rolling with an attempt inside the box, bringing the first save from Rapids 'keeper Joe Cannon.
Andy Williams was dangerous from his forward role on the right, first heading goalward from inside the area in the 11th minute, though the attempt was knocked away by Cannon. Williams then shot over the crossbar from a good position in the 14th minute.
Clint Mathis also had a good chance but shot right into the chest of Cannon in the 15th minute, and in the 20th minutes Tarley found Williams with a quick pass, but Cannon again fell on the chance.
The best chance of the half came in the 38th minute after a Tarley run left him alone in the area opposite Cannon, but again the Rapids 'keeper was able to get a foot on the shot and kick it out of play.
RSL continued to press their advantage after the halftime break, with the forward trio of Tarley, Mathis and Williams causing the Rapids rearguard real problems.
Tarley went just wide off a pass from Kevin Novak in the 47th minute, then seconds later Seth Trembly cut through several defenders to make his way into the box before trying to chip the ball over Cannon. Instead the ball went just over the bar, settling onto the top of the goal.
Still without a shot on goal as the final minutes wound down, Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo made three attacking substitions, bringing on Noel, Cunningham and rookie Sasha Gotsmanov, and the visitors began to pile on the pressure.
The Real defense finally broke in the 87th minute. Cunningham held the ball at the top of the penalty area just long enough for Noel to get around his marker, and then he dropped a softly weighted ball behind the Real defense and Noel slotted home an angled shot for the first goal of his MLS career.
The victory brought the Rapids level with the Los Angeles Galaxy -- for the moment -- for third place in the Western Conference, though the Galaxy still have their season finale to play, Saturday evening at home against the San Jose Earthquakes.
MLSnet.com Man of the Match: Joe Cannon (Colorado Rapids)
Neil Wyler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
