Real Salt Lake saw it's 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run come to a premature end Tuesday night, falling to the Columbus Crew 2-0 in an Open Cup play-in match at Crew Stadium.
The loss was the third in a row for Salt Lake, who played their third game in six days away from home. RSL will return home this weekend as they take on San Jose in Utah for a battle for sixth place in the Western Conference standings.
The starting lineups looked a little different than usual at kick off for the two clubs. Each team showcasing young talent as a few usual starters received a day off due to the frantic schedule. RSL leading assist man Javier Morales and co-goal leader Fabian Espindola both started on the bench. Rookie Tino Nunez got the nod at forward from head coach Jason Kreis along with Kenny Cutler getting just his second start at midfield.
With both teams are coming off tough one-goal Saturday defeats -- RSL at the hands of Dallas along with Columbus suffering a 1-0 loss at home to New England courtesy of a PK in the 89th minute -- both were looking to come out of the gate quick.
Columbus landed the first blow in the 26th minute on a set piece started by a long throw in by first-time non reserve starter Ryan Junge. The toss found its way inside the penalty area squeezing through two RSL defenders. Columbus forward Steven Lenhart, also making his first non reserve start, moved in and drove a low, line drive shot passed a diving Nick Rimando into the back of the net.
Possession fluctuated back and forth, as both teams staged runs and counterattacks trying make the next strike. It was a literal stalemate for the last fifteen minutes of the first half as Columbus took a 1-0 lead into the locker room.
Kreis made one lineup change for RSL for the second 45 minutes, inserting midfielder Andy Williams in place of Kenny Cutler to add some experience in the middle.
Fortune would again turn away from RSL early in the 49th minute. Salt Lake midfielder Dema Kovalenko found himself in a scuffle with young Emmanuel Ekpo of the Crew along the right sideline. After battling for a loose ball, Kovalenko picked up the ball and threw it off the face of Ekpo, inciting an immediate exchange between the two clubs. Following a discussion between referees, Kovalenko's actions earned him a red card and an early exit, leaving RSL down a man for the last 40 minutes of regulation.
Only four minutes elapsed off the clock before Columbus would strike again. With the ball in the left center of the box, Crew midfielder Robbie Rogers sent a bender around Rimando ricocheting into the back of the net and giving Columbus a two-goal lead.
RSL received a corner kick after a scoring chance by Kyle Beckerman. The Salt Lake captain almost was able to sneak a side-angle shot into the net, but Crew keeper Andy Gruenebaum was able to knock the shot out of harms way. Williams, while being showered by streamers compliments of Crew fans, sent the corner long and wide of the box resulting in defensive clear.
Salt Lake responded with some solid offensive play around the 70th minute. Kreis substituted forward Fabian Espindola for young Tino Nunez which would lead to immediate scoring chances. RSL got two great looks in the box by Williams, but his shots both found their way into the hands of the Crew's Gruenebaum.
Looking to create more opportunities, Kreis turned to his assist leader, Javier Morales. Morales entered the game at midfield for Matias Cordoba in the 73rd minute.
RSL continued to get open looks after changes in personnel. Defender Tony Beltran found himself with some room just inside the middle of the box but could not capitalize as his low-bending shot was put directly at the hands of Gruenebaum.
While the offense was devising a way to get on the board, Rimando was having a tremendous second half in goal. The RSL goalkeeper stopped shot after shot as he fended off each wave of the Crew attack.
Despite a strong second half performance by the Salt Lake club, they could not manage to find the back of the net before time expired.
RSL had advanced to Tuesday's play-in match by winning it's first play-in match last month, a lopsided 4-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes.
Ryan Bergeman is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
