Facing a large crowd gathered at Rice-Eccles Stadium for the first home game in Real Salt Lake history, the Colorado Rapids were simply looking to keep things close on Saturday.
The Rapids came out and played like the more experienced and confident of the two sides, but couldn't break through the Real defense while Brian Dunseth provided the only goal of the game to give the home side the 1-0 victory.
"I think we did well as a team, we were very disciplined, we moved the ball around as a team," said Rapids head coach Fernando Clavijo. "We knew it was going to be an emotional game with everything going on in Salt Lake."
While Real held the majority of the possession through the middle of the game, the crowd began to get behind their new team. But the Rapids came out knowing that what they needed was to finish their chances.
"I think the biggest problem ... that we have is that we don't put the ball into the back of the net. We're not going to win games without scoring," said Clavijo. "Everything went right for us except for two minutes."
"We are very disapointed not to get a goal," said second-half substitute Terry Cooke. "We had a few chances but we have to convert them as well."
Dunseth snuck in at the back post to nod home a Clint Mathis free kick from the right side in the 81st minute.
"I thought we did well, we just need to put more chances away," said defender Hunter Freeman. "We have one bad play and they punish us."
As the match stayed scoreless through the second half, Clavijo brought on Cooke to infuse some energy into his team's attack.
"I wanted to create more offense because we were not creating enough," Clavijo said.
Cooke came in and immediately created some dangerous chances for the Rapids attacking from the right wing, as his runs and crosses caused havoc for the RSL defense. On one occasion in the 88th minute Cooke fed a beautiful pass to Alain Nkong for a chance on goal that was cleared away by Rusty Pierce.
In his first Major League Soccer game the former Sheffield Wednesday winger was impressed by the level of play.
"The game is fast here ... and [there are] some players with great technical ability," Cooke said.
In addition to taking the loss, one Rapids player suffered a minor injury. Freeman collided with Clint Mathis early in the second half and dropped to the turf.
"We both went up for the ball. I was trying to head it out, he was trying to flick it on and pretty much hit me square in the nose," Freeman said.
"We haven't gotten X-rays yet, but I don't think he broke it. He hit me pretty square on. It just won't stop bleeding."
Scott McAllister is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
