Real Salt Lake blog

July 28, 2008

Prior to the game I was predicting a 2-0 victory for RSL with Dr. Almost Goals getting on the score sheet. Boy, was I wrong. It was good to get the win for sure, but I was a bit disappointed that our big Scott can’t seem to buy a goal. If you were at the game, or can find it on Youtube (someone PLEASE post it), you have to admit at least Deuchar is giving it all to get a goal for us. He has heart. He has spirit. And, He quite possibly did one of the most graceless attempts at an overhead, bicycle, or scissor kick I have ever seen. It was amazing to see legs that long extend that far to get a hit on the ball and send it goalwards. I’m sold. I’m telling you that he is going to get it together. Or, at least he will give us another good laugh in the process, and some quality highlight material. Please someone, post that clip!

The first half was a tense affair with the players maybe feeling to much pressure from the JK press clippings. A must win game for RSL or else they might be caught in the standings by before they resume the field in mid-August. Only a single point back, Houston and LA were nipping at RSL’s heel with games in hand. So the possibility of RSL being somewhere below first place before they play their next game may have been wearing on their minds. Both RSL and Toronto had quality chances clank off the woodwork of seemingly saran-wrapped goals. First Findley was robbed by the left post in what looked to be a goal. The frustration of RSL almost ended in a late first half goal when Frenchie (Robert) smacked a cross of the underside of the crossbar. I promise you last year or the year before that ball was going in. Not tonight. 0-0 at the end of the first half.

Why is Kenny F. Cutler (KFC) starting games? I can’t figure it out. Sure, he does periodically come in during the second half of games and at least help keep the defensive shape and possession games. However, he isn’t starter material. If he is the best they have. Ouch! On the other hand, I wasn’t a fan of Talley and I can’t profess to know his locker room persona, but he appeared to be a stand up guy (please correct me if I am wrong here), but shipping Talley to Chivas for relatively nothing may not have been the smartest thing from a team perspective. Maybe Talley’s ability to give goals away cost him his place. Lets hope Russell will provide the depth to keep KFC on the bench.

Williams had a quality second half and his play on the wide right helped create the space for Wingert to exploit for the opening score. Midway through the second half Wingert got to send the same cross in a couple of times with Yura being wasteful before Olave headed past a diving Sutton. RSL on top by a goal.

Complacency set in after the goal and RSL started getting the game handed to them by the Toronto midfield. On comes Cunny, and everyone at Rice-Eccles Stadium KNOWS about The Curse of the Former RSL Player. They always come back and score on us. Always. It can happen with any former RSL player. We all saw Mathis come out of slumps with goals against RSL while in the colors of Colorado and NYRB. Do I even need to mention Aleko and Atiba? The complacency in the midfield forced Olave to make a major error in the last 10 minutes of the game by trying to slide on Amado, and then reach out with his hand to trip Amado as he was beaten. Free kick; goal for Toronto. 1-1

Here we go again. Right?

The echoes of the crowd now haunting the RSL players, they had to have heard the shout from the crowd that the game wasn’t over. The next bit of the game was fast and furious with very few memorable moments from either team. Then right before the end, Beckerman gets lose and hits it straight at Sutton, who palms the ball back into the mixer and right to Findley. Findley’s touch was a bit hard and the ball bounced toward the penalty spot with not just 1, but 2 Toronto players appearing to be closer to the ball. Somehow Findley gets to it and rifles his shot under the in-sliding defender and off some part of a flailing Sutton. Can you believe this? RSL up 2-1 in the 88^th minute.

The rest of the game Toronto had half chances, but nothing that really felt would penetrate the RSL defense again. I am glad they didn’t. RSL wins 2-1.

RSL gets to keep 1^st place in the west for at least 2 weeks, and 3^rd place overall for at least a week. I still can’t believe it. They finally win the game they must win.

 Thats that!

Meanie Genie

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 29th, 2008 at 5:41 am and is filed under Real Salt Lake. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.