Real Salt Lake will keep the Rocky Mountain Cup for a third-straight year after routing the Colorado Rapids, 6-0, Saturday night at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park.
Things went from bad to worse for the home side in short order.
Needing to overcome a three-goal deficit in the season series in order to claim the Cup, Colorado conceded a sixth minute goal to RSL's Damir Kreilach and then went down a man when Niki Jackson - making his first MLS start - was shown a red card three minutes later.
Jefferson Savarino doubled RSL's lead just past the half hour mark, and Colorado lost yet another player when Nana Boateng was shown red for a reckless challenge just before the half.
RSL showed no mercy, as Savarino, Joao Plata, Corey Baird and Albert Rusnak added four more after the break to claim the largest margin of victory in history of the series and hand Colorado its worst loss at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park.
RSL retains the Rocky Mountain Cup for the 10th time in the last 12 years.
Goals
- 6' – RSL – Damir Kreilach
- 33' – RSL – Jefferson Savarino
- 58' – RSL – Jefferson Savarino
- 69' – RSL – Joao Plata
- 74' – RSL – Corey Baird
- 86' – RSL – Albert Rusnak
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: RSL won a road match for the second straight week, in turn keeping pace - and staying above the red line - in compacted Western Conference with seven games left. The six goal swing in differential may also prove helfpul. Colorado did themselves no favors with two reckless plays, and will be 14 points below the final playoff spot by the end of the weekend, with five of their final eight matches on the road.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: You could pick any goal - or either red card - as the game-changers. But this goalline headed clearance by Aaron Herrera on Kortne Ford's header was also key - keeping the score 1-0 before things went wild.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Jefferson Savarino gets the nod by contributing to three of the six goals, tallying two of his own and assisting on Corey Baird's goal.
Up Next
- Colorado: Saturday, September 8 at Portland Timbers
- Real Salt Lake: Saturday, September 1 vs LA Galaxy
