The Rocky Mountain Cup is again going to Real Salt Lake, as they secured a late 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night at Rio Tinto Stadium as part of Heineken Rivalry Week.
The game flipped on its head in the 89th minute, as head referee Ted Unkel showed a straight red card to Rapids’ striker Kei Kamara for a challenge on RSL right back Brooks Lennon.
That gave the home side a spark, and the eventual game-winner came in the 96th minute via Joao Plata. The Ecuadorian winger created a penalty kick, then deposited from the spot just underneath a sprawling Tim Howard.
Then in the 99th minute, RSL made it 2-0 via Jefferson Savarino. Sitting atop the six-yard box, the Venezuelan smashed home a cutback from Albert Rusnak.
The scoreline was a tad misleading for the night overall, as Colorado controlled large portions of the match. That was most evident in the 27th minute, as RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando pulled off a stunning double-save that somehow kept the ball from crossing the line. Rimando finished with five saves, while RSL didn’t attempt a shot on target until the 65th minute.
In another twist on a wild evening, RSL thought their game-winner had arrived in the 91st minute via Damir Kreilach. However, Video Review judged that Savarino was offsides before crossing to the back post, where the Croatian finished.
Goals
- 90+6' – RSL – Joao Plata (PK)
- 90+9' – RSL – Jefferson Savarino
Next Up
- RSL: Saturday, Aug. 31 at Portland Timbers (10:30 PM MT | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, on DAZN in Canada)
- COL: Saturday, Aug. 31 at New York Red Bulls (7:00 PM MT | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, on DAZN in Canada)
