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RSL loses Rocky Mountain Cup for first time since 2020

Posted on by Vaseline

COMMERCE CITY, Colorado. – Real Salt Lake lost a heartbreaking game against the Colorado Rapids, ending their three-year winning streak in the Rocky Mountain Cup.

The match had an extended half-time of almost two hours due to a weather delay. The delay seemed to have worked in RSL’s favour, but an 88th-minute penalty gave the home side a late lead that proved too big to overcome.

Real Salt Lake have just over a week off before they enter the Leagues Cup on Thursday, August 1.

RSL loses Rocky Mountain Cup deciding match in Colorado

For Real Salt Lake, the stakes were high at DSG Park: the Rocky Mountain Cup, play-off qualification and much-needed momentum were on the line.

However, Real remained calm, cool and collected.

Anderson Julio was the first to get a look at goal in the 5th minute, his shot going in and forcing Colorado goalkeeper Zack Steffen to make a difficult save.

But the boys in claret and cobalt were not to be deterred. Less than five minutes later Andres Gomez raced away on the break and charged from long range to give RSL a 1-0 lead.

RELATED: Andres Gomez Puts Real Salt Lake on Top in Rocky Mountain Cup Deciders

The next 20 minutes saw a little less action, but Real Salt Lake still managed to maintain the lead.

They tried to fire more shots and also tempted some Rapids players into making unfavorable fouls.

In the 35th minute the momentum changed completely. It started with Jonathan Lewis finding the equalizer after a pass from Cole Bassett.

Less than five minutes later, Sam Vines scored from close range to give the Rapids the lead, and the sold-out Colorado crowd grew louder as the home side took control of the game.

RSL started to struggle a bit and went in search of an equalizer before the first half was over.

They couldn’t find it, but the halftime stats indicated that RSL just had to stay consistent.

Both teams had the same number of shots, shots on target and corner kicks in the first 45′. Real Salt Lake completely dominated possession and controlled the ball for over 71% of the first half. It simply came down to Steffen making one more save than Gavin Beavers.

As the second half was about to begin, a storm broke out in Colorado.

Lightning and a downpour forced a weather delay on the game. After nearly two hours of waiting, the second half was cleared to begin at 10:21 p.m. (MST).

RELATED: Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids game goes ahead due to weather delay

Just a few minutes into the second half, Gomez showed that even a two-hour break cannot stop him from scoring.

Julio gave Gomez the chance to fire the ball into the top left corner.

RELATED: Andres Gomez scores twice to level the score after weather delay

It seemed that the delay would work in RSL’s favor.

The previously sold-out crowd had dwindled considerably, while the travelling Real fans seemed to hold out to see the club complete the important rivalry match.

After Gomez’s second goal, the teams went back and forth for almost 40 minutes without much happening.

Then disaster struck for Real Salt Lake in the 90th minute.

Justen Glad was penalized for a foul in the penalty area, leading to a penalty in the final minute for the Rapids. Bassett stepped up to the spot and fired the ball in to take a 3-2 lead.

Real failed to equalise in injury time and lost 3-2 to rivals Colorado for the second time this season.

How to See Real Salt Lake

All Major League Soccer matches are broadcast on Apple TV with MLS Season Pass.

All Real salt lake English-language radio coverage for the 2024 season and beyond will air on multiple KSL radio signals. KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM) and KSL Newsradio (102.7 FM/1160 AM) are both stations under the Bonneville International umbrella.

Chandler Holt co-hosts the Jazz Notes Podcasta Locals In The NFL Insider and Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.comFollow Chandler on Twitter @CHoltSports or on Threads @chandlerho1t.

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