RSL Falls 3-2 at Colorado in Rocky Mountain Cup Finale | Real Salt Lake

COMMERCE CITY, Colorado (Sat, July 20, 2024) – Real Salt Lake (12-5-8 / 44 points / 3rd West) fell to regional rival Colorado Rapids 3-2, losing control of the Rocky Mountain Cup in a non-Covid year for the first time since 2015. RSL winger Andrés Gómez scored his 12th and 13th goals of the year, his fourth multi-goal game of the season, to move into a tie for fifth in the MLS Golden Boot race.

Kicking off for the first 45 on a rainy night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Real Salt Lake came out flying, thoroughly controlling play as it broke through to take an early lead in the 9th minute. Seeming as though the Claret-and-Cobalt might cruise to a 15th Rocky Mountain Cup victory, the tables quickly turned as it would be Colorado that scored in lightning-quick back-to-back fashion in the 34th and 39th minutes to seize control of the Cup, Jonathan Lewis and Sam Vines the scorers. Heading into the locker room, Pablo Mastroeni’s side was dominant in every statistic except the scoreline, owning more than two-thirds of possession and more than doubling Colorado in passing (359-147).

During the halftime break, lightning strikes in the area postponed play for nearly two hours before play resumed at 10:21 p.m. local time.

It wouldn’t take long for RSL to square the affair in the second half, Gómez collecting his 13th of the 2024 campaign and second of the match with a beautiful left-footed strike in the 49th minute. Gómez’ outside-the-box strike continues his nearly unbelievable run of form, marking his 13th goal in the last 140 days after he scored just once in his first calendar year with the Club. The match would remain on equal footing, both teams struggling through adverse conditions until Colorado won a late penalty kick on a controversial handball call in the 85th minute, Cole Bassett stepping up to convert the chance and give his team the decisive 3-2 lead.

Despite the scoreline, RSL dominated the run of play, boasting 62% of the possession and nearly doubling Colorado in passes completed (609-327). Nine RSL players registered at least 30 passes, Justen Glad leading the way in volume with a staggering 99 while Braian Ojeda and Bryan Oviedo led in accuracy at 95% and 92%, respectively.

The loss gives Colorado its first Rocky Mountain Cup title since the disputed 2020 affair, just its sixth in the 20-year history of the rivalry. RSL still holds a commanding lead in the all-time Cup standings, winning 14 total and six of the last eight. A bright spot for RSL, Glad made his first start since June 1, returning from a six-week injury hiatus, playing the full 90 minutes. Additionally, Real Salt Lake fans got their first look at attacking midfielder Benji Michel, the 26-year-old former U.S. youth international making his Club debut after being signed earlier this week. Michel most recently played for Portuguese side Arouca and previously made 119 appearances across all competitions, scoring 19 goals and nine assists for Orlando City FC from 2019-2022.

RSL – 9’ – Andrés Gómez (Bryan Oviedo): With RSL pressing as Colorado possessed the ball deep in its defensive third, a clever intervention by Oviedo sent it to Gómez in the middle of the park with only green grass ahead of him. Immediately sprinting forward with Anderson Julio stretching out the back line, Gómez took two touches before launching a low, bouncing rocket at Colorado goalkeeper Zack Steffen’s near post, the technique and power of his right-footed shot proving too much as it whistled into the back of the net.

COL – 34’ – Jonathan Lewis (Cole Bassett, Rafael Navarro): Controlling it deep in Rapids territory, Moïse Bombito spotted the run of Rafael Navarro into the attacking third and played a well-aimed through-ball sending his striker to the right corner of the box. Defended well by Glad, Navarro passed centrally to Cole Bassett who immediately switched play to the left side of the box with a one-time lofted pass over the last RSL defender. Running onto it with his preferred right foot, Jonathan Lewis caught it cleanly on the half-volley to deposit the near post finish and steal one back against the run of play.

COL – 39’ – Sam Vines (Jonathan Lewis, Cole Bassett): As RSL controlled it on the edge of their own box, Sam Vines cleverly jumped a passing lane to intercept the ball and start a quick counter attack. Vines’ intervention sent it to Bassett who then forwarded possession to Lewis as he charged deep into the right side of the box. Racing to the end line, Lewis whipped a low pass across the face of the goal as Vines, following the play after starting it himself, smashed the point-blank finish into the roof of the net.

RSL – 49’ – Andrés Gómez (Anderson Julio, Emeka Eneli): As Real Salt Lake began their buildup, Emeka Eneli received the ball in his own half and charged forward at a rapid pace. Dribbling through two defenders, Eneli laid it off to Julio at the top of the box. Julio held up the ball, drawing multiple defenders before passing to Gomez on the right side of the box. Presenting that he would take his touch further into the box, Gomez’s touch stopped the ball in place as his marker went flying by. Turning around centrally to get back on the ball, Gomez took two quick dribbles before unleashing a left-footed laser that curled perfectly over a helpless Steffen and into the top corner netting at the far post.

COL – 89’ – Cole Bassett (Penalty Kick): As the game trended towards a draw and a fourth consecutive Rocky Mountain Cup for RSL with less than 10 minutes to play, Colorado came forward to win an 85th-minute corner. Whipping it into the traffic of the box, Glad was called for a handball, awarding the Rapids a late penalty kick. Bassett stepping up to take it, he sent GK Gavin Beavers the wrong way with a powerful shot to the left.

• Andrés Gómez scores his 12th and 13th goals of the year to collect his fourth multi-goal game of 2024 and move into a tie for 5th place in the MLS Golden Boot Race, just five goals behind current leader and teammate, Captain Chicho Arango (17).

• First-time All-Star, homegrown center back Justen Glad made his first start since June 1, playing the full 90 minutes after his return Wednesday at LAFC for one official minute following a six-match injury absence.

• RSL dropped to third place in the Western Conference standings, trailing LA Galaxy and LAFC by five and three points, respectively. The four days since Wednesday’s draw to LAFC are the first period that RSL has not been in first place in the Western Conference since mid-March.

• RSL faces defeat for just the second time on the road since the season opener against Inter Miami (Feb. 21, 0-2). The loss brings RSL’s record away from home to a still-impressive 4-3-7. Despite the Club’s -4 goal differential over the last four games, RSL remains second in the West at +17., trailing only LAFC (+18).

• First-time All-Star and homegrown defender Justen Glad made his return to the starting lineup for the first time since June 1, playing the full 90. He led the match with 99 completed passes, a season high for him, at a staggering 92% completion rate.

• Newly signed RSL attacking midfielder Benji Michel made his debut, coming on in the 74th minute. The 26-year-old former U.S. youth international most recently played for Portuguese side Arouca and previously made 119 appearances across all competitions, scoring 19 goals and tallying nine assists for Orlando City FC from 2019-2022.

Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Gavin Beavers; Justen Glad; Bryana Vera; Andrew Brody (Bode Hidalgo, 62’); Bryan Oviedo (Alex Katranis, 62’); Emeka Eneli; Braian Ojeda (Nelson Palacio, 62’); Andrés Gómez; Diego Luna; Matt Crooks; Anderson Julio (Benji Michel, 75’)

Subs not used: Zac MacMath, Maikel Chang, Philip Quinton, Noel Caliskan, Matthew Bell

Colorado Rapids (4-2-3-1): Zack Steffen; Moïse Bombito; Andreas Maxsø; Keegan Rosenberry; Sam Vines; Connor Ronan; Oliver Larraz (Darren Yapi, 65’); Omir Fernández (Calvin Harris, 65’); Jonathan Lewis (Kimani Stewart-Baynes, 78’); Cole Bassett; Rafael Navarro (Jasper Löffelsend, 89’)

Subs not used: Michael Edwards, Lalas Abubakar, Sebastian Anderson, Ethan Bandre, Wayne Frederick

COL: Moïse Bombito (Caution, 23’)

COL: Darren Yapi (Caution, 74’)

RSL: Diego Luna (Caution, 88’)

RSL: HC Pablo Mastroeni (Caution, 88’)