RSL Drops First Leg of 2024 Rocky Mountain Cup with Stunning 1-2 Loss to Rival Colorado Rapids

SANDY, Utah (Saturday, March 9, 2024) –  Real Salt Lake (1-2-1, 4 pts., 9th West MLS) continued the home portion of its 2024 Major League Soccer campaign with a disappointing home loss, squandering an early 1-0 lead and conceding two goals to Rocky Mountain Cup rivals Colorado. The Rapids win was the first on Utah soil since 2020, and just the fifth overall in 29 MLS regular-season visits to the Beehive State since RSL’s inception in 2005.

RSL owns an early-season bye week next weekend - as the NWSL Utah Royals FC makes its triumphant return to Sandy - before resuming its 2024 MLS campaign on Saturday, March 23 in Vancouver against the Whitecaps and former Club captain Damir Kreilach. RSL then hosts St. Louis CITY SC on Saturday, March 30 (7:30p MT) in the return leg of the teams’ 1-1 draw on Feb. 24 at CITY Park a few weeks ago. 

Tickets for both next week’s URFC match and the end-of-month St. Louis visit are available at www.RSL.com/tickets.

The Claret-and-Cobalt welcomed the Colorado Rapids for the first edition of the rivalry match in the 2024 Season. Real Salt Lake opened the match electrically with fast-paced passes, runs and strong defensive play. 

The breakthrough goal came in the 21st minute from aggressive counterpressing from second-year MF Emeka Eneli. The ball fell to the feet of Captain Chicho Arango, who patiently distributed the ball out to a surging Andrés Gomez. After taking three touches and awaiting a runner, Gómez drove a ball across the mouth of the goal, finding the diving feet of Eneli. Eneli’s goal was the first of his professional career, and made him the 102nd all-time scorer in Real Salt Lake’s 618-game history in Major League Soccer.

Colorado equalized in the 43rd-minute courtesy of a Rafael Navarro penalty kick. Navarro was awarded the spot kick following an adjudged handball on Eneli, who was pushed in box and as he retained balance, saw the ball strike his outstretched arm. Navarro took the penalty to the right side of the goal, past GK Gavin Beavers. Colorado’s 70th-minute game-winner similarly came against the run of play, dominated by the home team. Colorado’s Cole Bassett picked up the rebound off a Brayan Vera backheel clearance from a Keegan Rosenberry cross, the Rapids captain firing a shot to the left of Beavers through traffic.

The Claret-and-Cobalt had strong performances,promising chances, loud support from the 20,147 fans in the stands and plenty of areas of improvement. Eighteen-year-old GK Gavin Beavers had two important saves keeping Real Salt Lake in the game, while Eneli and Monarchs MF Noel Caliskan played the double-pivot together for the first time, with strong performances picking up the ball in the midfield. Gómez had promising runs on the wings and good delivery into the box, narrowly missing out on several chances to build upon his stellar two-goal, one-assist performance from a week ago in the 3-0 win over LAFC.

Tonight’s loss brings the early 2024 RSL season record to 1-2-1, again marking the first time since 2020 that RSL has lost to the Rapids at home. RSL is off next week, returning to MLS action on Sat, March 23 at Vancouver, before returning to America First Field on Sat., March 30 against visiting St. Louis CITY SC. Kickoff is at 7:30p MT, with tickets available at www.RSL.com/tickets. 

RSL 1 : 2 COL

GOAL-SCORING SUMMARY:  

RSL: Emeka Eneli, 21st Minute (Andrés Gómez): After quick counter-pressing from Emeka Eneli, the ball fell to the feet of Chicho Arango, who dishes out to Andrés on the right wing. Gómez dribbles into the box and drives a ball across the 6-yard box to the diving feet of Eneli, who pushed the ball into the roof of the net for his first goal with RSL, becoming the 102nd player in RSL’s 618-game history to find the back of the net in MLS action. 

COL: Rafael Navarro, 45th Minute : Penalty Kick awarded to Colorado Rapids after Emeka Eneli handball in the box. Rafael Navarro slots the penalty to the left of Gavin Beavers. 

COL: Cole Bassett, 70th Minute (Keegan Rosenberry): Rosenberry drives the ball into the box, with Cole Bassett claiming a rebound from a Brayan Vera backheel clearance, placing it in the right of the goal. 

RSL v COLORADO NOTES:

• Tonight’s loss dropped RSL to 17W-5L-7T all-time at home against the Rapids, outscoring Colorado 49-25 … The Rapids have only won on Utah soil in each of the first three years of the rivalry - 2005, 2006 and 2007 - as well as in 2020, prior to tonight.

• RSL’s 19 total MLS wins - 20 if you include last year’s road U.S. Open Cup victory - over Colorado since 2014 lead the League in wins over a single opponent during that time.

• RSL GK Gavin Beavers made his 2024 debut today, the 18-year-old RSL Academy product appearing in his 13th match across all competitions for the first team. Fellow Academy Homegrowns Andrew Brody and Bode Hidalgo also started tonight.

• Mastroeni made three changes from last week’s 3-0 win over LAFC, as Beavers replaced GK Zac MacMath in a scheduled start, while* Brayan Vera* returned to action in place of Justen Glad (hamstring). MF Noel Caliskan started in place of the suspended Braian Ojeda, making his first start and second appearance for RSL this season, in his third short-term call-up from the Monarchs already in 2024. 

• RSL LB Alexandros Katranis made his RSL debut coming in at the 83rd minute. This was the first match for which he was available for since making the move from Poland.

• FW Chicho Arango again wore the Captain’s armband for RSL for the third time in as many opportunities this season, after being named the Club’s sixth full-time Captain, following in the footsteps of Jason Kreis (2005-07), Carey Talley (2007), Kyle Beckerman (2008-20), Albert Rusnák (2021) and Damir Kreilach (2022-23)

• RSL returns home on Saturday, March 30, at 7:30p MT for a return match at America First Field against St. Louis CITY SC; tickets remain available at www.RSL.com/tickets 

LINEUPS:

Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Gavin Beavers; Bode Hidalgo (Katranis, 83), Marcelo Silva, Brayan Vera, Andrew Brody; Emeka Eneli, Noel Caliskan; Andrés Gómez, Matt Crooks (Julio, 67), Diego Luna; Chicho Arango ©

Subs not used: Zac MacMath, Bryan Oviedo, Erik Holt, Maikel Chang, Daron Iskenderian, Nelson Palacio

Colorado Rapids (4-2-3-1): Zack Steffen; Keegan Rosenberry ©; Sam Vines ; Andreas Maxso; Moise Bombito; Omir Fernandez (Calvin Harris, 67); Oliver Lorraz; Connor Ronan (Jasper Löffelsend, 11(Kevin Cabral, 82)); Cole Bassett ; Djordje Mihailovic ; Rafael Navarro (Darren Yapi, 67)

Subs not used: Lalas Abubakar, Jonathan Lewis, Sebastian Anderson, Adam Beaudry, Jackson Travis

Stats Summary: RSL / COL

Shots: 8 / 10

Shots on Goal: 5 / 6

Saves: 4 / 3

Corner Kicks: 3 / 0

Fouls: 15 / 11

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:

RSL: Yellow (Luna, 90+5); Yellow (Vera, 87); Yellow (Hidalgo, 40); 15 Total Fouls

COL: Yellow (Löffelsend, 58), 11 Total Fouls