Real Salt Lake learned a lesson the hard way last weekend, and it’s not one they’re interested in learning again anytime soon.
One week after they rallied for a 1-1 road draw against the Philadelphia Union, RSL fell to an opposite fate last weekend against D.C. United, felled by a late penalty kick in another 1-1 draw. The result — which came about after a bit of apparant simulation from United striker Charlie Davies after a challenge from RSL defender Chris Wingert — left Salt Lake with an empty feeling after what looked like a surefire win.
“Always, when you have the lead and you give it up and tie,” captain Kyle Beckerman said, "it feels like a loss.”
The DC draw is firmly in RSL’s collective heads as they return to action against the Chicago Fire on Wednesday (8 pm ET, watch LIVE online), hoping that if they by chance take a lead on the hosts at Toyota Park, they have the guile to put this one out of reach.
“As we saw last week if you don’t put games away, they can come back to haunt you,” head coach Jason Kreis said.
Kreis, however, dispelled the notion that giving up late goals has become a troubling trend in RSL camp. They allowed an 82nd–minute game-winner against Columbus on June 8, and five of their eight total goals allowed this season have come after the 75th-minute mark.
Instead, the RSL boss believes that United's late goal was an anomaly more than anything, and not likely to happen again.
“It’s tough for me to say that can fit into any category of trend,” Kreis said of the Davies goal. “That one was a one-off, if you know what I mean.”
