Rocky Mountain Hardware
Ever since Real Salt Lake’s inaugural season in 2005, RSL and the Colorado Rapids have duked it out for the Rocky Mountain Cup. The rivalry has produced some stellar moments as the teams contest for the fan-created trophy and Kyle Beckerman has been an integral figure in the derby, seeing success with Colorado and Salt Lake. The established Rapids won the trophy in 2005 and 2006, then after Beckerman was traded to RSL, the trophy resided in the Beehive State each of the next six seasons. Colorado regained it in 2013, but Salt Lake took it right back last year.
Now, after two matches, Salt Lake has a chance to keep the Cup if it can win by two goals or more on Sunday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The teams played to a scoreless draw in the only meeting at Rio Tinto Stadium this year back in June, then in July Colorado got three late goals to overtake Salt Lake 3-1 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Oddly, despite RSL’s overwhelming success in the Rocky Mountain Cup competition, the margin is much narrower in the all-time series with RSL leading at 12-11-10.
Playoff Push
RSL is just six points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with four matches to play. With two games in hand on current No. 6 seed San Jose, those points can be made up in a hurry. It will need points in every match, along with some help to reach the postseason for an eighth consecutive season, but it can only do so by starting things off strong against the Rapids.
After this match on Sunday, RSL will host the Portland Timbers on Oct. 14 and FC Dallas on Oct. 17 before closing the regular season on the road against the Seattle Sounders on Oct. 25.
Morales on the Mend
During a difficult stretch of five matches in 16 days, RSL had an ace up its sleeve in Javier Morales. In the first two league matches of that stretch, The Maestro had two goals and two assists in two convincing RSL wins over the Houston Dynamo and LA Galaxy. He even added two assists for good measure in a 2-1 win over Santa Tecla FC in the CONCACAF Champions League match that was the fourth match in that stretch. However, an injured hip flexor suffered in that match against the El Salvadoran club prevented him from playing in a 1-0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes to close out the stretch and RSL had to settle for a 3-1-1 record in those two weeks.
During the week RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar sounded optimistic Morales would be available against the Rapids and that would be a good thing for Salt Lake. In 22 games played this season, Morales and eight goals and 11 assists. RSL has an 8-5-5 record when he plays at least 45 minutes (just 2-7-3 when he doesn’t) and is 8-3-1 when he has at least one goal or one assist.
Wall of the Wasatch
Quietly, Nick Rimando is having a top-class season among MLS goalkeepers. Despite playing in just 22 of RSL’s 30 matches this season because of international duty and injuries, Rimando ranks sixth in the league with eight shutouts and is top of the standings with a 1.00 goals against average.
If past history is any indication of future success, those numbers stand to improve against Colorado. In 34 career matches against the Rapids, Rimando has a 0.71 goals against average, including a 0.69 GAA in 21 matches against them in an RSL uniform.
