Real Salt Lake 1 at 0 Colorado Rapids
_October 21, 2023; Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; Commerce City, Colorado_Real Salt Lake (14-12-8, 50 points); Colorado Rapids (5-17-12, 27 points)
Man of the Match: **Zac MacMath** was a brick wall in between the sticks, helping Real Salt Lake secure the clean sheet and fifth place in the Western Conference. MacMath made six saves in his ninth clean sheet of the 2023 campaign, the second-most shutouts of his career in a single season. MacMath started the match off strong, making two massive saves in the 14th and 16th minutes. The first was an instinctive adjustment to a change in direction, pushing the ball over the bar with his outstretched hand. The second save in the 16th minute was a diving stop on a hard-hit shot that looked destined for the back of the net. MacMath protected RSL’s one-goal lead in the 85th minute, poking the ball off the feet of an attacker inside the six-yard-box with a kick save to secure all three points.
Telling Stats: RSL improves upon its record against the Rapids since 2014 to 19W-4D-5L, securing the first-ever four-match sweep of its Rocky Mountain rivals, across all competitions, in a single season. RSL finishes the regular season with 50 points for just the second time since 2015 (53 points in 2019). The Claret-and-Cobalt are the sixth team in MLS history to reach 50 points despite having a negative goal differential (-2).
What You Missed: Zac Macmath was called upon early and often in the opening minutes of the match, making multiple point-blank saves to keep RSL even. **Danny Musovski** had an opportunity in the fifth minute to draw first blood, but his close-range shot was saved by debutant goalkeeper Abraham Rodriguez. After the 20-minute flurry of opportunities from both sides, the match settled down and neither squad was able to find the back of the net as the match headed into the halftime break tied 0-0. Despite controlling possession to open the second half, RSL struggled to create chances for a go-ahead goal. Finally, in the 74th minute, **Diego Luna** won the ball on the left wing and beat his defender to enter into the area, attacking the near post and blasting a shot into the top shelf to beat Rodriguez. MacMath continued to stand tall down the stretch, making a game-saving save in the 85th to hold on for the win.
What’s Next: Fifth-seeded Real Salt Lake begin the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in Houston next weekend (date and time TBA) for the start of a best-of-three playoff series against the Dynamo, with RSL hosting the second match the following weekend (November 4/5). A decisive game three would be played back in Houston a week later (Nov. 11/12) if needed. The two sides have faced each other three times this year across all competitions, with the Dynamo currently leading the series with a 2W-1D-0L record.
