Real Salt Lake 2 at Colorado Rapids 1
April 15, 2017; Commerce City, Colorado; Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
Real Salt Lake (2-3-2, 8 points); Colorado Rapids (1-3-1, 4 points)
Man of the Match: Brooks Lennon came with the play of the day, making his first MLS goal a big one in netting the 88th-minute game-winner. He cut in from the left side – the opposite side from where he had played much of his five starts this season – and thumped his shot through traffic to beat Zac MacMath.
Telling Stat: RSL already ended New York’s nine-match streak without being shutout at home this season. Now the Claret-and-Cobalt has added Colorado’s 19-game home unbeaten streak to its growing list of home success. The Rapids last lost a regular season match at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in 2015, going 12-0-7 in that stretch.
What You Missed: That Lennon had the audacity to take the shot that scored the game-winner is impressive enough, but that the 19-year-old called his shot makes it all the more impressive. After the match, Head Coach Mike Petke told the media about his prediction. “I was set to bring on an offensive sub and move Brooks over to the other side and he looked at me and said, ‘I got this guy.’”
So What: RSL’s last road win was July 31 against the Philadelphia Union. It wasn’t the prettiest of games, but momentum is building as Salt Lake earned its second straight win. Now with Atlanta United coming to town next week, the tests don’t get any easier.
