Game Recap: Colorado Rapids 2, Real Salt Lake 2

The Rocky Mountain Cup isn’t decided quite yet. After a terrible start that saw two Real Salt Lake goals, the Colorado Rapids came back and got two goals of their own to take home a point after a long night in Sandy, Utah.

The Rapids went down 1-0 in the 11th minute when Damir Kreilach put a diving header past Tim Howard and then six minutes later Joao Plata knocked one in to put RSL up by two goals early in the half. Colorado also earned two yellow cards by the 17th minute (Kortne Ford and Jack McBean).

Salt Lake had all the momentum until Head Referee Baldomero Toledo called for a weather delay at the 24th minute. After about an hour, play resumed. Anthony Hudson subbed in Enzo Martinez for Yannick Boli and switched to a 4-4-2 formation.

After the restart, the Rapids had more of a spark and in the 29th minute, Johan Blomberg attempted to got a shot off in the box but he went down due to contact with an RSL player. Toledo originally waved it off, but used VR to decide that it was indeed a penalty. I didn’t think the replay seemed all that conclusive, but I’ll take anything the Rapids can get.

McBean took the penalty and scored, putting Colorado on the scoreboard.

Neither team made any subs at the beginning of the second half.

McBean had a shot in the first 10 minutes of the half, but he booted it directly at Nick Rimando. A couple minutes later Tommy Smith was able to get a left foot on a bouncing ball and hit the crossbar.

With five minutes to go, Dillon Serna was looking to sub in. While he was on the sideline, Ford had an awkward slide clearance and seemed to have bothered his knee. The coaching staff decided to bring in Serna for Ford, who walked off the pitch on his own, which then pushed Danny Wilson to the backline.

The Rapids played well throughout the last 45 minutes, but it looked like RSL was going to get all three points. Then Edgar Castillo dribbled through half their team and took a shot. Rimando knocked it to the side and Dillon Serna followed it up, squeezing in the rebound near post over the RSL keeper’s arm to tie it up 2-2 in the 88th minute. It was the first time the Rapids have scored more than one goal in Rio Tinto.

Jefferson Savarino of RSL took a diving header in the very last minute of stoppage time but he missed wide, and shortly after Toledo blew the final whistle.