Real Salt Lake Stuns Colorado Rapids With Late Push
May 18, 2024, 9:56 PM | Updated: Jun 5, 2024, 10:13 am
SALT LAKE CITY – Real Salt Lake looked dead in the water at multiple points in the match against the Colorado Rapids but still came out on top.
In the 84th minute, RSL trailed 3-2. Two goals in three minutes and a stoppage-time goal resulted in a 5-3 final scoreline.
Chicho Arango and Andres Gomez both scored braces. Anderson Julio scored the last goal of the night.
what can we say? the boys don’t like losing.#RSLvCOL | @SelectHealth pic.twitter.com/8ElD0LCdaU
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) May 19, 2024
Late String Of Goals Pushes RSL Past Rapids
First Half
After a patient start from both sides, the Rapids took advantage of an early mistake from RSL to take the lead in the 5th minute.
Colorado’s Cole Bassett jumped a pass near midfield and caught RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath off his line with a shot from nearly 50 yards away.
Zac MacMath gets caught out of position as the Rapids take an early lead.@realsaltlake 0@ColoradoRapids 1#RSL #RSLvCOL #MLS https://t.co/EnrAfcxiKV
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 19, 2024
Now forced to look for an equalizer, Real had to turn up the heat maybe earlier than they had anticipated.
In the 11th and 12th minutes, Arango and Gomez both got looks on goal. Arango’s attempt sailed high and Gomez’s shot was saved.
The uptick in energy resulted in some smaller successes for RSL but the first half continued to go downhill from there.
Another defensive lapse, this time from the back line, led to a second Colorado goal in the opening 20 minutes.
Luckily for Real Salt Lake, it didnt take long to pull one back.
Real continued to apply pressure in the attacking third until the Rapids’ defense crumbled.
Gomez maneuvered through defenders in the box and Arango was left with an easy tap-in in front of net.
RELATED: Chicho Arango Gives RSL Hope After Rough Start Against Colorado
Colorado scores and RSL pulls one right back. Plenty of early action at AFF 👀@realsaltlake 1@ColoradoRapids 2#RSL #RSLvCOL #MLShttps://t.co/nWOOfIy08q
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 19, 2024
After some back-and-forth play between the rivals, Real Salt Lake showed they weren’t giving up the Rocky Mountain cup without a fight.
In the 40th minute, Diego Luna lined up for an RSL corner kick. He gave an excellent cross that found the foot of Gomez for a highlight finish.
Just like that, Real got the ball to two of its best striking options and the score was even at 2.
RELATED: Andres Gomez Finds First-Half Equalizer Against Colorado Rapids
EQUALIZER!!! GOMEZ!!
TIED AT THE HALF…@realsaltlake 2@ColoradoRapids 2#RSL #RSLvCOL #MLShttps://t.co/nhu3UsVlVG
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 19, 2024
Neither side was able to get much going in the nine minutes leading up to halftime.
RSL and Colorado went into the break knotted at 2-2.
Second Half
With momentum in the favor of Real Salt Lake, the Rapids needed something to go their way.
In the 56th minute, that’s exactly what happened.
MacMath was able to get two saves with chaos ensuing around him in the box but the pressure continued and Djordje Mihailovic was there to put the Rapids back on top.
Colorado strikes first after halftime.@realsaltlake 2@ColoradoRapids 3#RSL #RSLvCOL #MLShttps://t.co/XGyNto54lM
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 19, 2024
Just like after the first goal of the first half, RSL had some pep put in their steps after Mihailovic’s goal.
Luna, Julio, and Emeka Eneli all created great looks on goal in the next 10 minutes. Luna and Eneli’s attempts were saved. Julio had a one-on-one with the goalkeeper and his shot barely missed to the left.
After a few substitutions and a failed attack in the 80th minute, it became do-or-die time for Real Salt Lake.
The top seed in the West showed that they perform well under pressure.
In the 85th minute, Arango cleaned up a miss from Eneli in front of goal to even the score at 3.
Three minutes later, Arango found Gomez sneaking through the middle with a through ball. Gomez beat multiple defenders to the spot and sent a shot into the left side of goal to take a late lead.
RELATED: Real Salt Lake Takes Late Lead Over Colorado With Two Quick Goals
special teams
special plays
special players 👆 pic.twitter.com/xA466ZE0kX— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) May 19, 2024
Julio put the nail in the coffin in the 96th minute.
After running the break with numbers, Julio called his own number and slotted a shot in the bottom right corner to give RSL a 5-3 lead in stoppage time.
Real Salt Lake held onto its spot atop the Western Conference with the huge win over rival Colorado.
How To Watch Real Salt Lake
All Major League Soccer games are broadcasted on Apple TV with MLS Season Pass.
All Real Salt Lake English-language radio coverage for the 2024 season and beyond will be carried on various KSL radio signals. KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM) and KSL Newsradio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) are both stations under the Bonneville International umbrella.
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Chandler Holt is a co-host for the Jazz Notes podcast and a Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com, specializing in all things basketball and football. Follow Chandler on Twitter @ChandlerHoltKSL or on Threads @chandlerho1t.
