RSL defeats Rapids in regular season closer

Claret-and-Cobalt earn Rocky Mountain Cup, revive playoff bid

RSL took care of the part of the equation at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night, coasting to a 3-0 victory against the Rapids behind a pair of first-half goals from Robbie Findley.

Yura Movsisyan put the game away with a goal in the 85th minute, and meant that RSL needed only to have FC Dallas or New England either suffer a tie or a loss in their final regular season matches to qualify for a playoff spot.

RSL proved to be aggressive in attacking Colorado's defense in the early stages of the match.

Will Johnson nearly created a scoring opportunity in the second minute. Johnson started on a counterattack and lobbed the ball into the area ahead of Findley. He tried to position the ball so the speedy forward could overtake Rapids 'keeper Preston Burpo on a challenge. Burpo disrupted the play by sliding forward and clearing the ball back to midfield before Findley could get to it first.

Salt Lake had another missed opportunity materialize in the ninth minute after a Colorado defender stripped the ball from Javier Morales just outside the area. Andy Williams collected the ball a few seconds later and blasted the ball toward the right post. His attempt to curl it inside the post failed as the ball hooked just outside of frame.

RSL finally cashed in during the 15th minute. Williams set things in motion by lobbing a cross over to Fabian Espindola on the left side of the area. Espindola settled the ball and then looped the ball back to Findley near the right post. From there, Findley headed it into the upper corner -- slotting the ball perfectly between Burpo and the post to give Real a 1-0 lead.

The Rapids nearly evened things up in the 25th minute when Mehdi Ballouchy sent a perfectly timed cross into the right side of the area and Julien Baudet snapped a powerful header on goal. RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando dived to his right to make the save, but the rebound fell to the feet of Conor Casey in front of the goalmouth -- leaving him in prime position to make the tap-in. Nat Borchers kept the would-be goal from materializing, clearing the ball to safety over the crossbar.

Omar Cummings almost hit paydirt for the Rapids in the 28th minute when he fired a rocket from the top of the area. The ball appeared to be headed for the underside of the crossbar until Rimando leapt up and punched it over the crossbar to make the save.

Colorado probably could have used a goal when Findley struck again in the 33rd minute. Williams once again started the play out by lobbing a deep pass to Findley as he cut into the area. The ball took a bounce and Findley brought it down, only to pop it back up as Burpo came off the line to challenge him.

Findley settled the ball again after it went over Burpo and slid a low shot into the right corner of the net to increase RSL's lead to 2-0.

Williams came close to setting up a third goal for RSL in the 51st minute. He received a pass from Morales as he cut down to the right side of the area. Williams then turned and fired back across to the goalmouth, trying to hook up with Morales as he burst through the middle of the 6-yard box. But Morales could not get to the ball in time as it sailed past the left post and landed out of bounds.

Colorado took another crack at the goal in the 60th minute when Jordan Harvey floated a cross from the top of the area to Cummings at the far post. Cumming leaped up to meet the ball and unleashed a header, but his shot sailed over the crossbar.

RSL put the nail in the coffin in the 85th minute when Yura Movsisyan took a pass from Morales and dribbled down into the area, cutting around Drew Moor toward the right post, before turning and blasting a low shot into the left corner of the net to make it 3-0.

John Coon is a contributor to MLSnet.com.

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