Real Salt Lake rested almost their entire starting 11 in anticipation of their US Open Cup semifinal against Sporting Kansas City. In the end, it didn’t matter.
RSL dropped a 3-1 result in the Lamar Hunt US Open cup match on Wednesday at Sporting Park. After going up early through an Olmes Garcia goal, the visitors let in three unanswered goals and saw their Open Cup trophy aspirations go up in the smoke of Sporting KC’s celebrations.
RSL had a dream start when Garcia was gave them the early 1-0 advantage in just the 24th minute.
Defender Tony Beltran got his head up and saw Garcia on the hip of Kansas City defender Kevin Ellis. He launched a ball over the top and Garcia was able to get onto the end of it and place a shot past an onrushing Tim Melia and into the back of the net.
Had they gone on to win, Real Salt Lake would have hosted the Philadelphia Union in the Open Cup final next month, but RSL just couldn’t deny Kansas City.
Sporting midfielder Soni Mustivar pulled one back for the home side in the 35th minute when he headed home a free kick from midfielder Benny Feilhaber.
“I thought our energy was good and to give up that goal right before halftime I think it really took a lot out of us,” RSL head coach Jeff Cassar said after the match. “It shouldn’t, but we’ve had some really tough games before.”
“The second half was a different story,” Beltran said. “We didn't have the composure to play out of the back and credit to them: they did a good job pressuring us. We weren't good enough on the ball and that gave them opportunities offensively."
RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando did his best to stem the offensive onslaught from Kansas City, notching seven total saves, but in the end it was an absolutely heroic effort from Dom Dwyer in the 80th minute that decided the match.
Dwyer fought off what appeared to be a yellow card challenge from RSL center back Elias Vasquez a handful of times before dancing past Aaron Maund and blasting a shot off the post. RSL enemy number one Feilhaber, who has made no secret of his dislike for the Utah club, was there to clean it up, blasting home the go-ahead goal.
“[Benny’s] a player that a lot of things are coming off his foot, whether it’s free kicks, corner kicks, final balls, whatever,” Cassar said. “He seems to be all over for them and showing up in different spots. We talked about being really aware of him, not one person dealing with him, but the whole team. He’s playing well right now.”
Krisztian Nemeth slid the dagger into RSL in the 85th minute after a botched header from Maund gifted him the ball inside of the box. Adding to RSL's woes, Garcia would be sent off in stoppage time for an undisciplined foul on Feilhaber seconds before the final whistle.
RSL will now have to return their focus to MLS play, where they currently sit three points out of the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They will head home to face the Portland Timbers on Saturday night (10 pm ET, MLS LIVE).
