RSL falls short of comeback in 2-1 loss in Portland

A late-season road game against a rival in what commentators called a "hostile environment" isn't the best opportunity to turn around a recent losing streak, but Real Salt Lake wasn't listening.

After all, RSL has played well all season away from home. In fact, a win or draw Wednesday night in Portland would have given the Claret and Cobalt the second-longest unbeaten streak in MLS history at nine matches.

It was an uphill climb from the start, however, as Santiago Moreno found a gap in the RSL backline and headed home the opening goal in the 13th minute. Felipe Mora doubled the lead in the 64th minute, and RSL seemed destined for its fourth straight loss in all competitions and an end to its road unbeaten streak.

"I think we let ourselves down with the first goal," head coach Pablo Mastroeni said. "Obviously, the second goal didn't help but, again, the guys have fight in them and the belief that we're going to straighten the ship out. We've got to do it sooner than later."

Brayan Vera lit a spark of hope for a comeback in the 83rd minute when his shot from distance deflected off Chicho Arango and into the back of the net to suddenly bring RSL within a goal of tying the game in the final minutes.

Damir Kreilach — who has saved RSL late in games on more than one occasion — got his head on the ball in stoppage time but it ended up on top of the goal instead of in it, and left RSL just short of a much-needed positive result.

The loss moves RSL into a tie with Vancouver for fifth place in the West and just 5 points clear of Austin, the first team out of the playoffs currently.

"We're playing against the clock and time," Mastroeni said, speaking to the team having only eight games left in the season.

The team returns to Utah for another rivalry matchup against the Colorado Rapids Saturday at 7:30 p.m. MDT at America First Field.

Related topics