Summertime Fun: RSL 2 – Toronto FC 1

By: Akeem Samuels | July 29th, 2008

Rice-Eccles Stadium was left pleased, but hungry for more after last night’s game. Heading into a team record 18 day layoff, fighting an impending charge by Houston and Los Angeles who remained a mere point behind in the standings, and a 10 game home unbeaten streak on the line, the US Olympic Team alternate, Robbie Findley, sealed the Salt Lake Club’s victory in the 87th minute for a 2-1 victory over Toronto FC.

The game was scoreless until the 63rd minute when the Colombian, Jamison Olave headed in a beautiful cross from 20 yards away, past Toronto FC Goalkeeper Greg Sutton. However after an unnecessary take down by Olave in the 83rd minute, Toronto’s Amado Guevara directed a free kick into the top left corner pocket to bring the game at 1-all. In the dying minutes, Robbie Findley put a Sutton deflection into to the net to extend the team’s points lead over Houston and Los Angeles to 4, extend the team’s home unbeaten streak to 11, and going into this unprecedented 18 day team break on a high note.

With the next 3 of their 11 opponents yielding a winning record, expect RSL to remain quite settled on their perch on top of the Western Conference. The break will offer the necessary rest and time needed to get most of the squad’s players into top fitness and form to capture the number one seed in the West and make a deep run in the MLS Cup. It may sound improbable but Real has the perfect mesh of coaching, youth talent, and ease of schedule to put it in the driver seat for its first MLS Cup. With many of the League’s historical powers off contending and wearing away with the Superliga, CONCACAF Champions League, and The Lamar Hunt US Open, Salt Lake’s focus is mainly being fit.

At www.pinnaclesports.com, the betting site has Real Salt Lake as the fourth favorite to win the MLS Cup, just behind New England, Columbus, and Los Angeles. If I were you, I’d start putting my bets down while the odds are still high because Salt Lake is only getting better from this point. They have no pressure to win it all – since their existence, they have been perennial underachievers. If they win it all, it’ll be a dream come true. If they don’t? Whatever, no one would of have expected it anyway. These men are playing fun and inspired football that will continue as the summer months dwindle away.