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Rapids extend Salt Lake's offensive woes in win

May 1, 2007 - 6:17 AM SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) -- Five minutes were all the Colorado Rapids needed.

After 70 minutes of futility on both sides, the Rapids scored twice in the span of five minutes - three times if you count the goal that was waved off - to escape with a 2-0 victory over Western Conference-rival Real Salt Lake.

Colorado rookie forward Roberto Brown took advantage of a defensive miscue in the 71st minute, finding a crease inside the box and shooting an unassisted goal past new goalkeeper Chris Seitz, who was making his MLS debut. The goal - Brown's second of the season - broke a scoreless stalemate and proved to be the game-winner.

Though the RSL offense had maintained control through much of the first half - nearly scoring on three occasions - Brown's goal indicated a sudden and significant shift in momentum.

"I felt that we controlled possession throughout," Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo said. "We had to keep our tempo and we had to keep time of possession and we did that. But even in the first half we didn't create enough, we were not aggressive enough going forward and we wanted to change that in the second half. So we had to attack and force mistakes and that's what we did and the goals came."

Less than five minutes later, the Rapids, held in check for most of the afternoon up to that point, were on the offensive again.

In the 74th minute, Colorado was awarded an indirect kick and immediately capitalized, but the goal was waved off because the Rapids had not waited for the referee's whistle. But it made no difference as, moments later, Kyle Beckerman drilled his first goal of the season past Seitz to give the Rapids a comfortable two-goal cushion.

RSL was shut out for the third game in a row following a two-goal effort in its season opener against FC Dallas, and now has a 308-minute scoreless streak. The team had the opportunities to break that streak in the first half, but could not capitalize.

"I thought we could have done better with some of the chances we did have," RSL coach John Ellinger said. "We have to play a game without making mistakes. These are MLS games and you do not get more than five or six good chances in a game. When you are at home you have to score goals and that is what we have got to do. There are times when the offense seems stagnant."

In the second minute of play, Klein had a wide-open shot from 20 yards out but it sailed high, and 13 minutes later, Jeff Cunningham found Mehdi Ballouchy inside the box. But the young midfielder's attempt was buried in the arms of Colorado goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul from just a few feet out.

"Colorado sat down deep and they let us have possession in the back but in the attacking third they were really closing us down," Ballouchy said. "The only way to play through defenses like that, we've got to learn to play quick, easy, simple football - quick, combo football."

Coundoul registered his first shutout of the season. In his MLS debut, Seitz recorded two saves for RSL, which remains in the West basement with just two points in four games.

"It feels good, so that means I want many more to come," Coundoul said. "I was looking at the first game and (it) didn't happen, the second game, third game...so finally it happened here. Hopefully, for the rest of the season there are a lot of shutouts. I'm trying to go for the record to lead the whole league in goals against average."

"Any time we get to beat this team here, in front of their fans, its awesome," Beckerman said. "We like to send them home unhappy."