• Recap
• Bleachers

RSL, Rapids swap own goals in tie

May 11, 2007 - 5:01 AM COMMERCE CITY, Colorado (Ticker) -- In the quest for the coveted Rocky Mountain Cup, Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids made a little bit of history.

Two first-half own goals scored in the first 15 minutes of the game highlighted a 1-1 tie between Real Salt Lake and the Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Thursday.

Two own goals in the same game is a rare occurrence, as it has only happened six times in league history. This game also marked the first time in MLS history that two own goals accounted for the only goals in a contest.

"Both goals were freaks," Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo said. "You don't see that too often."

The Rocky Mountain Cup is presented to the team that wins the season series between the clubs by supporters' groups from both sides and the Rapids have won it both years it has been in existence.

"You have to remember this is not just a regular game anymore, we have created a rivalry with RSL and we have to be ready to play when we step on the field," Clavijo said.

"I think the rivalry is real," Kreis said. "It was good to see the ticky-tack stuff after the plays did not occur tonight. I think it's a rivalry going in the right direction."

Rapids midfielder Herculez Gomez blasted a kick from the right side that was knocked away by RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando. Unfortunately for Salt Lake, defender Jack Stewart was in the wrong place at the wrong time as the tipped ball ricocheted off him and into their own goal, staking Colorado to an early 1-0 lead in the game's fourth minute.

The early goal was the fifth time in the last six games that the Rapids took the lead of the match.

Then in the 15th minute, RSL midfielder Freddy Adu was able to free himself on the left side. Adu deked the Rapids' defense and fired off a shot off the body of Colorado midfielder Pablo Mastroeni past goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul for the second "own goal" of the contest.

"We'll continue to work on that (getting Adu more looks)," RSL coach Jason Kreis said. "Freddy wants to see different sides of the field and wants to see what that left back is like as well. The great thing is you can put Chris Klein anywhere and you're going to be fine."

RSL, which has a league-worst 4-24-6 road record since entering MLS in 2005, has played to two ties since Jason Kreis, who retired as a player and replaced John Ellinger as coach, took over the reins of the team last Thursday.

Salt Lake, which had allowed a league-high 11 goals entering the game, allowed just one in a contest that saw three goals disallowed due to offside penalties.

With the tie, Colorado will maintain a 1-0-1 advantage in the series until September 22, when it meets RSL in the first of two meetings in the final month of the season.