RSL Win First Game, Against D.C., so why is Lalas to blame?

It was meant to be a night of reunions in sunny Nevada. With three players on their roster from D.C. United's of last season Real Salt Lake would certainly up for yet another chance to get their first win of the season. Unfortunately, one of the three, Freddy Adu, was away on U-20 international duty. However, Alecko Eskandarian and Nick Rimando would both suit up against their former team.

The home side came out in a 4-3-3 formation that featured recent acquisition Robbie Findley as the front attack man. Their opponents would use the 4-4-2 line-up that they've grown used to since going on a seven-game undefeated streak. Jaime Moreno, who is away with Bolivia for the Copa América, and Troy Perkins, who was receiving his first rest of the season, were noticeable absences.

Anyway, to the game. Despite RSL quickly moving the ball down the field to gain a corner kick in the opening minutes the first bit of the game was quite cagey. Neither team seemed to want to take a chance of being killed on a counter attack.
Around the twentieth minute the game started heating up, but it was surprisingly the winless team that was doing most of the attacking. A lack of finishing from both Eskandarian and Bellouchy kept the game at zeros despite both players being presented with great chances to score. Christian Gomez was virtually invisible for D.C. United and it showed. Without their play maker playing well the men from Washington could get nothing significant going in the attack.

After a while their lack of forward movement finally bit them in the butt. In the 40th new RSL acquisition Robbie Findley intercepted the ball around midfield and just flat out burned the entire D.C. defense. After making his way around Erpen he easily slotted the ball past stand-in-keeper Nolly for an RSL lead. Thank you Alexi Lalas.
Soehn made an interesting move before half time, taking off young striker Rod Dyachenko and putting on Guy-Roland Kpene. Personally I think it was a dumb move. There was only about a minute left to half time and that minute could of made the difference between embarrassing Dyachenko or not.

The second half continued in much the same way. In the 49th Findley was once again able to penetrate the D.C. defense, this time burning Namoff, and sprint his way toward a goal. 2-0 to RSL. The next thirty minutes didn’t even look like the D.C. players realized they were losing. Despite switching to their old and more offensive 3-5-2 formation and even later throwing on a third striker in the form of Addlery there was never any real commitment to evening the score.

However, very late, in the 87th, the Black and Red were able to pull one goal back. After a cross came in from the right wing the ball bounced around in the back with no Real defender able to clear it. Finally it fell to the feet of Emilio who wasn’t going to miss from close range. 2-1 to RSL. Even five minutes of stoppage time and many feeble, not to mention wasteful, boots up the field by D.C. United players they were not able to pull of the miraculous come back.

As the referee blew his whistle D.C. United’s seven game undefeated streak came to an end and Real Salt Lake celebrated their first victory of the 2007 MLS season. For D.C. I can only hope this isn’t a sign of things to come when they loose two more players, in the form of Olsen and Boswell, to the Copa América tournament. As for RSL, well, they can thank L.A.

Final: Real Salt Lake: 2 - D.C. United: 1

If you're lucky, next time I might even check my grammar and post a picture. But I have a USA - Mexico game to watch.