After a lackluster performance during a mid-week win over Montreal, Real Salt Lake made amends to its home crowd tonight by turning in a comprehensive 2-0 victory over the rival Colorado Rapids in front of 16,870 fans in the 2012 Subaru Rocky Mountain Cupopener at Rio Tinto Stadium.
FW Álvaro Saborío opened the scoring in the 20th minute for the home side, deftly chesting down DF Tony Beltran’s cross from the right flank before slamming his shot from 12 yards out past Rapids ‘keeper Matt Pickens.
Controversy surrounded Real Salt Lake’s second goal in the 57th minute when FW Fabian Espíndola appeared to have taken down MF Luis Gil’s lengthy ball over the top of the Rapids backline with an extended arm, but the Argentine striker finished the play ruthlessly, slotting past Pickens to double the RSL advantage.
RSL netminder Nick Rimando was rarely tested en route to his third shutout of 2012, being forced into a single save during the Utah’s side’s third win on the campaign. With the three points Real Salt Lake closed out a perfect three-for-three week and kept its lead in the Western Conference at three points over the surprising San Jose Earthquakes.
