Fabian Espindola scored the game winner in the 3rd minute of stoppage time and Real Salt Lake beat Rocky Mountain Cup rival Colorado Rapids 1-0 on Wednesday. The win extended RSL's home unbeaten streak to 37 matches across all competitions and 27 in MLS play.
Real Salt Lake Vs. Colorado Rapids: Fabian Espindola Scores Winner In Stoppage Time
The goal came at the end of a sequence that started when Javier Morales struck a free kick from about 25 yards out that hit off the post and forced Rapids goalkeeper Matt Pickens into making a diving attempt. The rebound came out to Paulo Jr., who got a touch on it before Espindola pounded the ball into the back of the net. Espindola appeared to come in from an offside position, but no flag was raised.
It was the fourth straight meeting between these two teams that the tying or winning goal had been scored in the 88th minute or later. In the previous meeting, RSL scored two stoppage time goals to tie the game and in their first meeting of 2010, RSL scored the winning goal in stoppage time.
Prior to Espindola’s goal, neither team had looked particularly intent on collecting all three points. Espindola had an earlier goal disallowed for being offside, but that was one of the few close calls. The wind and rain that persisted throughout the match made the kind of passing RSL has become known for harder than normal.
The Rapids, who started the season with three wins in which they posted a +6 goal difference, have no lost two straight games and been outscored 4-0. RSL improved to 4-0-0 for the first time in their history and have now posted a +7 goal-difference.
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