RSL drops 4-3 result in vital game at home against San Jose

With their playoff fate on the line, Real Salt Lake dropped a crucial game at home to San Jose, a team who’s already been eliminated from playoff contention. RSL only has two games left to go — against very tough opponents at home against Portland and on the road to Sporting Kansas City. Pending the result of Minnesota vs SKC tomorrow, RSL holds the final playoff spot in the West in seventh place.

Real Salt Lake opened the scoring early in the ninth minute with a goal from Albert Rusnak. After a quick give and go at the top of the box with Damir Kreilach, Rusnak sent a low shot in that went right past James Marcinkowski and into the net, giving the home side a rare early lead at home.

Despite a barrage of solid attacking play from RSL, the visitors pulled one back less than 10 minutes before halftime thanks to a goal from Carlos Fierro. Cade Cowell sent a ball in from the right side and Fierro was right there in front of goal to tap it in, leveling the score at one apiece.

San Jose took the lead in the dying seconds of the first half off a corner kick that found its way to Chris Wondolowski’s head on the far post. He sent the header in and it sailed past Ochoa, putting the visitors up 2-1 heading into the halftime break.

The Quakes didn’t let up in the second half and found a third goal compliments of 18-year-old Cade Cowell who dribbled it into the box and sent a shot past our defenders, past Ochoa and into the net. San Jose would take a 3-1 lead with just 20 minutes left to play.

It got worse for RSL when a defensive blunder led to San Jose’s fourth goal, handing it to Jackson Yueill on a silver platter.

Maikel Chang, a late-game sub, pulled one back for RSL in the 85th minute after collecting a cross from Aaron Herrera directly in front of the goal. It was enough to bring RSL back to 4-2.

Albert Rusnak grabbed another one in stoppage time, bringing RSL within just one goal of salvaging a point from the contest.

It wasn’t enough as San Jose held on for the victory, leaving RSL with just two games to play in hopes of holding onto a playoff spot.