Real Salt Lake: RSL feels 'wronged' by officials

Jason Kreis' frustration with Major League Soccer officiating has escalated for the past three weeks, and Real Salt Lake's coach isn't going to sit back idly any longer.

"After three successive weeks of game-changing decisions, it's time we vent a little bit and put things right," said Kreis on Monday afternoon. "I have a team doing their best to reward fans through a frustrating time and a frustrating few years. I feel the players are doing what they need to, the coaching staff is doing what they do, but being wronged by critical referee decisions is unacceptable."

It's more than just being on the wrong side of judgment calls that is upsetting to Kreis, it's what appears to be a blatant disregard for the rules.

"It's about time they start first off trying to be right, and then being fair," said Kreis. "It's too many game-breaking calls, all of them against Real Salt Lake."

In an exclusive interview with the Deseret News, and knowing full well he'd likely be fined for his comments, Kreis wanted to be very clear about the specific calls that have gone against his club.

The first "egregious and unacceptable" decision occurred in Toronto on April 19, a game RSL lost 1-0. After a disappointing first half, one in which Kreis took the blame for his tactical decisions, Salt Lake came out and realistically dominated the second half.

Nonetheless, heading into stoppage time RSL hadn't scored the equalizing goal. Referee Silviu Petrescu signalled three minutes of stoppage time, extending RSL's lifeline just a little longer.

After 1:50 of what was supposed to be at least three minutes of stoppage time, Petrescu blew the whistle and ended the game.

Kreis knows the odds of his team scoring in those final 70 seconds was slim, but he's still ticked the ref shorted the game at such a critical moment.

Fast forward one week to RSL's 4-1 loss at D.C. United.

Kreis is aware his displeasure with referee Baldomero Toledo sounds like a conspiracy theory, but it's tough to overlook. All week leading up to the April 26 match Kreis read stories in the media about how D.C. United was planning on turning its season around against Real Salt Lake.

To then see D.C. United awarded two penalty kicks to open up a 2-0 lead early in the second half was extremely frustrating. The first penalty resulted on what appeared to be an inadvertent handball in the box against Dema Kovalenko. Kreis called the ref's decision, "extremely questionable" and inconsistent with other hand balls he's witnessed this season. Against Toronto, Kovalenko had a second-half shot heading toward goal deflected by an inadvertent hand ball without a whistle being blown.