Role reversal of fortunes

Jeff Cunningham experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in the month of May, but ultimately, he may have helped save Real Salt Lake's season.

The first-year RSL striker scored four goals in May, all of which coincided with the club's three-game unbeaten streak to close out the successful month. He has since scored two more goals to extend that franchise-record unbeaten streak to four games.

For Cunningham's heroics in May, he is the Deseret Morning News Athlete of the Month.

"The confidence that Jeff has given the rest of the team by his emergence continues to push us forward," said Real coach John Ellinger.

The month didn't exactly start out that way.

Back on May 6, Cunningham played the full 90 minutes of a very disappointing 1-0 home loss to the Columbus Crew. Not only did it drop the club's record to 0-5-1, but Cunningham continued to struggle with his confidence.

That's when Ellinger boldly decided to bench Cunningham in RSL's next match at Los Angeles on May 13. He figured that starting rookie Atiba Harris was the team's best opportunity for a result. It was a stroke of genius on Ellinger's part.

Not only did Harris score early in the game, but Cunningham entered as a second-half substitute and scored twice to spearhead the 3-0 victory over the Galaxy — the first road victory in team history.

The superstitious Ellinger wasn't about to mess with his starting lineup. When Salt Lake returned home the following weekend to face Kansas City, Cunningham again started on the bench, but entered in the 59th minute and eventually scored the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over the Wizards.

A week later, the Jamaican-born striker replaced the injured Kenny Cutler at halftime, and scored on a penalty kick to help Real earn a 2-2 tie with the Colorado Rapids, one of Cunningham's former teams.

"Honestly, I think the team is playing better, and I'm getting more chances," Cunningham said. "I think that is the biggest difference."

That may be true, but someone has to finish those chances, something Cunningham has made a living doing.

In eight MLS seasons prior to this year, seven in Columbus and one in Colorado, Cunningham notched 74 goals and 46 assists. So far in 2006, the veteran has recorded seven goals, tying him for the league lead with D.C.'s Jaime Moreno, Houston's Bryan Ching and Dallas' Carlos Ruiz. His 81 career goals ranks sixth all-time, just one behind Raul Diaz Arce.