Real Salt Lake: A Real-ly horrible slump

SANDY — Real Salt Lake is a team in disarray, and those troubles are no longer just associated with the road.

Just a few weeks removed from looking invincible at home, RSL was thoroughly outplayed by visiting Kansas City on Saturday night falling 2-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium — its first regular season loss in the new building.

Even in front of a sellout crowd of 19,340, the new car smell of Rio Tinto Stadium just wasn't that bothersome for the Wizards.

"I think the effort was there; we just weren't good enough. Just too many players had bad nights tonight, not average nights, bad nights," said RSL coach Jason Kreis.

RSL has now gone winless in its past four matches since the coming-out party of its 6-0 victory over New England. The stretch does include a 2-2 draw with Los Angeles, but RSL led that match 1-0 heading into stoppage time.

"I'm looking at myself right now, looking at myself to figure out in the couple weeks since we played what was the best game at Rio Tinto Stadium to tonight what was the worst game I've ever seen in this stadium by the home team," said Kreis.

Josh Wolff, who used to a be a permanent fixture with the U.S. National Team, scored in the 20th and 67th minutes tying Chicago's Brian McBride for the league lead with six goals.

Salt Lake was a bit unlucky not to match Wolff's goals as the posts and crossbars of Rio Tinto Stadium continue to be unkind to the home team.

In the 48th minute Kyle Beckerman uncorked a shot from inside the box past Kansas City keeper Kevin Hartman, but it banged off the left post and Javier Morales' rebounded shot was deflected out for a corner kick.

A goal could've leveled the score at 1-1 and likely given RSL new life with nearly the entire half to play. Instead, it did the opposite, which Wolff capitalized on in the 67th minute for a 2-0 advantage.

RSL was unlucky again not to whittle the lead in half when second-half substitute Luis Miguel Escalada cracked a wicked volley off the crossbar.

As much as a goal could've changed the complexion of the game, it was still a head-scratching performance for the home team.

"It was pretty bad all over, I don't know what to say," said Chris Wingert. "Going down a goal that early puts us in a big hole and we weren't playing good enough soccer to dig out of it to be honest with you. I thought it was our worst performance of the season, especially at home."

The timing of the loss couldn't be worse. Now with a 3-5-1 record, and closer to the bottom of the Western Conference standings than it is the top, RSL plays four of its next five matches on the road where it is winless and goalless this year.

"I'm looking for answers in myself, and I'm hoping the players doing that as well," said Kreis.

RSL finished the match outshooting Kansas City 14-13, but Hartman came up with some big saves to earn his fourth shutout of the season.

His biggest save came in the sixth minute when he stopped a one-on-one chance by Robbie Findley who sped by a pair of Kansas City defenders at the top of the box.

For most of the remainder of the match it was Kansas City putting RSL's defense under pressure, which hasn't really happened at home this year.

E-mail: jedward@desnews.com