Real Salt Lake: Rocky Mountain Cup rivals headed in different directions

SANDY — Fortunes can change quickly in Major League Soccer. Both Real Salt Lake and Colorado can attest to that.

Back on May 2, these Rocky Mountain Cup rivals clashed in the Mile High City. At the time, RSL held a narrow advantage in the standings with nine points to Colorado's eight.

The Rapids went on to win that match 2-0, and the rivals have been heading in opposite directions ever since. Although Colorado is in the midst of a five-game unbeaten streak, Real Salt Lake is winless in its past six games.

As discouraging as the widening gap is, and knowing how desperately RSL needs a victory, defender Nat Borchers believes Colorado's success since that May meeting is actually encouraging.

"That's a positive thing seeing which direction Colorado has taken versus us, we can definitely go in that direction, we can go on a streak here and win a few games and be at the top of our division," Borchers said.

It's going to take a lot more than a few games to catch Western Conference leader Chivas USA, but that's a moot point right now. Real Salt Lake needs a win in the worst possible way to get its season back on track, and putting a halt to Colorado's unbeaten run Saturday night at Rio Tinto Stadium at 8 would be the perfect start.

A victory would also go a long way to helping RSL retain the Rocky Mountain Cup with one match remaining. Coach Jason Kreis has traditionally stressed the importance of the Cup, but not this week, not after his team just lost on the road to the worst team in MLS last weekend.

"For me, it's really zero to do with the opponent," Kreis said." It doesn't matter who the opponent is, we need three points, and we need it in the worst way. Our backs are against the wall. We're going to put everything we have in this game to get the three points."

A month ago, capturing the full three points would've seemed relatively easy. Real Salt Lake was 3-0 at home at the time with a plus-10 goal differential. In its two matches at Rio Tinto Stadium since, however, Kreis' team is winless and it's hard to imagine Colorado being intimidated.

In what has emerged as a big match for both teams, albeit for different reasons, each will be significantly shorthanded.

Real Salt Lake will be without midfielders Kyle Beckerman and Javier Morales, who are each suspended because of yellow card accumulation. Colorado will be missing red-hot striker Conor Casey and midfielder Pablo Mastroeni, who are in Chicago tonight for the U.S. National Team match with Honduras.

"It's a difficult situation to lose Javi and Kyle," Borchers said. "It gives our midfield a different look, but we have guys on the bench who can step up and play for us."