10/20 RSL @ Colorado Cripids/Crapids - Rocky Mtn. Cup Final

So I'm finally getting around to a review and only a week and a half late! Oh yes! I'm just that good. Let's get right to it.

The RSL lineup was basically what was expected:
Esky leading up front with Espi and C. Brown.
Talley, Beckerman, and Sturgis manning the midfield.
Kotschau, Mantilla, Pope, and Wingert across the back.

Oddly, we haven't seen much of Kipre lately, not sure why he pulled a Forko and disappeared. Did the Ivory Coast call him up so we had to feign another injury? Also, Brown over Findley AGAIN! AGH! Also, Esky is without the headgear in this one, although you'd be hard pressed to tell since his hair is basically the same color (and shape). To the game!

Kyle Beckerman opened the game (and his return to Colorado) with a sweet karate kick to Cancela's midsection, earing a yellow card just 5 seconds into the game. My problem here is that if you are going to karate kick someone, at least let it be Pablo! Then the Crapid fans kick in with a "Where's your lion?" chant, as if anyone in Salt Lake cares about our mascot. Ooooo, you really got us guys! L A M E. Fourth minute, Red Card Kots is beaten downfield by Cooke but makes a nice recovery to get back on the play, recoveries and saving the day will be his hallmark on the night. Tenth minute, Mantilla with a lazy cross field ball that is intercepted and rushed forward on attack, luckily Colorado is unable to do anything with it. Still 0-0. Soon after, RSL fouls just outside of the box, but the wall does its job and denies Kirovski. Well done. In the 14th, a bouncing ball comes downfield and as Rimando goes up for it Clark comes in trying to head it and levels Nick who goes down injured. Wingert pounces on the loose ball and clears it and RSL smartly fouls near midfield to stop play and get Rimando checked out. In the 17th, Chris Brown uses some good positioning (yes a Brown compliment on the RR, believe it or not) to force a dangerous play on the edge of the box. Unfortunately, Brown is forced to rush a play by an onrushing Condoul and puts it WAY out of bounds. Fortunately, Brown is flattened by Condoul, which made me happy in a twisted way. In the 19th, Beckerman goes 1 on 1 with Petke wide right, but can't break him down. He needs to do better with opportunities such as that. In the 21st, Terry Cooke, who had been limping around nearly all game, finally gives up and comes off for Jacob Peterson. Bonus for RSL, Colorado has burned a sub very early. The next 10 minutes or so have Pablo being his douchebag self, cheap shotting RSL players left and right. He even comes in, runs over Sturgis, then complains about being called for a foul, while making a baby sucking his thumb gesture about Sturgis. Classy. Then came the 32nd minute. Clark got behind the entire RSL team on a nice through ball, juked past Rimando, and...hits the crossbar and on entirely open goal. Or as RSL superfan Garth Algar would say... In the 36th, Clark appeals for a penalty, but is thankfully denied, as a) the ball looked to have been out of bounds on the sideline seconds before and b) the tackle by Mantilla was pretty clean. Still tied. Soon after, Espindola gets a 1 on 1 with Condoul only to put it right into Bouna's stomach as he fell to block the ball. RSL needs a better finish there! Colorado comes back the other way with Casey all alone about 6 yards out diagonal right, but he pulls an RSL and puts it into the side netting. Some terrible RSL defending left him all alone. RSL goes back the other way less than a minute later, but two Becks crosses find no one as the RSL forwards continue their year long theme of not crashing the box. Ugh... In the 40th RSL catches another break as the Crapids are forced to use another sub after an injury to Ihemelu. On comes old man Tony Sanneh, who makes a difference in the 44th, by getting in front of a big Esky shot after he had beaten pretty much the whole team coming down the field. A nice run by Esky, but unfortunately he is denied. After just 2 minutes of stoppage time, which seemed a bit short after 4 injuries: Cooke, Ihemelu, Rimando, and a minor stoppage for Talley, the half ended 0-0.

Half grade: C+
The defense was iffy but RSL did create a few chances. While they did seem to have more possession than Colorado, they seemed unable to advance the ball past midfield, with a lot of balls going back and forth around the back 4, before someone would bomb a long ball upfield. Findley is much more suited to a long ball game than Brown, but guess who's in? Sigh... Colorado looks fairly complacent seeing as how they are at home and HAVE TO win to have a chance at the playoffs. They just seem to be bunkering and looking for a counter. Odd.

The second half started with RSL getting another bonus. As they switched fields, the wind picked up and RSL now would have a 30+ MPH wind at their back for the duration of the half. Lucky lucky. After kickoff, Sturgis came out with passion and was all over and in every play for about 5 minutes. Nice to see some flashes of what could be out of the kid. In the 48th, Clark comes down with the ball and does what few others have, he totally beats Eddie Pope, but his shot is poor and is right to Nick. A couple minutes later Esky puts a nice ball into the box that is quickly passed to a waiting Espi at the edge of the 18. Rather than put a quick shot on goal, or passing to one of a number of open teammates, he tries to force the issue (1 v. 3), dances around, and is dispossessed. He seems to be forcing a lot in this game, rather than getting his team involved. In the 52nd, Colorado counters with Wingert ending up behind Clark who puts a nice little cross into the box. Kotschau saves the day by getting a shoelace on it and breaking up the pass. Very nice recovery by Ritchie. (Note: the following needs its own paragraph)

A minute later saw the end of an era. EDDIE POPE was subbed off for Chris Lancos, ending his professional soccer career. Thanks for everything Eddie, you will be missed!

In the 55th, Espi puts a cross into the box, unfortunately he didn't bother to look and see if anyone in white was withing 10 yards (they weren't) and it was cleared no problem. However, this was typical of RSL on the night (and the year), their crosses NEVER find anyone on the right team. Hopefully the staff will find a way to fix this next year. Speaking of Espi, in the 57th he was subbed out for Robbie Findley putting RSL's two golden boot candidates on the field at once. Espi was active but forced things a bit too much. While I'd have liked to have seen RF for Brown, this was a good sub. Right after, Peterson hit an absolute rocket which Nicky dove after and pushed wide. Nice save! The 59th saw RSL finally break a ten minute or so run of play for Colorado. The team was finally able to find some openings to pass upfield, getting it to Esky wide. Esky made some sweet moves to get free and put a pretty cross into the box for Beckerman. Unfortunately, Pablo got his foot about 1/4 inch past Beckerman's and cleared it away, but it was nice to see an RSL cross that was actually dangerous. Colorado then decided to use its final sub in the 61st, somewhat oddly subbing Omar Cummings in for Jovan Kirovski. Once again, at home, needing a win, and with no other subs I'm not sure I sub offense for offense. I think I take someone out of midfield, or go 3 in the back and really try to push for a goal. I can see why Crapid fans question Big Poppa Clav. This also means Mehdi Ballouchy will not get off the bench. A solid starter for a bench warmer, what an amazing trade that was. Thanks again Crapids! About this time, the wind, which had already been playing tricks, seemed to come even more into play. It was very reminiscent of the Metrostars/RSL match in '05, with balls flying backwards. Very interesting to watch. Cummings tried to give the Crapids the lead in the 64th, splitting a couple defenders, but his shot looked like something I would do and it bobbled harmlessly away. At this point RSL had evened up the play and got a chance when a high floating ball (perhaps an attempted cross-the wind was crazy) danced around in the air and landed right in front of Findley just 3 yeards out. He attempted a header but slightly mis-hit it and it went wide near post. Some may think he should've tried to settle it, but I like the decision with the goalie and a defender right in front of him and the ball probably going to take a 20 foot bounce and catch up in the wind again anyway. Either way, still tied, 0-0. On the ensuing play the ball came across for Talley who attempted a pretty and entertaining, but fairly unnecessary, bicycle kick that went wide. From where he was positioned, that shot would have had to be on a rope to go in anyway, but it was fun to watch nevertheless. In the 71st, RR and RSL fan favorite Chris Brown had an amazing chance after Cripids defender Erpen put a stellar cross into the box for him. Instead of scoring on a basically open net, Brown instead bobbled it and knocks it out of bounds. Doesn't this guy get paid to score goals? That one was harder to miss than to get. Pathetic. Colorado quickly countered and put not one, but two great crosses through the box, unfortunately for them no one was able to get on the end of them. Their finishing has been VERY reminiscent of RSL's. Everything is wide or missed, thankfully for RSL. In the 73rd, Kreis inserts Williams for Brown, much to my delight, especially after that pathetic play just moments earlier. Esky then puts a free kick on net, forcing a big save from Condoul. Nicely done. Then Colorado seemed to finally remember that they needed to actually win this game and showed a little urgency. A first attack was again broken up by a heads up Kotschau play, but the second wave was dangerous. It was classic RSL defending with the ball bouncing around the penalty area but no one clearing. Usually these situations lead to opposition goals, but somehow Colorado squandered the opportunity and Mantilla hit an amazingly dangerous header BACKWARDS off his head to Rimando. Craziness. In the 78th, RSL went on the attack but a dangerous ball near post from Findley to Esky was JUST broken up, keeping the game scoreless. In the 81st, Findley took one of his patented runs past the defense, going one on one with Condoul. He beat him, but went just a half a foot wide on the far post. This was starting to look like one of those games where everyone goes close, but no one can close the door. In the 83rd, Rimando comes off his line to knock the ball away, but doesn't get all of it. It bobbles to Clark who does...well, I'm still not sure what, I guess half pass, half shot...with it that is way, way off target and RSL is able to clear the danger. Then it happened. Finally. Talley puts a gorgeous long ball upfield onto the end of another Findley run, who is again alone with the keeper. Condoul rushes him, but Robbie calmly chips it over him with a sliding, outstretched boot and into the net. 1-0 RSL!!! RSL takes control in the Rocky Mtn. Cup! Robbie Findley clinches the RSL golden boot with his 6th RSL goal on the year (8th overall)! Very nice goal. However, as RSL so often does after a goal, they forgot the game was still going on. Colorado rushes down field forcing a jumping save by Rimando on the near post. The ball falls to Sanneh 6 yards out, right in front of an open net, who volleys it back in immediately. Rimando makes an absolutely SUPERHUMAN save flying in from out of nowhere to get a paw on it and put it over the crossbar. Watch the highlights of this game, this sequence must be seen to be believed. Guzan for GK of the Year my ass. Rimando deserves it, sorry. At this point Colorado finally started to get a bit desperate, especially Bouna Condoul who dribbled the ball to midfield numerous times the rest of the way. After 90, the ref signalled for 4 minutes of stoppage, which was obviously a home-field call to give Colorado a chance. If 4 injuries equals two minutes, a half with basically no stoppages does not equal 4. A minute into stoppage, Andy Williams nearly sealed the deal when Condoul basically handed him the ball about 40 yards from goal. However, Williams' shot went just inches wide, keeping the RSL lead at 1. Condoul nearly did it again a minute later and I'm sure Colorado fans must have been pulling their hair out every time he touched the ball in extra time. Findley made a mistake in the 3rd minute of stoppage as he went for the corner flag. He ran towards the flag but tripped over the ball, putting it out of bounds and giving Colorado a last gasp at the RMC. Seconds before the final whistle the ball clearly went out of bounds next to the RSL goal but the linesman missed it and it led to a "shot" the Erpen sent to Fort Collins. Final score: RSL 1 - Colorado 0!!! HELLO ROCKY MOUNTAIN CUP!

Half grade: B-
Some more defensive lapses and RSL was definitely helped by Colorado's poor finishing and their inexplicable lack of offensive urgency for much of the half (and game). Findley was key to getting a goal and the offense looked somewhat dangerous. Decent, but not especially good half, however, to both teams' credit, conditions were less than ideal.

Pros:
-THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN CUP IS OURS!
-Robbie Findley gets the (much deserved) RSL Golden Boot for 2007.
-Crapids are knocked out of the playoffs, at home, by RSL.
-Kotschau showed an uncanny ability to break up some dangerous attacks.
-Esky looked much more into this game than he has in a while.
-RSL does not finish with the league's worst record.
-The Colorado fans (and coach) gave Pope a well deserved ovation and nice sendoff. Well done Denver!

Cons:
-Eddie Pope is no longer anchoring the RSL back line. God help us all.
-The defense was suspect for much of the match.
-RSL's crosses, by and large, are just awful.
-12th of 13 teams is not a good thing.

Game grade: B+
Based solely on play, I give RSL a C+ in this game. However, I feel a bonus is necessary after RSL came out tough on the road, against a team that HAD to win, and scraped out a rivalry win. They also clinched the team's first Rocky Mountain Cup. While a winning season would be nice, it is great for RSL fans to have something, anything, to hang their hat on. Well done boys, see you next year!

Player grades (subs and times in parentheses):
Nick Rimando-8 Made a few misjudgements, but those late saves were incredible.
Chris Wingert-5 Not his best game. Made some nice recoveries, but was beat a few times.
Matias Mantilla-5 OK game, but he's capable of much better
Eddie Pope-6+4 Not at his best either, but 4 bonus points for lifetime achievement :)
(Chris Lancos 54)-4 Pretty invisible
Ritchie Kotschau-8 Saved RSL's bacon numerous times
Nathan Sturgis-7 Disappeared for stretches but showed flashes and was active.
Carey Talley-7 His pass led to the goal, enough said.
Kyle Beckerman-6 Up and down game, hard to judge
Chris Brown-4 Nice play early, but invisible otherwise and then choked on as easy goal
(Andy Williams 73)-6 Decent play, his breakup led to the attack and goal
Alecko Eskandarian-7 Best game in a while, active and attacking
Fabian Espindola-4 Very active, but forced the action too much. PASS THE BALL!
(Robbie Findley 57)-8 Game & Cup winning goal. Period.

Men of the Match (tie): Robbie Findley and Nick Rimando
Game winner and game saver. Nicely done.

Assclown of the match: Pablo Mastroeni
Remember that crappy movie 'Cop and a Half' (yeah, neither do I)? Pablo is starring in the sequel, 'Chump and a Half', in which he cheap shots and taunts his way through the bad guys while looking for love in the seedy Denver underworld. Rated R for extreme douchebaggery.

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