RSL v RBNY: Oh Bloody Hell

By: Martha | May 6th, 2007

Take that, punk. You know, I’ve been bitching all week about this game being exclusively on HDNET, and how unacceptable that is for the 95% of RBNY fans without the damn network — but now, after reading about the match? I have to say I’m glad I couldn’t watch it, because the agony and disgust would have been difficult to take.

The good: Mathis, Mathis, Mathis, Dane’s first goal, and RBNY dominating the game for the first 75-80 minutes. It sounds like Cletus was just awesome, playing exactly where he belongs, in the hole behind the lead striker, and driving the Salt Lake defenders absolutely mad. If he can keep that up once Angel arrives (I’m assuming he’ll move into an advanced midfield position when that happens, ala Totti or Kaka. Except, you know, without the pretty.), our attack will be a force to be reckoned with.

The bad: Walrus’ (hopefully minor) injury, giving up a two goal lead after 89 minutes. Two goals! Essentially in injury time! ARG. Bruce must be flipping his lid, both at the lack of concentration and at the dodgy refereeing that was reportedly part of RSL’s last two goals. Ives is reporting RSL’s Carey Talley hadn’t been recognized by the referee when he returned to the pitch and stole the pass that lead to the equalizer, and everyone and his brother are bitching about the PK, claiming there was no foul on Talley in the box, despite the bloody nose he got courtesy of Jeff Parke’s elbow. Still, though — it’s rare that a loss of points can be put down entirely to the officiating, and the team needs to take something from this. They earned respect around the league from the way they killed off the Houston game in the last 10 minutes last Thursday and need to have the maturity to do that every single week — even teams that seem hapless with punish you for a lack of focus in the last 10 minutes.

Right. Quick turnaround this week, heading to LA for the Open Cup match on Tuesday; it’ll be interesting to see what team Bruce puts out in this one, what with both trying to win the game and get guys some rest. Hopefully this result will lead to a quick refocusing, and that match will be the start of another epic shutout streak. Fingers crossed, as they say.