RSL needs late flurry to beat 10-man Rapids 3-0 (Apr 21, 2018)

SANDY, Utah (AP) Joao Plata scored on a penalty kick in the 82nd minute, Damir Kreilach and Albert Rusnak added goals and Real Salt Lake beat the Colorado Rapids 3-0 on Saturday night.

Colorado held Real Salt Lake scoreless for over 60 minutes while down a man until referee Joseph Dickerson charged Colorado's Tommy Smith with a hand ball in the area after a video review. Plata converted with a low hard shot to the left to open the scoring for RSL (3-3-1).

Kreilach settled Rusnak's pass and bent a shot around defender Axel Sjoberg to double the lead in the 89th. Rusnak capped the scoring on a free kick in the 92nd.

Rapids (2-2-2) goalkeeper Tim Howard was sent off in the 20th minute for denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity with a hand ball outside the area. Howard was well beyond the 18-yard box when he challenged RSL's Jefferson Savarino on a breakaway and blocked Savarino's shot with his left arm extended.