Missed opportunities haunt RSL

SANDY, Utah -- Moments after a 1-0 loss to New York knocked Real Salt Lake out of the race for the MLS Cup, missed opportunities dominated the thoughts of several players in the RSL locker room.

Some, like team captain, Kyle Beckerman, wondered if some kind of mystical hex caused RSL to hit posts on one shot or another. Others, like midfielder Will Johnson, bemoaned their own ability to make a game changing play when the opportunity presented itself.

Johnson had one of the best scoring chances for the Utah side when he attempted to put a finishing touch on a cross from Robbie Findley in the 81st minute. But the ball careened off the left post and bounced away.

"The ground was so wet and I could never catch up to the ball until it was on an angle where it wasn't possible to get in the goal, and the best I could do, obviously, was hit the post," Johnson said. "That'll replay in my head over and over again until I get to play again next season, so it's going to be frustrating."

The temporary feelings of frustration should ease with time when RSL looks back on a season that exceeded nearly every set of expectations inside or outside the club.

For the first time ever, Real capped off a season by qualifying for the MLS Cup Playoffs. And RSL was not content to merely be spectators upon arrival. They picked up a conference semifinal series victory against expansion counterpart Chivas USA to also hand the team its first-ever playoff victory.

Beckerman, like his teammates, possessed sky-high hopes once RSL reached the postseason. But he also saw from a long-term perspective how much it meant to go as far as the team did.

"I thought it was our year, and we were going to win it all," Beckerman said. "But, I don't know, you can't ask for anything else -- have a home game (with a chance) to get into the finals."

As disappointing as it was to finish with a loss to New York, RSL can look forward with full confidence in what the future holds.

Many key players, like Beckerman and Javier Morales, are still under contract in 2009. And RSL coaches believe this is simply the first stage to an eventual move into the MLS elite.

"For a long time, I felt like this club was headed in the right direction," Real coach Jason Kreis said. "Even in my first game here, I thought there was a lot of fantastic people involved in this club. It should go right at some point. You can't have that many good people in one room and not have things go right."

In the weeks ahead, RSL must decide which players to protect and which ones to leave exposed for the expansion draft. It will be a tough decision. Because of their status as Generation adidas players, Tony Beltran and Chris Seitz are automatically exempt from the draft.

Outside of those two, however, the Utah side can only protect 11 players and at least three of those must be from outside the United States.

Kreis declined to comment on what direction the organization will take just yet in regards to player moves. But it is the hope of everyone involved that RSL can keep much of its primary core intact for the 2009 campaign.

"This is the start of a deep core here on our team and I'm excited about that," Beckerman said. "I think this is the first team I've been on that's really kept a main core like this."