MLS Game Summary - Colorado at Real Salt Lake

Sandy, UT (SportsNetwork.com) - Real Salt Lake struck for three goals in a span of five first-half minutes on Friday, rolling to a 5-1 rout of the Colorado Rapids in the latest installment of the Rocky Mountain Cup at Rio Tinto Stadium.

After a slow start, RSL got rolling just past the half-hour mark with a goal from Joao Plata, followed by goals from Javier Morales a minute later, Chris Schuler in the 37th minute, and an own goal off the foot of Colorado goalkeeper Joe Nasco on the stoke of halftime. Carlos Salcedo added the final goal just past the hour mark.

The result moved the club to 49 points on the season, but they remain in third place in the Western Conference, five behind the first-place Seattle Sounders.

Colorado received its only tally via an exceptional strike from Jose Mari in the 21st minute, but the club saw its winless streak in league play extended to nine matches. Pablo Mastroeni's side has not won since a 3-0 result over Chivas USA on July 25.

Colorado struck first after 20 minutes as Mari pounced on a loose ball and ripped a low strike from about 40 yards out that curved just inside the right post and past a screened Nick Rimando.

RSL began the scoring barrage with Plata's opening strike as he deftly got on the end of a cheeky through ball from Ned Grabavoy and rocketed it into the top right corner.

The home side took the lead just a minute later when Morales got free on a corner kick to give his side the lead and Schuler made it a two-goal margin in the 37th as he fired it home from close range following a goalkeeper mistake from Nasco.

It was 4-1 for RSL on the stroke of halftime as Nasco inadvertently knocked it into his net for the own goal.

The hosts poured it on in the second half and made it 5-1 in the 63rd minute through another error by Nasco as the Rapids goalkeeper came off his line to collect a Morales corner kick, but he couldn't catch it cleanly and Salcedo was there to fire it into the empty net and complete the rout.