It may not have been a win, but Real Salt Lake isn't concerning itself too much with that right now. After all, when you've just set a new record for futility, you enjoy whatever positives present themselves.
For RSL, that was simply scoring a goal.
Real doesn't care that it set a new MLS scoring-drought record of 557 minutes.
Rookie Jamie Watson finally scored in the 56th minute Wednesday to help the expansion franchise snap a five-game losing skid by salvaging a 1-1 tie against the Los Angeles Galaxy.
"The record's there," said RSL coach John Ellinger. "For us we'll use it as motivation. At the end of the year, hopefully we can look back and say this was our low point."
It was the type of low that no team in MLS had ever experienced.
RSL entered Wednesday's match without a goal in 501 consecutive minutes. It was a feeble effort that stretched back five and half games to a 2-0 win on May 18.
When RSL didn't score a goal in the opening 35 minutes Wednesday in front of 15,112 fans at Rice-Eccles Stadium, it officially outdid D.C. United's 536 minute back in 2002.
It's not like the players weren't aware of the fateful moment either as a handful of fans in the stands chucked black streamers onto the field in the 36th minute as a reminder.
"We didn't really care about that stuff. Our main objective is to win a soccer game. Sure we might have set the record, but the record is over now," said RSL keeper D.J. Countess.
Instead of concerning itself too much with trivial records, RSL was more concerned with overcoming a deficit 1-0 deficit early in the game.
Whether it was the reality of the impending record, or an adjusted lineup and formation, RSL opened the game with a level of enthusiasm fans haven't seen for a while. Unfortunately for the struggling expansion team, that didn't translate onto the scoreboard.
In the 17th minute, L.A.'s Ednaldo da Conceicao outran RSL defenders Eddie Pope and rookie Cameron Knowles to a brilliant through ball from teammate Michael Umana, and after taking two touches, hammered it between the legs of Countess.
It was the ninth time this year RSL has allowed a goal in the opening 30 minutes.
"You're bummed," said Countess about giving up the early goal. "But all that mattered tonight was that we weren't going to give up two."
When these teams met earlier this season at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Los Angeles jumped out to a 1-0 halftime lead, only to see Salt Lake erase it and prevail 2-1.
On Wednesday, RSL nearly duplicated those heroics.
In the 56th minute Jason Kreis played a one-touch through ball to Williams, who ran onto it and played a precise cross to Watson who buried it from six yards out.
Not bad for a 19-year-old rookie making his first professional start.
"Jamie is obviously an individual with a very high work rate," said Ellinger, who acknowledged that Watson will indeed get his second start this Sunday at Chicago. "We knew when we drafted him what we were getting. It took him a while to get to this point, but he's certainly established himself as someone who will be in the league for a long time."
That fact Kreis was even on the field to create the scoring opportunity was a mini miracle in and of itself. Kreis has been battling the flu for past five days, and was doubtful prior to the game.
Several hours before kickoff, Kreis spoke with coach on the phone, and said he was ready to go.
Ellinger responded by saying, "I'm all for it."
In stoppage time, Kreis nearly created the winning goal when his through balled sprung second-half substitute Jordan Cila in on goal all alone. Instead of shooting, or passing to an open Williams to his right, he dribbled around L.A. keeper Kevin Hartman but unfortunately ran out of space and the chance went wasted.
Overall though, for a team that used a different starting line-up for the 12th consecutive game, along with Watson and Knowles getting their first professional starts, the tie is a very good thing.
ENDLINES: With the win, RSL improved to 3-8-3 on the season, while the Galaxy also improved to 7-4-3 . . . RSL's Clint Mathis and L.A.'s Tyrone Marshall both sat out because of yellow card suspensions . . . Salt Lake outshot the Galaxy 12-6, and 7-2 in the second half.
E-mail: jedward@desnews.com