After the huge season-saving victory against FC Dallas recently, the next step for the New York Red Bulls was to defeat Real Salt Lake. But sadly the Red Bulls found a way to conjure up past failures.

It all began in the seventh minute when Chris Albright thought he forced Fabian Espindola to kick it over the end line for a goal kick, but the assistant pointed at the corner flag.

Andy Williams at the near corner sent the ball into the area and Alvaro Saborio headed it in past Frank Rost for the first goal of the match. While it looked like Teemu Tainio was outmatched, Rost looked at the ball as he thought it might be wide or over the bar.

The next goal came in the 11th minute as Tim Ream made another gaff in his own end. He was trying to give the ball back to Rost, but unfortunately it wasn’t hit hard enough and Fabian Espindola took advantage and converted the costly error.

He would get his second goal of the match ten minutes later as he was kept onside by Jan Gunnar Solli, while Rafa Marquez wasn’t paying attention. Off to the races and once again Espindola beat Rost to his right. A grand total of three goals within fifteen minutes for Real Salt Lake to dominate and the Red Bulls to implode.

“We came out flying in the first seven minutes, very sharp and very hungry,” said Hans Backe. “Unfortunately two terrible individual mistakes changed the game. The third goal was poor defending. That killed the game.”

“We woke up too late,” said Frank Rost. “One half is not enough. We need to play ninety minutes not forty-five. We didn’t play football the easy way. We took it the difficult way and Salt Lake was the better side in the first half.”

For the entire first half and then some in the second Rafa Marquez was booed severely by the Red Bull Arena crowd every time he touched the ball. For the last couple of months many have felt that Marquez hasn’t been playing up to his standards and feel the Designated Player contract he got isn’t worth it.

The only consolation prize the Red Bulls were able to get was Joel Lindpere’s side footed bicycle kick in the 69th minute that broke a five game scoreless drought against Real Salt Lake. But once again without Kyle Beckerman in the lineup due to yellow card suspension, the Red Bulls fell apart.

Sadly for Chris Albright he left the game with a right calf injury in the 15th minute that looks like it could sideline him before the end of the season. With a stroke of luck, Chivas-USA went down two at DC United, but came back for the draw.