In the midst of a constant downpour, Real Salt Lake’s Nick Rimando peers out of his goal at the developing attack headed his way.
Colorado’s Jose Cancela sends a dangerous free kick to Rimando’s left. The goalie leaps and blocks the shot. As soon as he recovers, climbing to his feet, Rimando dives back to the right to block Omar Cummings’s shot off the rebound.
Two shots on goal in a matter of seconds. Two diving saves by one of MLS’s best.
Rimando has flown under the radar this season in Salt Lake City. In a low-profile town on a floundering team, Rimando’s play goes unnoticed by many.
But not by his coach.
“I’m running out of words,” head coach Jason Kreis said, describing the play of his goalkeeper. “Stellar. Fantastic.”
Rimando posted his sixth shutout of the season, saving five shots in a 1-0 victory over the Rapids on Sept. 22.
“(Rimando is) unbelievable. For me, he’s the best goalie in the league,” RSL midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. “I don’t think he gets enough credit, but he’s amazing. (Some shots would be) goals on 90 percent of the keepers in the league and he’s stopping them.”
It’s fair to say that Rimando has faced more shots this season than is normal. The keeper has stood against a league-high 163 shots in 2007, 26 more shots than New England’s Matt Reis who owns the next highest total.
With this many shots whizzing his direction, Rimando hasn’t been able to fend off all of them. But he feels that his two saves against the Cancela free kick are evidence of his team’s turning fortunes.
“It’s one of those things where at the beginning of the year, (Colorado) somehow find the back of the net,” Rimando said.
Real experienced a difficult stretch from April to July. Several games were decided late and not in RSL’s favor. Many losses were attributed to poor defensive play and mental errors. But the club snagged its first victory on June 23 at home against D.C. United.
Rimando’s team has played more effectively of late. RSL has earned four wins in its last 10 matches.
The fact that RSL has won five games doesn’t necessarily reflect the play of Rimando.
“He’s keeping us in games,” Beckerman said. “Even games that we’re losing, he’s still making huge saves and playing great.”
Although Real hasn’t always capitalized on Rimando’s efforts this season and the playoffs are a distant possibility, the club can play for the Rocky Mountain Cup.
“It’s always good to play for something,” Rimando said. “The guys have been working hard and…we haven’t been so lucky.”
Rimando and Co. will battle for the Rocky Mountain Cup against Colorado in their season-ending match on Oct. 20 in Commerce City, Colo. The season series is locked with each team owning a victory and the clubs sharing a draw. The winner of the final match will take the trophy. Winning the rivalry would produce RSL’s first trophy in its three-year history.
“This is a chance to win something to put in the trophy case in the off-season,” Kreis said. “I do believe it’s important.”
Rimando will be called upon in the match against Colorado, as well as the rest of Real’s remaining matches. His team will trust him to step up and make plays to keep matches in its favor.
“Now it’s outrageous,” Beckerman said. “(The opposing teams) are getting a penalty shot and I’m expecting (Rimando) to save it.”
Rimando understands that with strong play come strong expectations.
“There’s always pressure playing this game,” Rimando said.
No matter how Rimando plays from now until the end of the 2007 season, Kreis said he understands his keeper’s worth.
“I feel very glad for Nick Rimando,” Kreis said. “His goalkeeping has been so stellar this year he probably deserves to have about 11 or 12 shutouts.”