MLS champs too much for Battery

This time there was no moral victory for the Charleston Battery.

In the opening round of the Carolina Challenge Cup last Saturday, the Battery managed to play Major League Soccer's Toronto FC to a scoreless draw.

The Battery wasn't as fortunate Wednesday night against Real Salt Lake, the defending MLS Cup champion.

Salt Lake flexed its soccer muscle, scoring two second-half goals in a 3-1 victory before a rain-soaked crowd of about 1,000 at Blackbaud Stadium.

Unlike Saturday against Toronto, the Battery came out a little sluggish in the first half and gave up an early goal.

"We were sloppy in the first 20 minutes of the game and Salt Lake made us pay for it," said Charleston coach Mike Anhaeuser. "I tried to adjust things up front with two forwards, and it didn't work out. We were not moving our feet from the beginning. We looked like a team that had only been training for a week."

It took Salt Lake just 10 minutes to get on the scoreboard.

After a turnover, Salt Lake midfielder Collen Warner picked up the loose ball about 25 yards out and slotted to a wide-open Robbie Findley. Findley, who is battling for a spot on this summer's U.S. World Cup team, took a dribble and blasted the ball past

Charleston keeper Reese Crowther from about 16 yards.

"We had good possession and had a good buildup and Collen was able to play a nice play through to me just outside the 18-yard box," Findley said. "It was basically me and the keeper at that point and I was able to hit it near post."

The Battery tied the game at 1-1 in the 36th minute on a bizarre play that resulted in Rudolph Mayard's scoring for the first time in a Battery uniform.

The play started when veteran Salt Lake defender Nat Borchers played the ball back to keeper Nick Rimando. But the ball was high and Rimando mishandled it. Charleston striker Levi Coleman pounced on the loose ball on the right side just inside the 18-yard box.

Coleman pivoted and crossed the ball to Mayard, who sidestepped a Salt Lake defender and then beat Rimando from about 15 yards out.

"That was just a miscommunication between two veteran players," said Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis. "That's not going to happen very often, so it's not something I'm going to worry about too much."

Preseason or not, Mayard, who is on loan from the Montreal Impact, was happy to score against an MLS team.

"Preseason, regular season, practice, it doesn't matter," Mayard said. "Anytime you score it's a good feeling. Levi had some good pressure on their keeper and made a beautiful cross to me after he got the ball. I got a good first touch on the ball and I just let it rip."

Salt Lake grabbed a 2-1 lead on Javier Morales' goal in the 76th minute off some beautiful passing.

Robbie Russell made a strong run down the right flank and found veteran midfielder Andy Williams just above the 18-yard box. Williams stepped past a Battery defender, drew the two defenders to him, and slotted the ball to a wide open Morals, who tapped the ball into the net for the score.

"We stress to our players that soccer is simple game," Kreis said. "If you play what's in front of you and you move, things will open up. Just move the ball quickly, move the ball simply and things will open up. Great ball movement and a beautiful goal."

Salt Lake added their final goal when Fabian Espindola scored in the 90th minute.

"There's a reason why Salt Lake is the defending MLS champion," Anhaeuser said. "They put their starters in for the second half and showed their quality. I like the way we battled, but in the end their quality was just a little too much for us."

D.C. United 1, Toronto FC 0

Striker Jaime Moreno scored the lone goal as D.C. United remained unbeaten in the tournament, beating Toronto FC in the second game of the night.

Toronto FC was forced to play most of the game with 10 players after Amadou Sanyang received a red card after a hard challenge in the 28th minute. D.C. United dominated possession with the extra man.

D.C. United can clinch the tournament title with a victory over the Charleston Battery on Saturday night.