As a female quartet sung the national anthem before the game, Real Salt Lake captain Kyle Beckerman’s teeth chattered. Fans sat and braved the gusts of wind and the stinging rain while wearing red ponchos.
But when the whistle sounded and the ball was kicked off, none of the conditions mattered.
RSL came out guns a-blazing as the rain turned to snow and back into rain in the 38-degree air. The fans at Rio Tinto stadium were as loud as they’ve been all season, erupting into cheers, oohs and aahs with every RSL shot on goal and save by Timbers goalkeeper Steve Clark.