This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2005, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

It's not Brian Dunseth's job to put the ball in the back of the net.

As a defender, he's supposed to prevent the other team from scoring.

But he did both Saturday afternoon at Rice-Eccles Stadium, in his debut for Real Salt Lake, whose own coming-out party ended on a high note as Dunseth's goal stood for a 1-0 victory over Colorado, the expansion team's first win.

"I'm stoked about it,'' said Dunseth, a native Californian who had just four goals in the six years he's played Major League Soccer. "I think I've had like 36 posts."

Translation: he's hit the post. A lot.

His goal - in the 81st minute - came just in time, as newcomers to the sport had to be wondering what the point was, all this running around for almost two hours with nothing to show for it.

Dunseth scored on a diving header off a free kick by Clint Mathis. He had streaked upfield, far from his defensive home, when RSL was awarded the kick.

"Clint hit a great ball in and I just sort of got behind my marker. I got a real good look at it. I'd feel like I real donkey if I hadn't [made it]."

Mathis wasn't necessarily looking for Dunseth, which came as no surprise to the defender. But he was ready.

"I was trying to hit Jason [Kries]," Mathis said. "But it doesn't matter who I was aiming for. We got a goal, and that's all that matters."

That, and Dunseth's fine work in the back.

Kept out of the team's first two games - in New York and Los Angeles - thanks to a lingering knee injury, Dunseth set the tone early on Saturday. He cleared two of the Rapids' entry passes out to the side, and a solid slide tackle down the right field line in the first was the stuff of veteran defenders.

"He's just been chomping at the bit to get back into the lineup,'' said general manager Steve Pastorino. "It's great for him."

Dunseth was just one part of a series of changes coach John Ellinger made to the back line. Nelson Akwari and Matt Behncke went to the bench to make room for Dunseth and Marlon Rojas. Rojas moved back from his midfielder position, which Saturday was filled by Luke Kreamlmeyer.

The pair joined Eddie Pope, the focal point of the team's defense, and Rusty Pierce to round out the back four.

"As far as defensively as a team, the pressure all over the field was the best by far out of the three games,'' Ellinger said. "Everyone worked for each other, and even when you want to be an attacking team, you still have to play good team defense. I thought defensively we were superb, and if that continues, that will be a good thing for us."

Said Dunseth: "We just played well as a back four."

Real Salt Lake held the Rapids to just nine shots, and Countess made three saves.

Pope thought RSL did well to pressure the ball throughout the field of play.

"Our defense as a team was great," Pope said. "Our forwards pressured. . . . The first game we didn't do that."

Dunseth agreed.

"Every time the ball would get towards us, our midfielders were back there with us," he said. That's huge."

Just like his goal.