The dichotomy of emotions for Real Salt Lake’s four players and three additional players with RSL ties competing against each other as the U.S. took on Honduras in the Concacaf Olympic Qualifying semifinal was summarized in one exchange between David Ochoa, Douglas Martinez and Luis Palma.
The final whistle had sounded, Honduras qualifying for a fourth straight Olympics with a 2-1 victory, and Ochoa hunched himself on the field, likely replaying the two goals in his head as the U.S. failed to qualify for the Olympics for the third consecutive cycle. Martinez and Palma crouched in front of him, offering words of encouragement as Palma lifted Ochoa’s head.