SEATTLE (Sunday, August 14, 2016) – Real Salt Lake fell behind 2-0 in the first half, but couldn’t complete the comeback after FW Joao Plata scored a second-half goal to cut the lead in half, falling 2-1 to Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field.
Plata’s goal, his seventh of the season, came on an assist from FW Yura Movsisyan, who returned to the field for the first time since suffering a hip flexor strain on July 22. RSL dropped to 10-8-7 on the season and 4-8-2 on the road.
Seattle got on the board first in the 24th minute on the first goal of the season from Nicolas Lodeiro. Clint Dempsey played the ball wide to Andreas Ivanschitz, who dribbled up the left side before cutting a pass to Lodeiro at the edge of the 18 for a first-time shot that snuck under the crossbar just out of reach for GK Nick Rimando.
Two minutes later, MF Kyle Beckerman looked to level it with a shot from 24 yards out that bounced in front of Stefan Frei, but the Seattle keeper was able to block it and knock it clear for a corner kick.
The Sounders would double the lead before halftime when Jordan Morris got on the end of a cross from Lodeiro to put away his eighth goal of the season, cutting inside of his defender to head in the cross in the 37th minute.
That’s the way it would stay as RSL was outshot 9-5 in the first half en route to the 2-0 deficit.
Salt Lake would pull one back through Plata in the 62nd minute on a clever play from halftime substitute, Movsisyan.
Frei held the ball and looked to roll it out, but Movsisyan approached from behind and intercepted the ball right when it hit the ground. He wheeled around Frei and then played the ball to the left side for Plata for a first-time shot that found the back of the net to cut the lead in half to 2-1.
RSL sought the equalizer, but the next chance to score came from Seattle when DF Justen Glad was whistled for a foul in the box in the 80th minute when he and Cristian Roldan tangled legs in the box. Dempsey fired the penalty out of Rimando’s reach, but it clanged off the crossbar and RSL got the clearance to keep the score at 2-1.
However, Salt Lake wasn’t able to capitalize on the miscue and finished with the 2-1 defeat.
Real Salt Lake returns home for the first of three consecutive matches at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday against Supporters’ Shield-leading FC Dallas.
GAME NOTES – SEAvRSL
- RSL dropped to 0-10-4 in the last three seasons on artificial turf. The last win, across all competitions, came in the 2013 playoffs against the Portland Timbers.
- FW Yura Movsisyan was on the bench on Sunday for the second straight match and came on in the second half for his first appearances since suffering a hip flexor strain on July 22 in a draw with the San Jose Earthquakes.
- DF Chris Schuler was on the bench Sunday as well after officially signing with the club this week. The seventh-year veteran played nine matches in the USL with Real Monarchs before signing with the first team on August 11.
REAL SALT LAKE 1-2 SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016
CENTURYLINK FIELD
Goals by Period 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 0 1 1
Seattle Sounders FC 2 0 2
Scoring Summary:
SEA: Nicolas Lodeiro (Andreas Ivanschitz) 24’
SEA: Jordan Morris (Nicolas Lodeiro, Clint Dempsey) 37’
RSL: Joao Plata (Yura Movsisyan) 62’
Misconduct Summary:
RSL: Justen Glad (Caution; Foul) 94+’
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Nick Rimando; Tony Beltran (John Stertzer 87’), Justen Glad, Jamison Olave, Demar Phillips; Kyle Beckerman, Luke Mulholland (Omar Holness 85’); Juan Manuel Martinez, Javier Morales, Joao Plata; Olmes Garcia (Yura Movsisya 46’).
Substitutes not used: Jeff Attinella, Phanuel Kavita, Chris Schuler, Chris Wingert.
Seattle Sounders FC (4-2-3-1): Stefan Frei; Tyrone Mears, Brad Evans, Chad Marshall, Joevin Jones; Osvaldo Alonso, Cristian Roldan; Nicolas Lodeiro, Clint Dempsey (Herculez Gomez 91+’), Andreas Ivanschitz (Erik Friberg 68’); Jordan Morris (Nelson Valdez 83’).
Substitutes not used: Tyler Miller, Oalex Anderson, Alvaro Fernandez, Zach Scott.
Referee: Kevin Stott
Assistant Referees: Crhis Strickland, Kermit Quisenberry
Fourth Official: Dave Gantar
Attendance: 39,491
Weather: Sunny and 76
