PORTLAND, Oregon (Wednesday, February 15, 2017) – Real Salt Lake finished its trip to Portland for preseason on Wednesday with a 3-3 draw against Minnesota United FC, coming from a 2-0 deficit to take a lead only to have it negated by a stoppage-time equalizer from the expansion club. RSL remains unbeaten in preseason at 1-0-5 and went 0-0-3 in the Portland tournament.
FW Yura Movsisyan, FW Chad Barrett and FW Andrew Brody all scored for RSL, signaling the third time during the tournament that Salt Lake came from a deficit to earn points.
RSL got off to a good start in the match, but by the 49th minute Minnesota had grabbed a 2-0 lead.
In the 24th minute, Kevin Molino was on the receiving end of a ball from Johan Venegas and he put it past RSL GK Matt VanOekel for a 1-0 lead. In the 49th minute, Cristian Ramirez got out on the run up the right side and crossed to Molino trailing in the box for a diving header to make it 2-0.
That’s when RSL’s comeback began.
In the 57th minute, Movsisyan converted a penalty after FW Jordan Allen drew the foul in the box. It was Allen’s second drawn penalty to go along with two goals scored in a productive preseason for the 22-year-old.
Then, after wholesale changes for RSL, Barrett drew the match level with a goal in the 79th minute. Brody, MF Omar Holness and MF Jose Hernandez all converged on the ball to force a Minnesota turnover in their own end, then Hernandez played it to Barrett, who put his left-footed shot inside the far post to make it 2-2.
Brody then gave RSL a 3-2 lead in the 87th minute on a tap-in on a loose ball in front of goal. Holness crossed the ball in for Barrett from the left side, but his far-post header was cleared off the line by Francisco Calvo. He was only able to put the ball as far clear as Brody at the edge of the six-yard box though and the second-year Monarchs winger put it away for the goal.
It looked like RSL would hold on for the win, but on the last kick of the ball, Venegas got the equalizer in stoppage time as he made a run up the right side and put his shot past GK Lalo Fernandez for the final 3-3 tally.
Real Salt Lake will briefly return to Utah before hitting the road again on Sunday for the final stage of preseason in Irvine, California.
REAL SALT LAKE 3-3 MINNESOTA UNITED FC
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017
Portland, Oregon
Goals by Period 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 0 3 3
Minnesota United FC 1 2 3
Scoring Summary:
MIN – Kevin Molino (Johan Venegas, Cristian Ramirez) 24’
MIN – Kevin Molino (Cristian Ramirez) 49’
RSL – Yura Movsisyan (PK) 57’
RSL – Chad Barrett (Jose Hernandez) 79’
RSL – Andrew Brody 87’
MIN – Johan Venegas 93+’
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Matt VanOekel (Lalo Fernandez 61’); Chris Wingert (Reagan Dunk 76’), Aaron Maund (David Horst 46’), Chris Schuler (Justin Schmidt 76’), Demar Phillips (Max Lachowecki 76’); Luis Silva (Sunny 63’), Luke Mulholland (Omar Holness 76’); Jordan Allen (Ricardo Velazco 76’), Albert Rusnák (Jose Hernandez 76’), Joao Plata (Andrew Brody 76’); Yura Movsisyan (Chad Barrett 76’).
Minnesota United FC (4-4-2): Patrick McClain; Jermaine Taylor (Kevin Venegas 63’), Francisco Calvo, Vadim Demidov, Justin Davis; Rasmus Schuller, Collen Warner (Mohammed Saied 63’), Miguel Ibarra (Bashkim Kadri 46’), Kevin Molino; Johan Venegas, Cristian Ramirez (Ibson 63’).
