Story of the Game: A Point Shared at Home
Real Salt Lake played to an arduous, grinding goalless draw at home against Minnesota United in both sides’ second domestic meeting of the campaign, in an end-of-season MLS midweek contest, at America First Field on Wednesday night.
On a testing night for RSL, the hosts were forced to finish the game with 10 men after centerback Brayan Vera was handed his marching orders by referee Ricardo Montero for spitting on an opponent late in the game during second-half stoppage time.
The result, however, marked the team’s overall eighth clean sheet of the season, and its first since the 2-0 home victory against New England on the final day of August.
Quinton, Glad Indomitable in Defense
If truly offense wins you games, and defense - titles, then Wednesday night’s contest will have provided a brief reprieve, at least, for the RSL faithful, with the team’s highlight shutout particularly perhaps providing a degree of encouragement and promise ahead of future sterner tests.
RSL’s rearguard struggles had been a central theme coming into the game, and for much of the team’s games since the domestic season restart at the end of August, and it was towards the resolution of this malaise that its most central storyline from Wednesday night would be borne.
In pertinence, centrebacks Philip Quinton and Justen Glad proved the biggest contributors and two of the team’s biggest performers on the night. On a no doubt, tense, trying night at America First Field, RSL’s defensive duo delivered a well-timed lesson in doggedness, commitment, and control from the back, with the pair’s performances ultimately culminating and earning the team a well-fought and deserved clean sheet.
24-year-old Quinton was handed a sixth straight start in the team, and 17th appearance of the season, as just reward for his recent uptick in form, at right back, and marveled with yet another composed, positive showing.
The former Columbus Crew defender proved an indomitable force in defense, denying and keeping the opposition offense at bay with crucial, well-timed tackles and interceptions, and even managing to occasionally threaten at the other end of the pitch, in attack, with effective runs and bursts down the right flank which consistently put the team in dangerous goalscoring situations.
Throughout a holistic, enviable performance, RSL’s number 26 finished the game with three successful tackles - the joint-most of any RSL player on the pitch throughout the 90 minutes, two blocks - the second-joint most, 75 completed passes - at an accuracy of 87 percent, and 53 carries - with both being the most of any RSL player on the pitch. The University of Notre Dame alum also recorded eight recoveries, six clearances, and 102 touches. Interestingly, Quinton also registered the most successful take-ons in the team, with two - the joint-most of any player from both teams on the pitch at any point throughout the match. A complete performance.
Alongside Quinton, homegrown, long-serving center-back Glad also shone at the back as one of the hosts’ best players on the night. The 27-year-old retained his usual position at the heart of defense, in a centerback partnership alongside Vera, and crucial provided pivotal blocks and interceptions, as well as a calming, controlling prescence from back to front which helped the Claret-and-Cobalt maintain gamestate control for the near-entirety of the contest.
On a historic night for RSL’s veteran defender, Glad, in his 232nd career MLS appearance for RSL, subsequently moved into third place on the club’s all-time list for minutes played, surpassing legend Javier Morales in the process. Legends Nick Rimando and Kyle Beckerman now stand as the only players in RSL history with more minutes for the club than Glad.
Throughout his 90 minutes played, the Pasadena native registered a total of three interceptions - the most of any RSL player on the pitch, two blocks, 73 completed passes - at an accuracy of 95 percent, the highest in the team, four progressive passes, 52 carries, 86 touches, and one successful take-on out of two attempted. The 27-year-old also recorded six recoveries and four clearances in an enviable rearguard display.
Ironman Eneli Shines in Midfield
In midfield, 24-year-old Emeka Eneli also continued his recent impressive form and stunning personal season. RSL’s second-year midfielder has enjoyed a meteoric rise in recent months following his transition into midfield at the start of the season, establishing himself as one of the best holding sixes in the division, and duly continued his personal fairytale with yet another strong, compelling performance.
Eneli provided a confident, assured option in the middle of the park with a dogged, tenacious, and equally composed display both in and out of possession as part of a dominant midfield setup upon which the hosts were able to establish and maintain its superiority for much of the contest.
In an overall efficient display, perhaps his most decisive moment would arrive in the second half. In the 50th minute, a bad giveaway in the team’s defensive third presented the visitors with a glorious turnover opportunity to capitalize. However, trailing his man, Eneli recovered just in time to execute a brilliant recovery slide tackle on Kelvin Yeboah to keep out an impending goal-bound effort and snuff out the opportunity to keep the scores level and RSL still in the game.
The former Cornell forward completed another 90-minute bout in midfield and finished with two blocks, four shot-creating actions - the most in the team, 41 completed passes at an accuracy of 89 percent, and two progressive carries - the second-joint most in the team.
Throughout his 90 minutes, his fifth consecutive in the past five games, he recorded two blocks, four shot creating actions - the most in the team, 41 completed passes at an accuracy of 89 percent, and two progressive carries, the second-joint most in the team. The 24-year-old also finished with an astounding 11 recoveries - the most of any player from both teams on the pitch, and 1 clearance.
What Comes Next/The Bigger Picture
With an MLS post-season position already secured, Pablo and the boys continue their quest to get into a good run of form and gain some much-needed momentum ahead of the commencement of playoffs.
Next up for RSL is a trip to PayPal Park for an away date with the San Jose Earthquakes, in both sides’ second encounter of the season, for the first of the Claret-and-Cobalt’s final pair of regular season games of the season. Kickoff for this contest is slated for 8:30 p.m. MT.
