ORLANDO, Florida (Sunday, May 6, 2018) – Real Salt Lake (3-5-1, 10 points) got out to an early lead, but remain winless on the road at 0-4-1 in 2018 after a 3-1 loss to Orlando City SC on Sunday. FW Corey Baird scored his second goal of the season and RSL put Orlando under pressure throughout the match, but couldn’t hold off a late charge from Orlando, who won its sixth consecutive match.
RSL put five of its eight first-half shots on frame and broke through in the 13th minute. MF Damir Kreilach led Baird in behind the Orlando defense. He took a touch and outran his marker before lifting a shot over the oncoming Joe Bendik and into the net for his second goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.
Real Salt Lake was on the front foot to start the second half and got a pair of early opportunities off the feet of MF Albert Rusnák and FW Jefferson Savarino. However, Orlando would strike with two goals in three minutes to take the lead by the 64th minute. On the first, Sacha Kljestan found Dom Dwyer connected as Dwyer notched his sixth goal of the year to equalize in the 61st minute. Then three minutes later, Baird had a 1v1 opportunity stopped by Bendik and on the other end of the field Yoshimar Yotún crossed for a Lamine Sané header that made it 2-1. Orlando would add a third in the 78th minute through Yotún and RSL could not mount a comeback of its own.
The loss was the fourth straight on the road for RSL after starting off the year with a scoreless draw at FC Dallas. After a home tilt with D.C. United, RSL will play two more on the road against the Philadelphia Union and Seattle Sounders FC.
UP NEXT: RSL returns home to face D.C. United on Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium at 7 p.m. MT. Tickets are available at KSL.com/RSL.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
RSL: Corey Baird (Damir Kreilach), 13th minute – From the midfield, Damir Kreilach lofted a ball over the top to an on-rushing Corey Baird. He took a touch and outran his defender before chipping a shot past Joe Bendik for his second goal of the year and a 1-0 lead.
ORL: Dom Dwyer (Sacha Kljestan), 61st minute – Sacha Kljestan got into the box up the left side and his initial cross was staved off by Nick Besler. But Kljestan stuck with the rebound and found Dom Dwyer for a header inside the far post to equalize at 1-1.
ORL: Lamine Sané (Yoshimar Yotún), 64th minute – On a corner kick, Yoshimar Yotún put the ball into the box for Lamine Sané and the defender rose for a header that found the net to put Orlando up 2-1.
ORL: Yoshimar Yotún, 78th minute – Yoshimar Yotún got to a rebound after Nick Rimando made the initial save on a shot from Dom Dwyer. Yotun powered it into the opened net to make it 3-1.
KEY SAVES AND DEFENSIVE STOPS:
RSL: Nick Besler, 14th minute – In a scramble in the box the ball fell to Justin Meram for a shot from the left side, but Nick Besler made the goal-line clearance.
ORL: Joe Bendik, 18th minute – Joao Plata played a 1-2 with Jefferson Savarino, then sent a curling shot from 23 yards out, forcing Joe Bendik to punch it clear.
ORL: Joe Bendik, 63rd minute – Joao Plata played Corey Baird over the top on a ball from midfield. He settled and went 1v1 with the Orlando goalkeeper, but Joe Bendik blocked the shot off his foot.
NOTES:
- Real Salt Lake started the same lineup in consecutive matches for the first time in 2018.
- RSL played without five players due to injury. GK Alex Horwath (Achilles), DF Shawn Barry (knee), DF Tony Beltran (knee), MF Luke Mulholland (back), FW Jordan Allen (knee).
- RSL is in the midst of a stretch of four road games out of five matches.
Match: Real Salt Lake at Orlando City SC
Date: May 6, 2018
Venue: Orlando City Stadium; Orlando, Florida
Attendance: 23,258
Weather: Cloudy and 76
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 1 0 1
Orlando City SC 0 3 3
RSL: Corey Baird (Damir Kreilach) 13’
ORL: Dom Dwyer (Sacha Kljestan) 61’
ORL: Lamine Sané (Yoshimar Yotún) 64’
ORL: Yoshimar Yotún 78’
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon, Justen Glad, Nick Besler, Pablo Ruiz (Sebastian Saucedo 82’); Damir Kreilach, Kyle Beckerman; Jefferson Savarino, Albert Rusnák, Joao Plata; Corey Baird (Luis Silva 79’).
Subs not used: Connor Sparrow, Adam Henley, Aaron Herrera, Sunny, Ricky Lopez-Espin.
Orlando City SC (4-2-3-1): Joe Bendik; Will Johnson, Lamine Sane, Chris Schuler, Mohamed El-Munir; Cristian Higuita, Yoshimar Yotun (Oriol Rosell 81’); Chris Mueller (Stefano Pinho 73’), Sacha Kljestan, Justin Meram (RJ Allen 88’); Dom Dwyer.
Subs not used: Earl Edwards Jr., Victor Giro, Donny Toia, Richie Laryea.
Stats Summary: RSL / ORL
Shots: 16 / 19
Shots on Goal: 9 / 7
Saves: 3 / 8
Corner Kicks: 6 / 9
Fouls: 9 / 11
Offside: 1 / 4
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
ORL: Joe Bendik (Caution) 51’
ORL: Mohamed El-Munir (Caution) 59’
ORL: Cristian Higuita (Caution) 74’
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Robert Sibiga
Assistant Referees: Jason White, Eric Weisbrod
4th Official: Marcos de Oliveira
Video Assistant Referee: Caleb Mendez
