SANDY, Utah (Saturday, July 8, 2023) – Real Salt Lake (9-7-6, 33 points, t-3rd West) rang in the **Chicho Arango** era with a bang, defeating Orlando City SC 4-0 in front of 20,809 - the seventh-highest attendance in America First Field history - with goals from Arango, **Justen Glad**, **Jefferson Savarino** and **Anderson Julio**. RSL metronome **Pablo Ruiz** provided three assists on the night, the first RSL player to accomplish that feat since 2012 (Fabian Espindola).
Orlando City started strong in the early minutes of the contest, forcing veteran goalkeeper **Zac MacMath** to make back-to-back saves in the third minute. But it would be RSL who struck first, as the Chicho train sounded the goal horn for the first time in the Claret-and-Cobalt. In the 23rd minute, after being awarded a free kick on the edge of the touchline, **Pablo Ruiz** sent a curling cross into traffic in front of goal, perfectly placed for the RSL Club-record signing Designated Player Chicho Arango to redirect the ball into the bottom corner. With his goal, Arango became just the fifth player in Club history to score in his debut.
Chances continued aplenty for Real Salt Lake in the first half, with Jefferson Savarino in on goal with just the ‘keeper to beat in the 37th minute, but he was unable to angle his shot, sliding the ball across the face of the goal. Four minutes later, RSL struck again from a set piece, as Ruiz sent a ball into free space inside the area, as Homegrown Justen Glad defied physics by sending a header into the back of the net while falling backwards. The acrobatic goal marks Glad’s career-high fourth of the season, giving RSL the 2-0 lead. The stunned Orlando City eleven struggled to get back into the run of play, testing MacMath just once more before the end of the first half and Real Salt Lake headed into the changing room with the two-goal lead.
Coming out of the break, RSL looked to continue its dominant first-half performance by applying high pressure and forcing Orlando to make mistakes in the transition. In the 57th minute, RSL Homegrown **Diego Luna** dragged a defender hanging off his shirt into an attacking position before firing off a shot which was pushed aside by Orlando ‘keeper Pedro Gallese. Both Arango and **Damir Kreilach** had clear chances on goal in the first quarter-hour of the second half, but both were denied by Gallese and ruled offside.
RSL’s backline continued to thwart Orlando’s attempts to pull one back by snuffing out threatening chances, highlighted by Andrew Brody’s stop in front of goal in the 71st minute, using his back to deflect a shot from close range. On the other end, RSL’s attack continued to cook, notching the third goal of the night in the 78th minute to all but guarantee the three points. **Bryan Oviedo** pushed down the left flank and placed a ball onto the chest of Savarino, who played the ball down and volleyed a missile past the ‘keeper into the far corner for his team-leading fifth goal of the season.
The postgame fireworks show came early for the packed home crowd as substitute forward **Anderson Julio** added his name to the scoresheet, running onto a pass from Ruiz and tucking home a shot near post in the 89th minute, capping off RSL’s largest win of the season.
UP NEXT: Real Salt Lake will face historic rival Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park this Wednesday, July 12 with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. MT. The Club returns to America First Field to take on the New York Red Bulls next Saturday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. MT.
GOAL SCORING SUMMARY:
RSL: Chicho Arango (Pablo Ruiz) 23rd minute: After being awarded a freekick on the right sideline, Ruiz swung his cross towards the penalty box, finding Arango flying through the air to strike the ball inside the far post.
RSL: Justen Glad (Pablo Ruiz) 41st minute: From a corner kick, Ruiz whipped in a floating cross into the area for Glad, who managed to get a head on the ball while falling towards the ground, where he watched it sail into the back of the net.
RSL: Jefferson Savarino (Bryan Oviedo, Andrew Brody) 78th minute: Oviedo pushed down the left-hand sideline and crossed a ball to the opposite side of the box for Savarino, who chested the ball down and rifled a one-time shot into the far corner.
RSL: Anderson Julio (Pablo Ruiz) 89th minute: Ruiz threaded a pass through the Orlando backline onto the feet of Savarino, who confidently tucked a shot past the near post.
NOTES:
- Chicho Arango became the fifth player (and first RSL Designated Player) in Club history - joining Brian Dunseth, Melvin Tarley, Robbie Findley, and Anderson Julio - to score in his MLS debut.
- RSL snapped a six-match winless drought at home in MLS - its longest since 2005 -, with the last home victory coming on April 22 against San Jose.
- Tonight’s win extends RSL’s active unbeaten streak to eight games across all competitions.
- The 4-0 margin of victory represents RSL’s best in two years, last winning at home by an identical scoreline in July of 2021 against Vancouver; interestingly, RSL was technically the road team in that match, as the Whitecaps were Sandy tenants due to Covid-19 protocols.
- Glad’s goal is his fourth of the season, a career high, surpassing his previous record set in 2022 with three goals.
- Meanwhile, Ruiz’ three assists marked a career-high for the midfielder in a single game, and the first time an RSL player has recorded three assists since Fabian Espindola in 2012.
- Julio’s 14th career Claret-and-Cobalt goal marked his 11th as a second-half substitute, with nine of the 11 coming after the 80th minute.
- Four saves from Zac MacMath gave the goalkeeper his 21st clean sheet for RSL and the team its sixth shutout of the season.
- The 20,809 fans set a record as the largest crowd of the season and the seventh-highest attendance in America First Field history.
- Real Salt Lake was without FW Rubio Rubin, who was away on international duty with Guatemala, competing in the Gold Cup.
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-4-2): Zac MacMath; Andrew Brody, Brayan Vera, Justen Glad, Emeka Eneli; Braian Ojeda (Jasper Löffelsend 81’), Pablo Ruiz, Jefferson Savarino (Anderson Julio 81’), Diego Luna (Bryan Oviedo 69’); Damir Kreilach (Andrés Gómez 87’), Chicho Arango (Danny Musovski 69’)
Subs not used: Gavin Beavers, Scott Caldwell, Bode Hidalgo, Marcelo Silva
Orlando City SC (4-2-3-1): Pedro Gallese; Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Kyle Smith (Dagur Thórhallsson 58’), Antonio Carlos; Cesar Araujo, Wilder Cartagena (Ramiro Enrique 58’); Mauricio Pereyra, Iván Angulo (Martin Ojeda 58’), Facundo Torres (Luca Petrasso 76’); Duncan McGuire (Ercan Kara 65’)
Subs not used: Mason Stajduhar, Felipe Martins, Shakur Mohammed, Rodrigo Schlegel
Stats Summary: RSL / ORLShots: 15 / 11
Shots on Goal: 6 / 4
Saves: 4 / 2
Corner Kicks: 5 / 2
Fouls: 16 / 12
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
ORL: Wilder Cartagena (caution) 38’
RSL: Diego Luna (caution) 53’
RSL: Braian Ojeda (caution) 62’
RSL: Brayan Vera (caution) 70’
