SANDY, Utah – The Real Salt Lake Reserves fell 5-2 to USL Pro side Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Friday at Rio Tinto Stadium, suffering its first loss of the MLS Reserve League season. The RSL Reserves now post a 1-1-3 record through its first five matches of 2014.
Real Salt Lake got off to a rough start early as it was reduced to ten men in the fourth minute after RSL DF Aaron Maund received a controversial red card for a foul in the box. Pittsburgh went on to convert from the spot in the sixth minute through Riverhounds FW Jose Angulo. RSL responded well to the PK goal and went on to score two unanswered goals in the eighth and 28th minutes through RSL MF Sebastian Saucedo and FW Devon Sandoval respectively. But the PK action did not end there, with RSL conceding two more penalties in the 38th and 46th minutes. Pittsburgh then went on to secure the win with goals in the 80th and 84th minutes to finish the match 5-2.
Real Salt Lake got off to an unfortunate start after RSL’s Maund was shown a controversial straight red card in the fourth minute. Maund was whistled for a penalty after taking down a Pittsburgh player inside the area and then was subsequently shown the red card. Riverhounds striker Angulo converted from the spot, sending RSL GK Lalo Fernandez the wrong way to put the visiting side up by one in the sixth minute.
The lead did not last for long however, as newly signed Homegrown Player Saucedo pulled one back from the Claret-and-Cobalt in the eighth minute. RSL MF Luis Gil started the play, sending a nice through ball for Saucedo down the left side of the 18 yard box. The Utah native made no mistake with his shot, placing it perfectly to the far post to even the score at 1-1.
Real Salt Lake had a great look in the 23rd minute. Gil started the play, working his way around the top of the area on the right side and playing a nice ball to Saucedo. The Claret-and-Cobalt youngster took a touch and tried to beat the keeper to the near post with a cheeky shot using the outside of his right foot but the attempt went just wide of the net.
Real Salt Lake went on to take the lead in the 28th minute after a nice sequence of possession around the 18 yard box. RSL MF John Stertzer, moving to right back in place of Maund, received the ball on the right flank and whipped in a nice cross to the far post where an open Sandoval headed the ball past helpless Pittsburgh GK Mike Lisch.
Pittsburgh was on the receiving end of another controversial penalty called in the 37th minute. This time the penalty was called on RSL DF Kwame Watson-Siriboe who tracked Angulo to the touch line and lunged for the ball in an effort to kick it out from under the forward while appearing not to make contact with the player. The Riverhounds forward made the most of it however and went to ground, allowing the referee to make the penalty call. Angulo converted from the spot for a second time, going straight down the middle to beat Fernandez and draw even 2-2.
Real Salt Lake again responded well after the penalty kick call almost retaking the lead again in the 44th minute. Sandoval started the action, playing a nice ball to Saucedo at the top of the box. The 17-year-old showed off some speed working his way through space at the top of the 18 and then laid off a pass to RSL DF Abdoulie Mansally, who blasted a shot from distance that narrowly missed the left post.
Things continued to go against the home side with the Claret-and-Cobalt being called for a third penalty in the 45th minute. This time it was RSL MF Sebastian Velasquez who was whistled for the foul after sticking out a leg in front of a sprinting Angulo inside the box sending the forward to ground. The referee pointed to the spot again and Angulo completed his penalty kick hat trick, converting in the 46th minute to put the Riverhounds up 3-2 heading into the halftime break.
Things slowed down at the start of the second half with the Claret-and-Cobalt garnering a great look in the 64th minute. RSL earned a free kick 23 yards out at the top of the area that Mansally stepped up to take. The Gambian blasted a shot that cleared the defensive wall and looked ticketed to slip just under the crossbar, but Lisch came up big, pushing the shot up and then collecting the ball right on the goal line.
Against the run of play, Pittsburgh managed to catch RSL on the counter in the 80th minute to double its advantage. Riverhounds MF Alfonso Motagalvan jumpstarted the attack, finding MF Rob Vincent streaking down the right side into the area. With just the keeper to beat, Vincent provided a lovely finish to the far post to put the visiting side up 4-2.
Pittsburgh put the nail in the coffin four minutes later, with DF Matt Dallman whipping in a cross into the box from the right side. Pittsburgh substitute FW Jason Johnson was able to beat a sluggish looking RSL back line and powered a header from close-range into the back of the net.
The Claret-and-Cobalt first team continues MLS action next Wednesday, July 30, when it hosts New York Red Bulls at Rio Tinto Stadium at 7:00 p.m. MT in a nationally televised match on ESPN 2. Tickets to the RSL-New York contest can be purchased at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.
REAL SALT LAKE RESERVES 2-5 PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS
FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014
RIO TINTO STADIUM
Goals by Period 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake Reserves 2 0 2
Pittsburgh Riverhounds 3 2 5
Scoring Summary:
PIT – Jose Angulo – 6’
RSL – Sebastian Saucedo (Luis Gil) – 8’
RSL – Devon Sandoval (John Stertzer) – 28
PIT – Jose Angulo – 38’
PIT – Jose Angulo – 46’
PIT – Rob Vincent (Alfonso Motagalvan) – 80’
PIT – Jason Johnson (Matt Dallman) – 84’
Misconduct Summary:
RSL – Aaron Maund (Yellow; Serious Foul) – 4’
PIT – Andrew Marshall (Yellow; Foul) – 29’
RSL – Carlos Salcedo (Yellow; Foul) – 42’
PIT – Jason Johnson (Yellow; Foul) – 62’
PIT – Anthony Arena (Yellow; Foul) – 87’
Stats:
Shots: RSL 9-8 PIT
Shots on Goal: RSL 3-5 PIT
Saves: RSL 0-3 PIT
Fouls: RSL 7-11 PIT
Corner Kicks: RSL 3-2 PIT
Offside: RSL 5-2 PIT
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake Reserves (4-1-2-1-2): Lalo Fernandez; Abdoulie Mansally, Kwame Watson-Siriboe, Carlos Salcedo, Aaron Maund; Cole Grossmn, John Stertzer (Justen Glad, 57’), Sebastian Velasquez (Diego Silva, 87’), Luis Gil; Devon Sandoval, Sebastian Saucedo (Fito Ovalle, 85’)
Substitutes not used: Danny Acosta, Austin Najib
*Real Salt Lake-Arizona Academy Player
Pittsburgh Riverhounds (4-4-2): Mike Lisch; Matt Dallman, Andrew Marshall, Anthony Arena, Sterling Flunder; Rob Vincent, Kevin Kerr (Alfonso Motagalvan, 77’), Danny Earls, Mike Green; Jose Angulo (Seth C’Debaca, 70’), Joseph Ngwenya (Jason Johnson, 55’)
Substitutes not used: Ryan Hulings; Brian Fekete, Anothiny Obodai, Jhonny Arteaga
Referee: Daniel Radford
Assistant Referees: Ben Jackson III, Mitch Lillywhite
4th Official: Hamed Sadeghi
Attendance: 11,202
Weather: Clear and 92 degrees
