SANDY, Utah – The Real Salt Lake Reserves (4-1-2, 14 points, West #1) got a second half goal from MF Sebastian Velasquez to top the LA Galaxy Reserves (0-2-1, 1 point, West #6) 1-0 at America First Field in Sandy, Utah on Sunday.
Velasquez scored in the 75th minute, running onto a ball from MF John Stertzer and rounding Galaxy GK Brian Perk before slotting past several LA defenders from 15 yards out.
Real Salt Lake controlled the match right from the start, holding a large possession advantage and outshooting LA 14-3. The Claret-and-Cobalt weren’t able to create too many clear cut chances until well into the second half, however, as LA did a good job of staying organized and not letting RSL break through.
RSL’s persistent attacks finally started to pay off after 70 minutes. RSL-Arizona Academy product DF Jordan Allen – who entered the game in the 13th minute for injured DF Rich Balchan – had a good look in the 73rd minute, running onto a ball in the right side of the box before firing a left-footed shot off Perk’s hands and off the near post.
Perk came up big for the Galaxy in the 74th and 75th minutes, stopping FW Devon Sandoval and Stertzer on two separate 1-v-1 chances. Velasquez played Sandoval behind the LA defense on the first opportunity, with the rookie striker running onto the ball just outside the box and firing a shot off of an onrushing Perk. Stertzer had a nearly identical chance a minute later, running onto a Velasquez chip in the middle before getting denied by an incredible diving stop by Perk.
Velasquez put RSL ahead seconds after Stertzer’s chance, running onto a Stertzer pass at the top of the box, rounding Perk and slotting a 15-yard left-footer past a pair of Galaxy defenders and into the back of the net.
Real Salt Lake continued to hold the ball and attack following Velasquez’s goal, nearly finding a second in the 88th. FW David Viana got behind the LA backline in the right side of the box, toe-poking a right-footed effort toward the far post that Perk saved magnificently. Viana was cruelly denied on the follow-up effort, with Perk making an incredible recovery to get a fingertip to the French-Portuguese attacker’s first time rebound.
The RSL Reserves return to MLS Reserve League action on Monday, May 20, when they’ll take on the Chivas USA Reserves at 12:00 p.m. MT at the Home Depot Center.
REAL SALT LAKE RESERVES 0–0 LA GALAXY RESERVES
SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 2013
AMERICA FIRST FIELD
Goals by Period 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 0 1 1
LA Galaxy 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
RSL – Sebastian Velasquez (John Stertzer) – 75’
Misconduct Summary:
RSL – David Viana (Yellow) – 10’
RSL – Sebastian Velasquez (Yellow) – 44’
RSL – Abdoulie Mansally (Yellow) – 53’
LA – Rafael Garcia (Yellow) – 63’
RSL – Yordany Alvarez (Yellow) – 85’
Match Stats:
Shots: RSL 14-3 LA
Shots on Goal: RSL 7-0 LA
Saves: RSL 0-6 LA
Fouls: RSL 12-11 LA
Offside: RSL 3-0 LA
Corners: RSL 4-3 LA
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake Reserves (4-1-2-1-2) – Josh Saunders; Rich Balchan (Jordan Allen, 13’), Carlos Salcedo, Aaron Maund, Abdoulie Mansally; Enzo Martinez; Khari Stephenson, John Stertzer; Sebastian Velasquez (C); David Viana, Devon Sandoval (Yordany Alvarez, 82’)
Substitutes Not Used: Jeff Attinella (GK), Lalo Fernandez (GK)
Real Salt Lake-Arizona Academy product
LA Galaxy (4-4-2) – Brian Perk; Tommy Meyer, Kofi Opare (Drew Murphy, 81’), Leonardo, Bryan Gaul; Michael Stephens (C), Rafael Garcia, Kenny Walker, Colin Clark (Nathan Smith, 69’); Gyasi Zardes (Raul Mendiola, 46’), Chandler Hoffman
LA Galaxy Academy player
Referee: Hamed Sadeghi
