SEATTLE, Washington
(Saturday, May 26, 2018) –
Real Salt Lake
(5-6-1, 16 points) ended its winless road run on Saturday in dramatic fashion with a 1-0 victory over Seattle Sounders FC for the club’s first win at CenturyLink Field since 2012. FW
Sebastian Saucedo
scored his first MLS goal and GK
Nick Rimando
made three saves for his third shutout of the season and 140th in his MLS career in front of 39,508 in attendance.
RSL held the bulk of the first half possession, but Seattle was the more aggressive team in the attack. While RSL had over 58% of the possession, it couldn’t manage a shot. Meanwhile, Seattle had five shots and forced Rimando into two first-half saves. However, the match remained scoreless going into halftime.
In the second half, RSL took a more offensive tact and broke through in the 61st minute when Saucedo took a pass from DF
Danilo Acosta
on the left side and cut inside to the middle. He then bent a right-footed shot past Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei and inside the far post for the 1-0 lead. Seattle pressed for an equalizer, but Salt Lake held on for the victory, its first away from home in 2018.
UP NEXT:
RSL returns home for the first of two home matches next week against the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday before a return match against Seattle on Saturday, June 2.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
RSL: Sebastian Saucedo (Danilo Acosta) 61st minute – Danilo Acosta played to Sebastian Saucedo on the left side, then made an overlapping run to draw away the defense. Saucedo carried the ball inside then sent a bending shot past Stefan Frei and inside the far post for his first MLS goal, giving RSL the 1-0 lead.
KEY SAVES AND DEFENSIVE STOPS:
RSL: Nick Rimando, 24th minute – Magnus Wolff Eikrem followed up a shot that was blocked by Danilo Acosta with a running right-footed volley, but Nick Rimando was up to the task and made the stop.
RSL: Nick Rimando, 25th minute –Nouhou made a run up the left side and took a low-angle shot from just outside the six-yard box, forcing Nick Rimando into a kick-save at the near post.
RSL: Nick Rimando, 65th minute – On a free kick from the right side, Lamar Neagle got his head to the ball, but Nick Rimando got a glove to it to force it off the crossbar.
NOTES:
- RSL played without six players due to injury. GK Alex Horwath (Achilles), DF Adam Henley (concussion), DF Shawn Barry (knee), DF Tony Beltran (knee), MF Luke Mulholland (back), FW Jordan Allen (knee) and FW Joao Plata (quad contusion).
- Real Salt Lake had five academy products in the starting 11 – DF Danilo Acosta, DF Justen Glad, DF Brooks Lennon, FW Sebastian Saucedo and FW Corey Baird.
- MF Albert Rusnák will join the Slovakian National Team for friendlies against the Netherlands and Morocco before his scheduled return to RSL prior to the club’s match against the LA Galaxy on June 9.
Match: Real Salt Lake at Seattle Sounders FC
Date: May 26, 2018
Venue: CenturyLink Field; Seattle, Washington
Attendance: 39,508
Weather: Partly Cloudy and 64
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 0 1 1
Seattle Sounders FC 0 0 0
RSL: Sebastian Saucedo (Danilo Acosta) 61’
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon, Marcelo Silva, Justen Glad, Danilo Acosta; Kyle Beckerman, Sunny; Jefferson Savarino (Nick Besler 86’), Albert Rusnák (Aaron Herrera 95+’), Sebastian Saucedo (Damir Kreilach 68’); Corey Baird.
Subs not used: Connor Sparrow, Pablo Ruiz, Luis Silva, Ricky Lopez-Espin.
Seattle Sounders FC (4-1-4-1): Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Kim Kee-hee, Chad Marshall, Nouhou (Jordan McCrary 67’); Jordy Delem (Lamar Neagle 58’); Alex Roldan, Cristian Roldan, Magnus Wolff Eikrem, Handwalla Bwana (Waylon Francis 33’); Clint Dempsey.
Subs not used: Bryan Meredith, Tony Alfaro, Harry Shipp, Felix Chenkam.
Stats Summary: RSL / SEA
Shots: 6 / 10
Shots on Goal: 3 / 2
Saves: 3 / 1
Corner Kicks: 2 / 6
Fouls: 16 / 11
Offside: 0 / 1
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
SEA: Magnus Wolff Eikrem (Caution) 18’
RSL: Sunny (Caution) 24’
SEA: Nouhou (Caution) 37’
RSL: Justen Glad (Caution) 42’
RSL: Kyle Beckerman (Caution) 45’
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Assistant Referees: Apolinar Mariscal, Jeff Hosking
4th Official: Malik Badawi
Video Assistant Referee: Silviu Petrescu
