REAL SALT LAKE CRUISE PAST COLORADO RAPIDS 3-1
RSL Claims Seventh Consecutive Home Victory, Sets Club Record; Damir Kreilach Scores in Fifth Consecutive Match, Setting New Club Record; Rocky Mountain Cup Returns to Utah for the 12th Time in 17 Seasons
SANDY, Utah (Saturday, October 16, 2021) – Real Salt Lake (12-11-6, 42 points) secured a 3-1 victory over Rocky Mountain Cup rival Colorado Rapids on Saturday night, bringing the fan-generated trophy back to the club for the 12th time in 17 seasons.
Damir Kreilach, Rubio Rubin and Anderson Julio all notched goals as RSL sets a club record with its 7th consecutive home victory.
Postgame virtual press conferences from Interim Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni, Damir Kreilach and Aaron Herrera.
RSL began the game on the front foot and found the game’s opening goal through a history-making goal from Damir Kreilach who in the 14th minute, scored in his 5th consecutive match when his headed effort at the back post gave the home side a 1-0 lead. Throughout the first half, Colorado saw chances in the attacking third, but each opportunity was snuffed out by the RSL backline to see the home side enter the halftime break with the lead.
RSL started the second half much like the first, finding a goal through Rubin after Kreilach turned provider to slip Rubin in behind the Rapids backline to double the score line in the 57th minute. The Rapids cut the lead in half in the 73rd minute when Younes Namli’s volleyed caromed off Kreilach’s chest and into the net, bringing the score to 2-1.
From there, RSL was able to stifle any attack that Colorado mounted and ultimately found a third goal when Julio put a breakaway effort between the legs of William Yarbrough in second half stoppage time to secure the full three points at Rio Tinto Stadium.
UP NEXT: Real Salt Lake will travel east to face the Chicago Fire on Saturday, October 23 at Soldier Field. Kickoff from the Windy City is set for 5:30 p.m. MT.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
RSL: Damir Kreilach (Andrew Brody, Aaron Herrera) 13th minute: Receiving the ball in a wide position, Herrera served a ball into the middle of the box where the ball skipped off the turf before arriving to Kreilach at the back post for the easy header.
RSL: Rubio Rubin (Damir Kreilach), 57th minute: Collecting the ball near the top of the penalty area, Kreilach played a perfectly weighted pass between the Rapids backline to find Rubio. Rubio used a clever run to create a one-touch finish that easily found the back of the net.
COL: Younes Namli, 73rd minute: Lining up a deflected header from a corner kick, Namli struck a left-footed effort from 18-yards out that took a deflection off of an RSL defender and bounced into the back of the net.
RSL: Anderson Julio (Damir Kreilach), 90+6th minute: Flicking on a goal kick from David Ochoa, Kreilach sprung Julio in on goal where he curled a right-footed shot through the legs of the goalkeeper to solidify the full three points for RSL.
NOTES:
- RSL set a new club record by winning its seventh consecutive home match. The Club is now unbeaten eight straight games dating back to July 21. During that span the team has earned a 7-0-1 record, outscoring opponents 17-7. RSL is currently on a six-game winning run at home.
- This season, RSL won 3-0 in the team’s first meeting, on Pioneer Day at Rio Tinto Stadium, Colorado evened the series on points with a 2-1 home win in suburban Denver on 21 August. Should RSL win or draw, it will reclaim the RMC for the 12th time. RSL are now winners of 12 of 14 “fan-created” Cups from 2007-19, and 12 of 17 seasons all-time.
- Toni Datkovic was unavailable due to a tight calf and was held out as a precaution.
- Andrew Brody returned to the starting lineup for the first time since the team’s match against LAFC on July 3.
- Bobby Wood was available off the bench for the first time since August 18. Wood suffered a hamstring issue during RSL’s match against Houston on August 18 and has now worked his way back to fitness. In addition, he played 61 minutes for Real Monarchs on October 8.
Match: Real Salt Lake vs Colorado Rapids
Date: October 16, 2021
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
Weather: Sunny and 56 Degrees
Attendance: 15,864
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 1 2 3
Colorado Rapids 0 1 1
RSL: Damir Kreilach (Aaron Herrera, Albert Rusnák) 14’
RSL: Rubio Rubin (Damir Kreilach) 57’
COL: Younes Namli 73’
RSL: Anderson Julio (Damir Kreilach) 90+6’
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (3-5-2): David Ochoa; Aaron Herrera, Erik Holt, Justen Glad; Maikel Chang (Ashtone Morgan 88’), Everton Luiz (Nick Besler 88’), Pablo Ruiz, Albert Rusnák, Andrew Brody; Damir Kreilach, Rubio Rubin (Anderson Julio 76’)
Subs not used: Zac MacMath, Noah Powder, Donny Toia, Justin Meram, Jonathan Menéndez, Bobby Wood
Colorado Rapids (4-3-3): William Yarbrough; Keegan Rosenberry, Auston Trusty, Lalas Abubakar, Lucas Esetves; Jack Price, Cole Bassett (Nicolas Mezquida 81’), Collen Warner (Younes Namli 60’); Jonathan Lewis (Dominique Badji 88’), Diego Rubio (Andre Shinyashiki 88’), Braian Galvan (Micahel Barrios 58’)
Subs not used: Clint Irwin, Drew Moor, Jeremy Kelly, Steven Beitashour
Stats Summary: RSL / COL
Shots: 8 / 12
Shots on Goal: 5 / 3
Saves: 2 / 1
Corner Kicks: 1 / 8
Fouls: 13 / 8
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
COL: Collen Warner (caution) 22’
COL: Jack Price (caution) 30’
RSL: Erik Holt (caution) 61’
COL: Diego Rubio (caution) 65’
RSL: David Ochoa (caution) 90’+6
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Kevin Stott
Assistant Referees: Jefferey Greeson, Adam Garner
4th Official: Mark Allatin
VAR: Malik Badawi
AVAR: TJ Zablocki
