MATCH 21: REAL SALT LAKE vs. COLORADO RAPIDS (JULY 21, 2018)
Listen to "RSL Starting XI: vs. Colorado Rapids 7/21/18" on Spreaker.
Starting XI: Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon, Nick Besler, Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera; Kyle Beckerman, Damir Kreilach; Jefferson Savarino, Albert Rusnak, Joao Plata; Corey Baird.
Bench: Andrew Putna, Danilo Acosta, Taylor Peay, Pablo Ruiz, Sunny, Sebastian Saucedo, Luis Silva.
Lineup notes:
- DF Marcelo Silva will miss tonight’s match while serving a suspension for yellow card accumulation. He had started in 10 straight matches, with RSL going 5-4-1 in that stretch. RSL is 6-5-2 in his 13 starts this season.
- RSL Head Coach Mike Petke will not be on the bench tonight, serving the first match of a two-match suspension.
- Injury list: Jordan Allen (knee), Tony Beltran (knee), David Horst (Achilles), Alex Horwath (Achilles), Ricky Lopez-Espin (knee), Luke Mulholland (back), Connor Sparrow (knee).
- GK Nick Rimando (USA/22 caps/39 years old/20 games, 20 starts (472, 472)/9-9-2 (205-159-108), 1.85 GAA/D.C. United) – Of Rimando’s 205 career wins, 23 have come against Colorado, the most of any opponent in his carer. Has now played 90 minutes in 38 consecutive regular season matches, the longest current active streak in MLS.
- RB Brooks Lennon (USA/0 caps/20 years old/19 games, 18 starts (44, 33)/0 goals, 4 assists (3, 8)/Liverpool (England)/HGP) – Making his 18th start at right back this season. RSL is 9-7-1 in his 17 previous starts at right back with five shutouts. Second on RSL with 32 tackles and 33 interceptions.
- RCB Nick Besler Nick Besler (25 years old/10 games, 5 starts (10, 5)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Real Monarchs) – Started in the midfield in a 2-1 win over the Houston Dynamo on May 30 after starting four previous matches as a center back. RSL is 3-2-0 in his five regular season starts.
- LCB Justen Glad (USA/0 caps/21 years old/20 games, 20 starts (73, 71)/0 goals, 0 assists (2, 1)/RSL Academy/HGP) – Only player on the back line to start in all 20 matches this season. Leads RSL and MLS with 62 interceptions. Also ranks sixth in MLS with 16 blocks.
- LB Aaron Herrera (21 years old/2 games, 0 starts (2, 0)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/University of New Mexico) – Making his first MLS start. Made his MLS debut on the road against Seattle Sounders FC in May. Waited until July 7 in a 2-0 win over FC Dallas for his second appearance.
- CM Kyle Beckerman (USA/58 caps/36 years old/19 games, 17 starts (451, 420)/1 goal, 0 assists (41, 49)/Colorado Rapids) – Leads RSL with 48 tackles, including 18 in his last four starts.
- CM Damir Kreilach (29 years old/20 games, 19 starts (20, 19)/3 goals, 6 assists (3, 6)/Union Berlin (Germany)/TAM) – Leads RSL with six assists this season after assisting a late goal from Luis Silva in a 2-0 win over FC Dallas. Ranks third on the club with 30 tackles and second in fouls won with 27.
- RW Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela/1 cap/21 years old/20 games, 20 starts (41, 38)/3 goals, 3 assists (9, 8)/Zulia (Venezuela)/DP) – Only RSL attacking player to start in all 20 matches for RSL. Ranks fifth in MLS and first on RSL with 52 dribbles completed. Also RSL’s most-fouled player, winning 45 fouls this season (ranking eighth in MLS).
- CAM Albert Rusnák (Slovakia/10 caps, 1 goal/24 years old/18 games, 18 starts (48, 47)/5 goals, 5 assists (12, 19)/FC Groningen (Holland)/DP) – Leads RSL and ranks fourth in MLS with 54 chances created.
- LW Joao Plata (Ecuador/4 caps, 2 goals/26 years old/12 games, 8 starts (181, 151)/5 goals, 2 assists (45, 42)/Toronto FC/TAM) – Moves back into the starting 11 after scoring two goals as a substitute in last week’s 3-2 loss to Minnesota United. The two goals were the first multi-goal game of the season for an RSL player and were his first goals since April 21 in a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rapids.
- FW Corey Baird (22 years old/18 games, 13 starts (18, 13)/5 goals, 2 assists (5, 2)/Stanford/HGP) – Leads all MLS rookies in scoring after scoring his team-leading fifth goal last Wednesday in a 4-2 win over Sporting Kansas City.
Bench:
- GK Andrew Putna (23 years old/0 games, 0 starts (0, 0)/Real Monarchs) – Signed with RSL last week. Has allowed three goals in two matches with Real Monarchs SLC this season, giving him six appearances in two seasons with the USL club. Earned two clean sheets with the Monarchs last season.
- DF Danilo Acosta (USA/0 caps/20 years old/11 games, 10 starts (28, 26)/0 goals, 1 assist (0, 3)/Real Salt Lake Academy/HGP) – Moves to the bench after starting in nine straight matches for RSL, with the club going 5-3-1 in that stretch. Fifth on the club with 26 tackles.
- DF Taylor Peay (26 years old/0 games, 0 starts (7, 4)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Real Monarchs) – Started three matches thus far for Real Monarchs SLC in the USL while on loan from RSL. Salt Lake City native played 21 matches for the Monarchs in 2017.
- DF/MF Pablo Ruiz (Argentina/Chile/0 caps/19 years old/8 games, 4 starts (8, 4)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/San Luis (Chile)) – Appeared off the bench last week in his first MLS appearance since June 9.
- MF Sunny (Nigeria/1 cap/29 years old/11 games, 7 starts (47, 40)/0 goals, 0 assists (1, 2)/Alanyaspor (Turkey)) – Started in seven of the last nine matches before tonight. RSL is 4-3-0 in his last six starts and 7-3-1 in his 11 appearances.
- FW Sebastian Saucedo (21 years old/15 games, 8 starts (44, 14)/2 goals, 3 assists (2, 5)/Real Salt Lake Academy) – Started in five straight matches for RSL before moving to the bench last week against Minnesota.
- FW Luis Silva (29 years old/16 games, 7 starts (154, 106)/5 goals, 0 assists (32, 16)/Tigres (Mexico)) – Leads RSL with 12 goals in the last 34 matches. His last three goals have come in a substitute role.
