RSL Starting XI 8/4/18

Listen to "RSL Starting XI: Chicago Fire 8/4/18" on Spreaker.
MATCH 23: REAL SALT LAKE vs CHICAGO FIRE (AUGUST 4, 2018)

Starting XI: Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon, Marcelo Silva, Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera; Kyle Beckerman, Damir Kreilach; Jefferson Savarino, Albert Rusnak, Joao Plata; Corey Baird.

Bench: Andrew Putna, Danilo Acosta, Shawn Barry, Nick Besler, Pablo Ruiz, Sunny, Sebastian Saucedo.

Lineup notes:

• RSL Head Coach Mike Petke will return to the bench after serving a two-match suspension.
• When Justen Glad and Marcelo Silva play 90 minutes together since Silva’s arrival in 2017, Real Salt Lake is 10-4-5 with 7 shutouts and a 1.05 goals against average. In 1,788 minutes overall with the pair on the field, RSL has a 1.16 GAA.
• Injury list: Jordan Allen (knee), Tony Beltran (knee), David Horst (Achilles), Alex Horwath (Achilles), Ricky Lopez-Espin (knee), Luke Mulholland (back), Luis Silva (adductor), Connor Sparrow (knee).

• GK Nick Rimando (USA/22 caps/39 years old/22 games, 22 starts (474, 474)/9-9-4 (205-159-110), 1.77 GAA/D.C. United) – Of Rimando’s 205 career wins, 14 have come against Chicago, third-most of any Eastern Conference team behind the New York Red Bulls (16) and New England Revolution (15).  Has now played 90 minutes in 40 consecutive regular season matches, the longest current active streak in MLS.
• RB Brooks Lennon (USA/0 caps/20 years old/21 games, 20 starts (46, 35)/0 goals, 4 assists (3, 8)/Liverpool (England)/HGP) – Making his 20^th start at right back this season.  RSL is 9-7-3 in his 19 previous starts at right back with six shutouts.  Second on RSL with 33 interceptions and tied for second with 33 tackles.
• RCB Marcelo Silva (Uruguay/0 caps/29 years old/14 games, 14 starts (23, 23)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Zaragoza (Spain)) – Making his second consecutive start after returning from suspension.  RSL is 6-5-3 with four shutouts in his 14 starts this season.
• LCB Justen Glad (USA/0 caps/21 years old/22 games, 22 starts (75, 73)/0 goals, 0 assists (2, 1)/RSL Academy/HGP) – Only player on the back line to start in all 22 matches this season.  Leads RSL and MLS with 67 interceptions.  Also ranks seventh in MLS with 17 blocks.
• LB Aaron Herrera (21 years old/4 games, 2 starts (4, 2)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/University of New Mexico) – Making his second MLS start after making his first last week in a 2-2 draw with the Colorado Rapids.  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.  Played the second half in the 2018 MLS Homegrown Game on Tuesday against Tigres UANL U-20s.
• CM Kyle Beckerman (USA/58 caps/36 years old/21 games, 19 starts (453, 422)/1 goal, 0 assists (41, 49)/Colorado Rapids) – Leads RSL with 55 tackles, including 25 in his last six starts.
• CM Damir Kreilach (29 years old/22 games, 20 starts (22, 20)/4 goals, 6 assists (4, 6)/Union Berlin (Germany)/TAM) – Came off the bench to play 83 minutes last week in place of the injured Albert Rusnák.  Shares the RSL lead with six assists this season after assisting a late goal from Luis Silva in a 2-0 win over FC Dallas.  Ranks second on the team in fouls won with 36 and tied for second with 33 tackles.
• RW Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela/1 cap/21 years old/22 games, 22 starts (43, 40)/3 goals, 4 assists (9, 9)/Zulia (Venezuela)/DP) – Only RSL attacking player to start in all 22 matches this season.  Ranks fifth in MLS and first on RSL with 56 dribbles completed.  Also RSL’s most-fouled player, winning 51 fouls this season (ranking seventh in MLS) after being taken down five times last week against San Jose.
• CAM Albert Rusnák (Slovakia/10 caps, 1 goal/24 years old/20 games, 20 starts (50, 49)/5 goals, 6 assists (12, 20)/FC Groningen (Holland)/DP) – Was taken out of RSL’s 0-0 draw with San Jose after just seven minutes due to neck spasms.  Returned to training on Tuesday with the team.  Leads RSL and ranks sixth in MLS with 57 chances created.  Also ranks fourth with 41 chances created from open play.
• LW Joao Plata (Ecuador/4 caps, 2 goals/26 years old/14 games, 10 starts (183, 153)/6 goals, 3 assists (46, 43)/Toronto FC/TAM) – Has three goals and one assist in the last three matches, spanning 165 minutes.  Has also tallied three goals and three assists in six career matches against the Fire.
• FW Corey Baird (22 years old/20 games, 15 starts (20, 15)/5 goals, 2 assists (5, 2)/Stanford/HGP) – Leads all MLS rookies in scoring after scoring his fifth goal in a 4-2 win over Sporting Kansas City last month.

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) – Remains on the bench for a third straight match 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 Shawn Barry (27 years old/2 games, 2 starts (2, 2)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Korona Kielce (Poland)) – Making his first appearance in the 18 for RSL since March 10, when he suffered a knee injury against LAFC.  Came to RSL after playing his career in Austria, Germany and Poland.
• DF/MF Nick Besler (25 years old/12 games, 6 starts (12, 6)/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 3-2-1 in his six regular season starts.
• 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 against the Colorado Rapids on July 21 in his first MLS appearance since June 9.
• CM Sunny (Nigeria/1 cap/29 years old/13 games, 8 starts (49, 41)/0 goals, 0 assists (1, 2)/Alanyaspor (Turkey)) – RSL is 4-3-1 in his eight starts and 7-3-3 in his 13 appearances.
• FW Sebastian Saucedo (21 years old/17 games, 8 starts (46, 14)/2 goals, 3 assists (2, 5)/Real Salt Lake Academy) – Started and played 56 minutes on Tuesday in the 2018 MLS Homegrown Game, leading both teams with five shots and three shots on goal.  Started in five straight matches for RSL before moving to the bench three weeks ago against Minnesota.