MATCH 24: REAL SALT LAKE vs MONTREAL IMPACT (AUGUST 11, 2018)
Starting XI: Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon, Nick Besler, Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera; Kyle Beckerman, Damir Kreilach; Jefferson Savarino, Albert Rusnák, Joao Plata; Corey Baird.
Bench: Andrew Putna, Danilo Acosta, Shawn Barry, Pablo Ruiz, Sunny, Sebastian Saucedo, Luis Silva.
Lineup notes:
- 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/23 games, 23 starts (475, 475)/10-9-4 (206-159-110), 1.74 GAA/D.C. United) – Of Rimando’s 206 career wins, 2 have come against Montreal. Has now played 90 minutes in 41 consecutive regular season matches, the longest current active streak in MLS.
- RB Brooks Lennon (USA/0 caps/20 years old/22 games, 21 starts (47, 36)/0 goals, 4 assists (3, 8)/Liverpool (England)/HGP) – Making his 21st start at right back this season. RSL is 10-7-3 in his 20 previous starts at right back with six shutouts. Second on RSL with 36 interceptions and fourth with 33 tackles.
- RCB Nick Besler (25 years old/13 games, 6 starts (13, 6)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Real Monarchs) – Making his sixth start of the year as a center back. Made one additional start 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.
- LCB Justen Glad (USA/0 caps/21 years old/23 games, 23 starts (76, 74)/0 goals, 0 assists (2, 1)/RSL Academy/HGP) – Only player on the back line to start in all 23 matches this season. Leads RSL and MLS with 67 interceptions. Also ranks seventh in MLS with 17 blocks. Ranks third on the team with 34 tackles.
- LB Aaron Herrera (21 years old/5 games, 3 starts (5, 3)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/University of New Mexico) – Making his fourth consecutive MLS start after making his first on July 21 in a 2-2 draw with the Colorado Rapids. RSL is 1-0-2 in his previous three starts. 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/22 games, 20 starts (454, 423)/1 goal, 0 assists (41, 49)/Colorado Rapids) – Leads RSL with 59 tackles, including 29 in his last seven starts.
- CM Damir Kreilach (29 years old/23 games, 21 starts (23, 21)/6 goals, 6 assists (6, 6)/Union Berlin (Germany)/TAM) – Scored two goals last week against Chicago to share the team scoring lead with Joao Plata. Also shares the team assist lead with Albert Rusnák and Jefferson Savarino. Ranks second on the team in fouls won with 38 and tackles with 36.
- RW Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela/1 cap/21 years old/23 games, 23 starts (44, 41)/3 goals, 6 assists (9, 11)/Zulia (Venezuela)/DP) – Only RSL attacking player to start in all 23 matches this season. Assisted on both of Damir Kreilach’s goals last week to share the team assist lead with Kreilach and Albert Rusnák. Ranks fifth in MLS and first on RSL with 60 dribbles completed. Also RSL’s most-fouled player, winning 53 fouls this season (ranking sixth in MLS). Ranks third on RSL with 33 chances created.
- CAM Albert Rusnák (Slovakia/10 caps, 1 goal/24 years old/21 games, 21 starts (51, 50)/5 goals, 6 assists (12, 20)/FC Groningen (Holland)/DP) – Leads RSL and ranks sixth in MLS with 60 chances created. Also ranks fourth with 43 chances created from open play.
- LW Joao Plata (Ecuador/4 caps, 2 goals/26 years old/15 games, 11 starts (184, 154)/6 goals, 4 assists (46, 44)/Toronto FC/TAM) – Has three goals and two assists in the last four matches, spanning 275 minutes. Ranks second on RSL with 34 chances created.
- FW Corey Baird (22 years old/21 games, 16 starts (21, 16)/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 fourth 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)) – Remaining in the 18 for RSL for the second straight match after not making an appearance 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 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/14 games, 8 starts (50, 41)/0 goals, 0 assists (1, 2)/Alanyaspor (Turkey)) – RSL is 4-3-1 in his eight starts and 8-3-3 in his 14 appearances.
- FW Sebastian Saucedo (21 years old/18 games, 8 starts (47, 14)/2 goals, 3 assists (2, 5)/Real Salt Lake Academy) – Started in five straight matches for RSL before moving to the bench three weeks ago against Minnesota. Started and played 56 minutes last week on Tuesday in the 2018 MLS Homegrown Game, leading both teams with five shots and three shots on goal.
- FW Luis Silva (29 years old/16 games, 7 starts (154, 106)/5 goals, 0 assists (32, 16)/Tigres (Mexico)) – Leads RSL with 11 goals in the club’s last 34 matches. His last three goals have come in a substitute role.
