Real Salt Lake forward **Rubio Rubin** and Homegrown goalkeeper **Gavin Beavers** have been named to MLSsoccer.com's MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 17 following the team’s 2-1 road victory over visiting Austin FC. Rubin was named to the starting XI, while Beavers earned a spot on the Team of the Matchday bench.
Rubin scored both goals, on either side of the halftime break, in RSL’s 2-1 road win. His first, coming in the 15th minute, off a cross from Jasper Löffelsend that put the Guatemalan forward in the perfect position to rise up and flick the ball into the back of the net with his head. Then, in the 80th minute Rubin connected with **Maikel Chang**, slamming his shot into the far post for the eventual game winner. The goals were Rubin first of the year, and the brace marked the third ever time he had scored two goals in a single match for the Claret-and-Cobalt.
18-year-old Beavers was instrumental in earning the victory, making four crucial saves to preserve the result, including a point-blank save in the dying moments of the match to prevent Austin FC from equalizing. The match served as just the third ever appearance in Major League Soccer for Beavers, giving him his first official win in between the posts. He is the second youngest goalkeeper to be credited with a win, only bested by Chelsea ‘keeper and former Chicago Fire man Gaga Slonina, who did so at 17 years old.
This is Rubin’s 3rd occasion in his RSL career that he’s been named to MLS Team of the Matchday, and first time this year. His previous two appearances both came during the 2021 season. Meanwhile, this is the first recognition for Beavers.
Below is MLSsoccer.com’s full Team of the Matchday for Week 17 organized in a 3-4-3 formation:
F: Julián Carranza (PHI), Christian Ramírez (CLB), Rubio Rubín (RSL)
M: Iván Angulo (ORL), Eduard Löwen (STL), Hany Mukhtar (NSH), Facundo Torres (ORL)
D: Nouhou (SEA), Donovan Pines (DC), Richie Laryea (TOR)
GK: Djordje Petrović (NE)
Coach: Oscar Pareja (ORL)
Bench: Gavin Beavers (RSL), Ranko Veselinović (VAN), Kervin Arriaga (MIN), Mateusz Klich (DC), Erik Thommy (SKC), Luciano Acosta (CIN), Dániel Gazdag (PHI), Lucas Zelarayán (CLB), Cucho Hernández (CLB)
