RSL Starting XI 5/12/18

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MATCH 10: REAL SALT LAKE vs D.C. UNITED (MAY 12, 2018)

Starting XI: Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon, Justen Glad, Nick Besler, Pablo Ruiz; Kyle Beckerman ©, Damir Kreilach; Jefferson Savarino, Albert Rusnák, Joao Plata; Corey Baird.

Bench: Connor Sparrow, Adam Henley, Taylor Peay, Sunny, Sebastian Saucedo, Ricky Lopez-Espin, Luis Silva.

Lineup notes:

• Head Coach Mike Petke is going with the same lineup for the third consecutive match, the first time RSL has had that luxury since 2015.
• Injury list: Jordan Allen (knee), Shawn Barry (knee), Tony Beltran (knee), Alex Horwath (Achilles), Demar Phillips (ankle).

• GK Nick Rimando (USA/22 caps/38 years old/9 games, 9 starts (461, 461)/3-5-1 (199-155-107), 2.11 GAA/D.C. United) – Rimando is going for his 200^th career MLS win – he would be the first goalkeeper to reach that milestone.  He played at D.C. United from 2002-2006, winning 41 matches for the Black and Red.  He also won his first MLS Cup title with D.C. in 2004, alongside RSL Head Coach Mike Petke and D.C. United Head Coach Ben Olsen.  12 of his career victories have come against D.C. United.
• RB Brooks Lennon (USA/0 caps/20 years old/8 games, 7 starts (33, 22)/0 goals, 1 assists (3, 5)/Liverpool (England)/HGP) – Leads Real Salt Lake with 21 tackles.  Starting his eighth consecutive match at right back.
• RCB Justen Glad (USA/0 caps/21 years old/9 games, 9 starts (62, 60)/0 goals, 0 assists (2, 1)/RSL Academy/HGP) – Leads Real Salt Lake with 32 interceptions, seven blocks and 43 clearances, ranking third in MLS in interceptions and 13^th in blocks and clearances.
• LCB Nick Besler (24 years old/3 games, 3 starts (3, 3)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Real Monarchs) – Making his fourth consecutive start at center back.
• LB Pablo Ruiz (Argentina/Chile/0 caps/19 years old/4 games, 2 starts (4, 2)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/San Luis (Chile)) – Making his third consecutive start at left back.
• DM Kyle Beckerman (USA/58 caps/35 years old/9 games, 9 starts (441, 412)/0 goals, 0 assists (40, 49)/Colorado Rapids) – Has six career goals against D.C. United, including four in 14 matches with Real Salt Lake.
• CM Damir Kreilach (28 years old/9 games, 9 starts (9, 9)/1 goal, 2 assists (1, 2)/Union Berlin (Germany)/TAM) – Leads RSL in passes in the opponents half and now has two assists on the year as he finds his form in MLS.
• RW Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela/1 cap/21 years old/9 games, 9 starts (31, 28)/1 goals, 1 assist (7, 6)/Zulia (Venezuela)/DP) – Leads RSL with 27 dribbles completed, ranking 9^th in MLS.
• CAM Albert Rusnák (Slovakia/10 caps, 1 goal/23 years old/9 games, 9 starts (39, 38)/2 goals, 2 assists (9, 16)/FC Groningen (Holland)/DP) – Leads RSL and ranks third in MLS with 31 chances created.
• LW Joao Plata (Ecuador/4 caps, 2 goals/26 years old/6 games, 6 starts (175, 149)/3 goals, 0 assists (43, 40)/Toronto FC/TAM) – Has two goals and one assist in five matches with RSL against D.C. United.
• FW Corey Baird (22 years old/7 games, 4 starts (7, 4)/2 goals, 1 assist (2, 1)/Stanford/HGP) – Scored his second MLS goal last week against Orlando City SC.

Bench:

• GK Connor Sparrow (23 years old/0 games, 0 starts (0, 0)/0-0-0 (0-0-0)/Real Monarchs) – Has two shutouts in four matches with Real Monarchs in the USL after posting seven shutouts in 18 appearances last year to lead the Monarchs to the USL regular season title.
• DF Adam Henley (Wales/2 caps/23 years old/3 games, 1 start (3, 1)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Blackburn Rovers (England)) – Made his first MLS start at left back against New York City FC on April 11.  Came to RSL after seven seasons with Blackburn Rovers in England.
• DF Taylor Peay (26 years old/0 games, 0 starts (7, 4)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Real Monarchs) – Made his first appearance of the season on loan with Real Monarchs last week.  Making his first appearance in the 18 for Real Salt Lake.  Salt Lake City native played 21 matches for the Monarchs in 2017.
• MF Sunny (Nigeria/1 cap/29 years old/3 games, 0 starts (39, 33)/0 goals, 0 assists (1, 2)/Alanyaspor (Turkey)) – Started last year in 1-0 win over D.C. at RFK Stadium, RSL’s last ever match in the historic stadium.
• MF Sebastian Saucedo (21 years old/6 games, 1 start (35, 7)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 2)/Real Salt Lake Academy) – Has appeared in all but three matches for RSL this season.
• FW Ricky Lopez-Espin (22 years old/1 game, 0 starts (1, 0)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Creighton University) –Real Salt Lake’s second round pick (33^rd overall) in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft after scoring 30 goals in 74 matches at Creighton University.
• FW Luis Silva (29 years old/7 games, 6 starts (145, 105)/1 goal, 0 assists (28, 16)/Tigres (Mexico)) – Scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win for RSL over D.C. United last year.  Played for D.C. from 2013-2015 before coming to RSL in a midseason trade in 2015.