SANDY, Utah
(Saturday, June 2, 2018) –
Real Salt Lake
(7-6-1, 22 points) finished a rigorous week with its third straight victory in an eight-day stretch, topping Seattle Sounders FC 2-0 in front of 18,556 in attendance at Rio Tinto Stadium.
FW
Corey Baird
scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season and FW
Luis Silva
added his third of the year as GK
Nick Rimando
earned his fourth shutout of the season as RSL jumped to third in the Western Conference with its sixth consecutive home win.
In a physical first half, RSL outshot Seattle 5-2, but neither team was able to break the scoreless deadlock. Salt Lake had a few near-misses, including one in the 44th minute by Baird. Head Coach
Mike Petke
was forced to make his first substitution of the match just before halftime as FW
Joao Plata
came off with a rib injury, replaced by FW
Sebastian Saucedo
as RSL continued to pressure the Seattle defense.
The second half started with an aggressive RSL attack as Saucedo and MF
Kyle Beckerman
each had dangerous shots in the first five minutes. The home side finally broke through in the 57th minute through Baird. DF
Danilo Acosta
made an overlapping run up the left side and got in behind the Sounders defense on a ball from MF
Damir Kreilach
and put a shot on frame that was saved by Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei. The ball came out to Baird, who leapt and headed the rebound beyond the reach of a Seattle defender and into the net to make it 1-0. Silva added an insurance goal in stoppage time when Frei was pressed forward looking for an equalizer off a corner kick. RSL cleared the Seattle effort and Silva launched a long-range shot into the open net to put the game out of reach at 2-0.
The win capped a three-game week that saw Salt Lake take nine points while outscoring the opposition 5-1.
UP NEXT:
The games continue to come quick as Real Salt Lake hosts Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday in the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Rio Tinto Stadium (8 p.m. MT kickoff). RSL then returns to MLS play on June 9, taking to the road to face the LA Galaxy for the first time this season.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
RSL: Corey Baird, 57th minute – RSL got into the box up the left side and Danilo Acosta broke to the endline on a ball from Damir Kreilach. Acosta took the low-angled shot and while his effort was saved by Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei, the rebound went only as far as Corey Baird, who leapt for a header on his putback that went just beyond the reach of the Seattle defender for his fourth goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.
RSL: Luis Silva, 91st minute-plus – In stoppage time, Seattle put all 11 players forward on a corner kick and when RSL got the clearance, Luis Silva got the ball into the attacking half of the field before launching a shot into the open net for his third goal of the season and a 2-0 lead.
NOTES:
- RSL played without five players due to injury. GK Alex Horwath (Achilles), DF Shawn Barry (knee), DF Tony Beltran (knee), MF Luke Mulholland (back) and FW Jordan Allen (knee).
- MF Albert Rusnák was out of the lineup while away with the Slovakian National Team for friendlies against the Netherlands and Morocco. In the first match against the Netherlands on Thursday, he played nearly the entire match in a 1-1 draw. Slovakia meets Morocco on Monday and he is scheduled return to RSL prior to the club’s match against the LA Galaxy on June 9.
- RSL held Seattle without a shot on goal in the match. It was the second time this season Salt Lake had held an opponent without a shot on goal after doing the same against the Colorado Rapids on April 21. No other team in MLS has accomplished that feat in a game this season.
Match: Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders FC
Date: June 2, 2018
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah
Attendance: 18,556
Weather: Sunny and 76
Scoring Summary:
1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 0 2 2
Seattle Sounders FC 0 0 0
RSL: Corey Baird 57’
RSL: Luis Silva 91+’
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon, Marcelo Silva, Justen Glad, Danilo Acosta; Kyle Beckerman, Sunny (Nick Besler 90’); Jefferson Savarino, Damir Kreilach, Joao Plata (Sebastian Saucedo 41’); Corey Baird (Luis Silva 74’).
Subs not used: Connor Sparrow, Aaron Herrera, David Horst, Pablo Ruiz.
Seattle Sounders FC (4-2-3-1): Stefan Frei; Jordan McCrary, Kim Kee-hee, Chad Marshall, Nouhou Tolo; Jordy Delem (Harry Shipp 46’), Cristian Roldan; Kelvin Leerdam (Lamar Neagle 64’), Clint Dempsey, Alex Roldan; Will Bruin (Victor Rodriguez 74’).
Subs not used: Calle Brown, Waylon Francis, Tony Alfaro, Henry Wingo.
Stats Summary: RSL / SEA
Shots: 18 / 5
Shots on Goal: 6 / 0
Saves: 0 / 4
Corner Kicks: 8 / 6
Fouls: 12 / 8
Offside: 2 / 4
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
SEA: Kelvin Leerdam (Caution) 10’
SEA: Jordy Delem (Caution) 25’
RSL: Justen Glad (Caution) 87’
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Kevin Stott
Assistant Referees: Brian Poeschel, Jeremy Kieso
4th Official: Fotis Bozakos
Video Assistant Referee: Alex Chilowicz
