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MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Draws Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2-2

April 27, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


SANDY, Utah - Real Salt Lake (3-0-5, 14 points, West #X) remained unbeaten on the 2014 season on Saturday night, getting early strikes from FW's Joao Plata and Alvaro Saborio before allowing two late goals to draw Vancouver Whitecaps FC (2-2-4, 10 points, West #X) 2-2 at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Plata put RSL on top just 112 seconds into the match. RSL DF Chris Wingert started the play, playing a ball down the left side to Claret-and-Cobalt MF Luke Mulholland. Mulholland dummied the pass, which took a slight deflection off a Vancouver defender before Plata stepped to it just outside the area. The dynamic attacker quickly dribbled into the left side of the area, finding space away from his marker before firing a low left-footer past diving Vancouver GK David Ousted and inside the far post.

Saborio doubled RSL's lead with a gorgeous ninth-minute goal. The buildup to the strike was fantastic, with MF Javier Morales starting the move with a delicate chipped pass to Mulholland on the right wing. The Englishman neatly flicked a header down the line to DF Tony Beltran, who quickly hit a low cross to the top of the area. MF Ned Grabavoy collected the ball, keeping close control to slither by several 'Caps defenders before playing a pass through the legs of a Vancouver player to Saborio in the left side of the area. The Costa Rican international hit the ball with his first touch, deliciously curling his 12-yard left-footer into the top-left corner.

RSL Captain Kyle Beckerman nearly made it 3-0 in the 16th and 22nd minutes. The first chance came off of a set play, with Morales rolling a free kick from just outside the right edge of the area to the top of the box, where Beckerman ran onto it and side-footed a shot on frame that Ousted held. He threatened more on the second look, running onto a Plata layoff on the left side and curling a 25-yarder with the outside of his right foot inches wide of the far post.

Saborio almost bagged a second in the 35th, heading a Plata cross from the left post past Ousted but cleared off the line by 'Caps DF Johnny Leveron.

Rimando made his only save of the half in the 36th minute. Vancouver MF Russell Teibert curled a cross from the right wing to DF Jordan Harvey at the back post, with Harvey rising over Plata and heading the shot on frame. The effort wasn't too much trouble for Rimando, who slid to his left and palmed the chance over the bar.

Plata had a golden opportunity to make it 3-0 in first half stoppage time. Grabavoy collected a Morales pass just outside the arc and sprung Plata free with a through ball to the right side. Plata ran onto it for a 1-v-1 with Ousted, but couldn't quite take advantage hitting his shot off of the onrushing 'keeper after taking a somewhat heavy first touch.

The second half started rather slowly, with RSL absorbing some pressure from an improved Vancouver side. Neither team had a chance until the 69th minute, when Vancouver substitute FW Erik Hurtado meekly headed substitute MF Nicolas Mezquida's corner kick from the top of the six on frame for another Rimando save.

Saborio came inches away from registering his second brace of the season in the 80th minute. Morales delivered a curling set piece into the box from the right wing, with Saborio aggressively running onto the ball at the top of the six. The veteran striker flicked a header toward the far post, with Ousted just barely getting a finger to the shot to tip it off the crossbar. The rebound nearly inched across the goal line, flashing down off the line and then off the post before sneaking out of danger.

Mezquida clawed Vancouver back into the game in the 86th minute. 'Caps FW Darren Mattocks collected a cleared corner kick outside the box on the left side, jetting into the area and firing a shot that Rimando saved, but couldn't hold. Mezquida - who replays indicated may have been offside - pounced on the rebound, running into the six and flicking home from close-range.

Vancouver managed to find an equalizer in the last minute of stoppage time. With only seconds left in the match, Vancouver sub MF Sebastian Fernandez pounced on an RSL turnover at the center circle and managed to get off a 35-yard rocket that snuck past Rimando into bottom right corner to make things level.

Real Salt Lake will hit the road for its next match, taking on Chicago Fire at Toyota Park at 6:30 p.m. MT next Saturday. The RSL-Fire contest will be broadcast live on CW30, ESPN 700 AM and 102.3 La Gran D FM.

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