MLS Real Salt Lake

RSLl Earns Road Point at Phi in 0-0 Draw

Published on August 24, 2012 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


CHESTER, Pa. - Real Salt Lake (13-10-4, 43 points, West #2) picked up a valuable road point on Friday night, playing the Philadelphia Union to a 0-0 draw at PPL Park to end the team's three-game MLS losing streak.

RSL GK Nick Rimando and the 11-man commitment to defense produced the second clean sheet in as many games this week, tonight's 0-0 scoreline on the heels of Tuesday's 2-0 home win in CONCACAF Champions League play. For Rimando, RSL's first-choice 'keeper since 2007, tonight marked shutout No. 60 of his career with the Claret & Cobalt, and No. 96 of his illustrious MLS career, second only to FC Dallas GK Kevin Hartman.

RSL started the game in a much different shape than usual, eschewing the preferred 4-4-2 diamond formation for a 4-1-4-1, with FW Álvaro SaborÃ-o playing as a lone striker and MF's Javier Morales and Luis Gil playing in front of fellow MF's Will Johnson and Ned Grabavoy. Captain Kyle Beckerman inhabited his usual defensive midfielder role, with DF's Chris Wingert, Nat Borchers, Kwame Watson-Siriboe and Tony Beltran slotting in ahead of GK Nick Rimando.

Real Salt Lake got off to a bright start in its new setup, registering a pair of shots - including one on goal - in the opening three minutes. Unfortunately for RSL, that was it for the first half. RSL - perhaps a bit fatigued while playing its third game in the last six days - was slow and sloppy in the opening frame, struggling to complete passes throughout the first 45.

Philadelphia wasn't much better, though they did register the best chance of the half in the 42nd minute. Union MF Michael Farfan picked up a loose ball in the middle of RSL's third, playing a square ball to MF Danny Cruz at the penalty spot only for Cruz to sky his first-time shot over the bar.

Cruz had another chance 10 minutes into the second half. The newest member of the Union, Cruz curled a corner kick from the right side toward goal, forcing RSL's Grabavoy into an unusual headed goal-line clearance at the near post.

The game opened up a little bit in the final 15 minutes. RSL had a half chance in the 79th minute, when Morales ran onto a flicked header in the middle of Philadelphia's final third before hitting a slow left-footer at Union GK Zac MacMath from 20 yards.

Real Salt Lake had another chance in the 85th. Beckerman picked out substitute MF Jonny Steele with a great long ball down the middle, allowing Steele to collect in the left side of the box. The Northern Irishman beat MacMath to the ball, but couldn't quite get it under his foot, failing to either shoot or pick out the onrushing SaborÃ-o with a back pass.

Philadelphia had one final chance in the 91st minute. A Union player got on the end of a free kick at the right post, hitting a right-footed volley from close-range that Watson-Siriboe did well to clear off the line.

Real Salt Lake returns to action next Saturday, when they'll take on D.C. United at Rio Tinto Stadium, the first of five MLS & CCL games in September, and one of only two at home (Sat., Sept. 22 v Portland Timbers FC on NBC Sports Network).

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Major League Soccer Stories from August 24, 2012


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