SEATTLE – Real Salt Lake earned a hard fought 0-0 draw at Seattle Sounders FC in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinal series on Friday night at CenturyLink Field, setting the Claret-and-Cobalt up nicely ahead of the return leg at Rio Tinto Stadium on Thursday, Nov. 8.
RSL was led on Friday night by GK Nick Rimando, who made no less than four fantastic saves to keep the clean-sheet – RSL’s fourth in a row and ninth in its last 12 games across all competitions.
The first half was played at a breakneck pace, with both sides getting up-and-down the field quickly and registering numerous chances. Seattle had the first real look of the match in the ninth minute. MF Mauro Rosales had the chance, getting on the end of FW Sammy Ochoa’s cross at the top of the six only for RSL DF Kwame Watson-Siriboe – making his playoff debut for injured DF Jamison Olave – to thwart the effort with a solid sliding block.
RSL had its first solid opportunity in the 23rd minute. Combination play in the middle of the field allowed MF Javier Morales to slip MF Ned Grabavoy behind the defense, but Sounders FC GK Michael Gspurning was quick off his line, beating Grabavoy to the ball at the top of the box and clearing it out of danger.
Rimandooutdid Gspurning with a huge save in the 25th minute. Sounders FC DF Marc Burch played a long diagonal ball to MF Brad Evans in the right side of the box, but Rimando aggressively came off his line to block Evans’ eight yard effort.
The Claret-and-Cobalt had another chance in the 31st minute. Morales started the play, crossing from the right wing to FW Alvaro Saborio at the near post. The Costa Rican international masterfully flicked his header to an open Grabavoy at the back post, but Grabavoy – perhaps not realizing how much time he had – could only muster a seven yard header that Gspurning comfortably saved.
Rimando came up with two world class saves in the 33rd minute, both off of Rosales corner kicks. Ochoa had the first chance, heading a corner kick that looked ticketed for the back of the net only for Rimando to make an incredible acrobatic stop. Rimando was at it again seconds later, contorting his body to keep out Seattle DF Jhon Kennedy Hurtado’s powerful header.
The ‘keeper clinic continued in the 38th minute, when Gspurning made a good stop on RSL MF Will Johnson. The Canadian international collected a blocked shot in the right side of the box, ripping a 10-yard effort toward the near post that Gspurning parried away for a corner.
That chance took the sides into halftime. RSL made one substitution at the break, bringing off FW Fabian Espindola – who injured his left hamstring in the first half – and inserting FW Paulo Jr.
The second half was played at the same breakneck pace as the first. RSL had the first chance of the frame in the 47th minute. Saborio had the opportunity, getting on the end of DF Tony Beltran’s cross at the spot and heading a shot on goal that Gspurning held.
Sounders FC should have gone ahead in the 49th minute through Ochoa. Evans set up the golden chance, dribbling down the left side to the end line and squaring a ball to an unmarked Ochoa eight yards out. He couldn’t take advantage of the great opportunity, though, hoofing his shot well over the crossbar.
Seattle had another opportunity in the 51st minute, but Rimando snuffed it out with yet another huge save. MF Christian Tiffert had the look, powerfully snapping DF Adam Johansson’s cross to the bottom-right-corner from the spot only for Rimando to somehow get down and block it.
RSL and Rimando endured a scary moment in the 66th minute. Tiffert collided with Rimando while both players were attempting to get to a Rosales cross, with Rimando taking an elbow to the right temple. RSL’s medical staff attended to the bleeding Rimando for several minutes, and the veteran GK – who suffered a broken nose and had to have his right eye stitched up post game – was able to stay on the pitch.
Seattle kept the pressure on after Rimando’s injury, but it wasn’t really able to generate another opportunity until the 81st. Substitute FW David Estrada beat RSL sub DF Jamison Olave on the left wing, hitting a cross off of Beckerman that nearly deflected into the net.
RSL broke pressure in the 85th minute, when it nearly grabbed the lead through Saborio. The Costa Rican striker got on the end of a Morales cross at the left post, heading down to the near post to force Gspurning into another quality stop.
Seattle had another golden chance in the 85th minute. Substitute MF Mario Martinez whipped a ball in from the left wing to FW Fredy Montero at the near post, with the Colombian striker flicking the ball to the far bar. Estrada ran onto the flick, only needing to tap the ball into an open net to give Seattle the lead. He somehow couldn’t manage that, though, whiffing his shot and letting the ball roll out of bounds.
Sounders FC kept the pressure on after Estrada’s missed opportunity, but couldn’t create a chance before referee Hilario Grajeda blew the final whistle after eight minutes of stoppage time.
Friday’s result leaves RSL in great shape heading into the series’ second leg, which will be played at Rio Tinto Stadium on Thursday, Nov. 8. Tickets for the game are on sale and can be purchased online at www.RealSaltLake.com, at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office or by calling (801) 727-2700.
Click here to access video highlights and the MLSsoccer.com MATCHCENTER for RSL 0-SEA 0
Real Salt Lake Match Notes – RSL 0:0 SEA
- RSL now has shutout four straight opponents. The Claret-and-Cobalt hasn’t given up a goal since the 2-1 win at L.A. on Oct. 6, a streak of 433 minutes across all competitions.
- RSL has not conceded a goal against Seattle in four games (360 minutes) against Sounders FC this year. Seattle had 51 goals – the fifth-highest total in the league – during MLS play this year.
- GK Nick Rimando and MF Kyle Beckerman both played 90 minutes on Friday night. Both players have played every minute in all 13 of RSL’s all-time playoff matches. MF Will Johnson also played all 90 on Friday – he’s appeared in all 13 of RSL’s postseason games.
- Rimando had three stitches and had a broken nose reset after the match. Rimando suffered a facial injury when he collided with Seattle MF Christian Tiffert in the 66th minute.
- RSL will face Seattle in the second and final leg of the Western Conference Semifinal series on Thursday, Nov. 8 at Rio Tinto Stadium. The winner of that match will advance to the Western Conference Final series against the winner of the San Jose-L.A. Semifinal. Should Thursday’s match remain tied after 90 minutes, it will go to a 30-minute extra time period followed – if necessary – by a penalty kick shootout.
- Tickets for Thursday’s game are on sale and can be purchased online at www.RealSaltLake.com, at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office or by calling (801) 727-2700.
REAL SALT LAKE 0:0 SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
FRIDAY, NOV. 2, 2012
CENTURYLINK FIELD
Goals by Period 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 0 0 0
Seattle Sounders FC 0 0 0
Scoring Summary: No goals
Misconduct Summary: SEA – Jeff Parke (Foul) – 45 +1’
RSL – Kyle Beckerman (Foul) – 53’
SEA – Brad Evans (Foul) – 54’
RSL – Javier Morales (Foul) – 56’
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-1-2-1-2) – Nick Rimando; Tony Beltran, Kwame Watson-Siriboe (Jamison Olave, 76’), Nat Borchers, Chris Wingert; Kyle Beckerman (c); Ned Grabavoy, Will Johnson; Javier Morales (Yordany Alvarez, 87’); Fabian Espindola (Paulo Jr., 46’), Alvaro Saborio
Substitutes Not Used: Kyle Reynish (GK), Kenny Mansally, Luis Gil, Jonny Steele
Seattle Sounders FC (4-4-2) – Michael Gspurning; Adam Johansson, Jeff Parke, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Marc Burch; Mauro Rosales (Steve Zakuani, 94’), Osvaldo Alonso, Christian Tiffert (Christian Tiffert, 82’), Brad Evans; Fredy Montero, Sammy Ochoa (David Estrada, 57’)
Substitutes Not Used: Marcus Hahnemann (GK), Servando Carrasco, Alex Caskey, Mario Martinez, Zach Scott,
Referee: Hilario Grajeda
Referee's Assistants: Paul Scott, Jeff Hosking
4th Official: Allen Chapman
Attendance: 34,941
Weather: Rain and 55 degrees
