For the second time in the first three matches of the season, Javier Morales had a hand in two Real Salt Lake goals and found himself on the MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week. Morales assisted on both RSL goals on Sunday against Toronto FC to make Team of the Week, providing the catalyst for RSL’s first win of the season.
RSL opened scoring with a 38th minute goal by Luke Mulholland, as Morales floated the ball over the defense and found Mulholland at the far post for the headed goal.
“I just watched the replay and you see how he lifts his head up really quick, and how he just sees it and believes it and how he served the ball,” RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar said. “Again that was a great run by Luke and it was a fantastic job by our team to win the ball in a high area.”
After allowing an equalizer in the 88th minute, RSL responded in the 89th minute when Morales spotted Jordan Allen with a pinpoint cross from the right side that he headed home for his first career MLS goal.
“It was too tight, and I just tried to cross the ball,” Morales told reporters after the match. “I guessed in that moment that somebody was there, and I was lucky.”
Like Mulholland in the first half, Allen knew just to find an open space and Morales would find him with pinpoint accuracy.
“As soon as you see Javi on the ball in an area like that, you have to expect the ball to come to you. He has the type of quality where he'll put it just like he did to me - right to my head - and give you an easy job to finish it,” Allen said. “I had to make sure I was aware and expecting the ball to come through.”
Morales was joined on Team of the Week by goalkeeper David Ousted (Vancouver Whitecaps FC); defenders Damien Perrinelle (New York Red Bulls), Matt Hedges (FC Dallas), Ike Opara (Sporting Kansas City) and Kofi Opare (D.C. United); midfielders Harrison Shipp (Chicago Fire), Kelyn Rowe (New England Revolution), Kaka (Orlando City SC) and Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City); and forward Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls).
Both Jeff Attinella and Tony Beltran were included among the seven players listed on the bench for the week.
Real Salt Lake’s Team of the Week honorees include:
Week 1: Chris Schuler.
Week 2: Javier Morales.
Week 4: Javier Morales.
