Real Salt Lake got back into the win column on Saturday after suffering the first defeat of the season the previous week against the LA Galaxy. In the come-from-behind 2-1 win over the Houston Dynamo, Jordan Allen notched a goal and an assist to earn a spot on the MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week.
Allen, who celebrated his 21st birthday last week, started the comeback effort with his first goal of the season, ripping a shot past Joe Willis to make it 1-1 in the 62nd minute. Then in the 70th minute, he led Demar Phillips up the left side for a cross to Yura Movsisyan for the game-winner, giving Allen the secondary assist on the play.
“I kind of had a small go at him at the end of the LA game. I said ‘Listen, you are so talented that people are going to be hitting you.’ The way he reacted to the tackle that early, especially for a player that young, it can make you back off a little. But he stayed aggressive,” RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar said. “I thought he was fantastic tonight and I’m really happy that he was rewarded with a goal. I thought it was a very mature performance by him and I couldn’t be happier for him.”
Allen was filling in for Joao Plata in the starting lineup after RSL’s leading scorer suffered a hip flexor injury prior to RSL’s match with the LA Galaxy last week. His performance assured that Salt Lake didn’t miss the four goals and four assists Plata had accumulated through the first six matches of the season. As a young player on the rise, Allen’s success speaks volumes for Real Salt Lake’s highly-touted academy and the future of the organization.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Jordan’s character. I think, at a young age, it’s pretty remarkable to see how determined of a young man he is and just the head on his shoulders, how he’s embraced being a professional, a complete professional at such a young age,” RSL defender Tony Beltran said. “I remember when he was 16 and he was training with us, and I knew this kid had quality, I knew he could be the Jordan Allen he is today. It’s just a testament to his hard work.”
Joining Allen on Team of the Week are goalkeeper Jake Gleeson (Portland Timbers); defenders Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City), Zach Scott (Seattle Sounders FC) and Marvell Wynne (San Jose Earthquakes); midfielders Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers), Felipe (New York Red Bulls), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls) and Shkelzen Gashi (Colorado Rapids); and forwards Didier Drogba (Montreal Impact) and David Villa (New York City FC).
Allen is the seventh different RSL player to be named to the Team of the Week. Goalkeeper Nick Rimando and midfielder Javier Morales were named among the seven players on the bench.
For more on the Week 9 Team of the Week, click here.
Team of the Week
Week 1: Juan Manuel Martinez
Week 2: Sunday Stephen
Week 5: Aaron Maund, Joao Plata
Week 7: Nick Rimando, Demar Phillips
Week 9: Jordan Allen
