SANDY, Utah (Saturday, July 16, 2016) – Real Salt Lake finally finished off its first shutout since April 16, but couldn’t crack the scoresheet on the other end and finished with a 0-0 draw against the New England Revolution Saturday night at Rio Tinto Stadium.
GK Nick Rimando finished the night with one save to earn his third clean sheet of the season as Real Salt Lake remained in fourth in the Western Conference at 8-6-6 on the season.
The game wasn’t without its scoring chances, though.
In the fifth minute, RSL nearly had a wonder goal as FW Juan Manuel Martinez played a backheel to FW Joao Plata up the right side, but his first-time shot from 12 yards out missed high.
The 14th minute saw another pair of opportunities narrowly miss.
Off a corner kick from the left side, MF Luke Mulholland cracked a shot from 20 yards out that was skipping wide, but MF Kyle Beckerman was there at the far post to put it on frame. New England goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth made the initial save and Lee Nguyen headed the ball clear, but only as far as Plata on the right side. Plata fired a shot toward the far post, but missed wide and the chances came up empty.
For the half, RSL outshot New England 8-6, but the two teams put just one shot on frame and went into halftime tied 0-0.
In the 61st minute, DF Demar Phillips sprung up the left side and kept a ball in play while sliding it across the edge of the six-yard box for an on-rushing Movsisyan, but his effort missed just wide and the match remained scoreless.
New England had its first big chance to break the deadlock in the 74th minute when Diego Fagundez broke through behind the RSL defense, but Rimando sprung off his line to meet Fagundez on the run for a sliding save off his boot for his only save of the night.
In stoppage time, Real Salt Lake had one last chance at a match-winner when the ball played from left-to-right across the top of the box before Beckerman played it wide to FW Olmes Garcia, but his crack missed just over the crossbar and RSL settled for the 0-0 draw.
For the match, RSL outshot New England 14-12, but put just two shots on frame, compared with one for New England.
RSL hosts Italian power Inter at Rio Tinto Stadium on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. then returns to MLS play to face the San Jose Earthquakes in a nationally televised match on Friday. Kickoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. MT with national coverage on Univision.
GAME NOTES – RSLvNER
- RSL is now 2-1-4 against the Eastern Conference this season. The remaining matches against the East come on the road against the Philadelphia Union (July 31) and Toronto FC (August 3) and at home against the Chicago Fire (August 6).
- GK Nick Rimando has three shutouts this season to extend his MLS record total to 126 in his MLS career. He remains one victory behind Kevin Hartman for the all-time wins record.
- Real Salt Lake remains unbeaten at home this season at 5-0-4 in MLS play and 5-0-7 across all competitions.
REAL SALT LAKE 0-0 NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2016
RIO TINTO STADIUM
Goals by Period 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 0 0 0
New England Revolution 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
None.
Misconduct Summary:
RSL: Aaron Maund (Caution; Foul) 34’
NER: Lee Nguyen (Caution; Dissent) 44’
NER: London Woodberry (Caution; Foul) 46’
NER: Kei Kamara (Caution; Foul) 72’
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Nick Rimando; Tony Beltran, Justen Glad, Aaron Maund, Demar Phillips; Kyle Beckerman, Luke Mulholland (John Stertzer 89’); Juan Manuel Martinez, Javier Morales, Joao Plata (Jordan Allen 67’); Yura Movsisyan (Olmes Garcia 77’).
Substitutes not used: Jeff Attinella, Omar Holness, Jamison Olave, Chris Wingert.
New England Revolution (4-2-3-1): Bobby Shuttleworth; Andrew Farrell, Jose Goncalves, London Woodberry, Je-Vaughn Watson; Daigo Kobayashi (Chris Tierney 71’), Scott Caldwell; Teal Bunbury (Femi Hollinger-Janzen 83’), Lee Nguyen, Kelyn Rowe (Diego Fagundez 62’); Kei Kamara.
Substitutes not used: Brad Knighton, Darrius Barnes, Zachary Heriveaux, Samba.
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Assistant Referees: Craig Lowry, Apolinar Mariscal
Fourth Official: Jaime Herrera
Attendance: 19,246
Weather: Partly cloudy and 90
