SANDY, Utah (Saturday, August 6, 2016) – Real Salt Lake GK Nick Rimando has broken nearly every record that stands in front of him and on Saturday night at Rio Tinto Stadium, the all-time Major League Soccer wins record fell when he recorded his 181st career MLS win. With the 3-1 victory over the Chicago Fire, Rimando surpassed Kevin Hartman for the all-time record.
RSL got two goals from MF Javier Morales, who also assisted on FW Olmes Garcia’s first goal of the season, improving to 6-0-5 at home this season and 10-7-7 overall to climb to third in the Western Conference.
RSL opened scoring early and never looked back.
In the 14th minute, FW Joao Plata led Morales into the box up the middle of the field. Greeted with a wall of Chicago defenders, Morales wheeled back before playing a ball to the left for Garcia, who thumped a first-time shot from outside the 18 to beat Matt Lampson inside the far post for his first goal of the season and a 1-0 RSL lead.
In the 27th minute, RSL went on the attack again and FW Juan Manuel Martinez was brought down in the box by Eric Gehrig and referee Silviu Petrescu pointed to the spot for a penalty.
Morales calmly converted the PK for his third goal of the season to extend RSL’s lead to 2-0.
For the half, RSL outshot Chicago 9-3, while putting four shots on goal to zero for the Fire. Combined with 58-percent of the possession and Salt Lake was in full control of the match up 2-0 at halftime.
Chicago ended Rimando’s bid for a shutout in the 58th minute. Former RSL midfielder Arturo Alvarez got on the end of a ball from Nick LaBrocca and blasted it inside the far post for his third goal of the season to cut RSL’s lead in half to 2-1.
Any thoughts of a comeback didn’t last long, though, as Morales sent in his second goal of the night in the 64th minute.
Salt Lake had Chicago pinned back and after Plata and MF Kyle Beckerman had shots blocked at the edge of the 18, the ball spilled wide to DF Demar Phillips. He played the ball to Plata, who sent it to Morales at the edge of the 18. There, he cut back to his left foot and delivered a curling ball to beat Lampson inside the near post for his fourth goal of the season to give RSL the 3-1 advantage.
That lead held to the final whistle thanks in large part to a double-save by Rimando in stoppage time to deny LaBrocca as RSL celebrated Rimando’s record-setting night.
Real Salt Lake heads back on the road to face Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday, August 14, before returning home to face FC Dallas on Saturday, August 20.
GAME NOTES – RSLvCHI
- GK Nick Rimando broke the all-time MLS record previously held by Kevin Hartman when he recorded his 181st career victory. It was his 14th career win against Chicago, the fourth highest total of any opponent.
- With his assist in the 14th minute, MF Javier Morales moved into sole possession of 10th place on the league’s all-time assists leaderboard with 81 career assists. He surpassed Chris Henderson and Mauricio Cienfuegos, with whom he was previously tied on the all-time list.
- The goal was the first for FW Olmes Garcia since June 27, 2015. It was just his second goal out of 11 in his career that came in a starting role. After scoring, he removed his shirt to reveal a message on his undershirt – “Mom and Dad I love you.”
- With three games in seven days, RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar went with three different lineups. The only players to start all three matches were GK Nick Rimando, DF Demar Phillips, MF Kyle Beckerman, MF Javier Morales, FW Juan Manuel Martinez, FW Joao Plata and FW Olmes Garcia.
- RSL finished its scheduled matches against Eastern Conference opponents on Saturday, posting a 4-2-4 against the East.
REAL SALT LAKE 3-1 CHICAGO FIRE
SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 2016
RIO TINTO STADIUM
Goals by Period 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 2 1 3
Chicago Fire 0 1 1
Scoring Summary:
RSL: Olmes Garcia (Javier Morales, Joao Plata) 14’
RSL: Javier Morales (PK) 28’
CHI: Arturo Alvarez (Nick LaBrocca, Michael Stephens) 58’
RSL: Javier Morales (Joao Plata, Demar Phillips) 64’
Misconduct Summary:
RSL: Olmes Garcia (Caution; Delaying the Restart of Play) 15’
CHI: Nick LaBrocca (Caution; Foul) 35’
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Nick Rimando; Chris Wingert (Tony Beltran 59’), Justen Glad, Jamison Olave, Demar Phillips; Kyle Beckerman, Luke Mulholland (John Stertzer 82’); Juan Manuel Martinez (Omar Holness 88’), Javier Morales, Joao Plata; Olmes Garcia.
Substitutes not used: Jeff Attinella, Aaron Maund, Yura Movsisyan, Devon Sandoval.
Chicago Fire (4-4-2): Matt Lampson; Michael Harrington, Jonathan Campbell, Eric Gehrig, Brandon Vincent; Arturo Alvarez, Michael Stephens, Nick LaBrocca, David Accam (Razvan Cocis 46’); Luis Solignac, Michael de Leeuw (John Goosens 46’).
Substitutes not used: Sean Johnson, Joey Calistri, Drew Conner, Patrick Doody, Johan Kappelhof.
Referee: Silviu Petrescu
Assistant Referees: Adam Garner, Mike Rotersman
Fourth Official: Armando Villareal
Attendance: 19,909
Weather: Partly Cloudy and 87
