Real Salt Lake1 vs FC Dallas 0
August 20, 2016; Sandy, Utah; Rio Tinto Stadium
Real Salt Lake (11-8-7, 40 points); FC Dallas (13-7-6, 45 points)
Man of the Match: Jamison Olave. By scoring his second goal of the season, Olave showed that he still has what it takes to be the big man in big moments. All night long he frustrated Dallas’ attack while putting himself in good positions offensively to get chances on goal, all before finishing a clinical quick corner kick in the 78th minute. A very solid 90 minutes for the 35-year-old center back.
Telling Stat: 66.4. RSL once again controlled the possession battle at home. RSL was able to dictate the pace of the game by keeping ahold of the ball and breaking down the Dallas defense with both short and long passes in the attacking half.
What You Missed: Pedro Baez made his way into the RSL 18 since his loan move from Cerro Porteno in Paraguay. Although he didn’t feature in the game, it gave him a chance to become familiar with the atmosphere of Rio Tinto Stadium and see first-hand how his new club plays. This gave promise to the RSL faithful that the young striker can make an impact in the squad.
So What: Beginning a three-game home stand against top-tier western conference opponents, RSL was able to take all three points from the league’s top team, boosting the team’s confidence heading into the coming games. Next up for the Claret-and-Cobalt is the third installment of the 2016 Rocky Mountain Cup as they host the rival Colorado Rapids on Friday. With RSL’s next two opponents (Colorado, LA) dropping points on Saturday, this gives RSL a chance to make a run for the top spot in the West and the Supporters’ Shield standings. The game against the Rapids is scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. at Rio Tinto Stadium.
