Real Salt Lake 3 vs. San Jose Earthquakes 4October 30, 2021; Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah
Real Salt Lake (13-13-6, 45 points); San Jose Earthquakes (10-13-10, 40 points)
Man of the Match: Defender Aaron Herrera provided the assist for Albert Rusnak’s second goal of the match, driving towards the end-line to keep the ball in before chipping it to the midfielder in the middle of the box. Herrera also set up Maikel Chang’s goals, with another chip into the box, slightly deflected by the head of Anderson Julio.
Telling Stat: Captain Albert Rusnak became the first player since Jeff Cunningham in 2006 to achieve double digits in both goals and assists. His two goals against San Jose marked his ninth and tenth of the season. The midfielder had previously totaled 11 assists in the previous 31 matches. Fellow midfielder Damir Kreilach is just one assists away from also recording double digits in goals and assist, he currently has 15 goals and nine assists.
What You Missed: Real Salt Lake snapped its nine-game unbeaten streak at home, falling 4-3 to an already-eliminated San Jose Earthquakes. The loss puts the playoff race in the hands of its opponents, as RSL now awaits results from the remainder of the weekend to determine seeding heading into the final two matches of the regular season.
What’s Next: Real Salt Lake remains at home for its final home match of the 2021 MLS regular season, hosting Portland Timbers on Wednesday, November 3 at 8:00 p.m. MT. The match will hold serious playoff implications for both sides. For RSL a win would help it secure a position in the postseason, for Portland a win could mean a guaranteed home playoff match. The night will also serve as recognition for Club legend Kyle Beckerman to honor and celebrate his career.
