Real Salt Lake 4 vs Colorado Rapids 1
August 26, 2017; Sandy, Utah; Rio Tinto Stadium
Real Salt Lake (10-13-5, 35 points); Colorado Rapids (6-15-4, 22 points)
Man of the Match: With his two goals, Luis Silva became just the second player in Real Salt Lake history to score in four consecutive MLS matches and fifth to do so across all competitions. He now has six goals and one assist in the last seven matches. He continued to be a crucial connector to set up the dynamic threesome of Jefferson Savarino, Joao Plata and Albert Rusnák, but has become a threatening goal-scorer in recent months to add another dimension to an already dangerous offense.
Telling Stat: Real Salt Lake continues to pummel the opposition offensively. With 22 shots and nine shots on goal, it was only a slight elevation over the club’s average output over the last nine matches. In that span, RSL has averaged 19.7 shots and seven shots on goal per game. But it’s mostly been one-way traffic in that stretch. Opponents have averaged 11.8 shots and three shots on goal in that same stretch. Not surprisingly, Salt Lake has outscored its opponents 23-10 in that stretch.
What You Missed: After the match, Real Salt Lake’s players presented the Rocky Mountain Cup to the club’s supporters for the ninth time in the last 11 seasons. After winning both matches against the Rapids this season, RSL clinched the derby trophy. In the series, RSL has had four different goal scorers, with Silva and Brooks Lennon both scoring two goals.
So What: RSL now goes into an international break with 18 points in the last nine matches (5-1-3), including consecutive convincing home victories. When the club returns from the break, it will face the Cascadia trio of Vancouver (away, Sept. 9), Portland (home, Sept. 16) and Seattle (home, Sept. 23). RSL is 5-3-1 against the remaining six opponents this season, setting the stage for a dramatic final few weeks to the MLS regular season calendar.
