Ten interceptions. Nine clearances. One victory.
That stat line earned Real Salt Lake defender Justen Glad a spot on the MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week, making the 19-year-old center back the eighth different RSL player to earn the honor.
Glad was making his seventh start of the season, already surpassing his season total from 2015. That includes starts in both RSL victories over Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park.
“We looked at last time we played them, and we tried to do similar things from the last game again tonight, and we were able to do a lot of those things, and they helped us win,” RSL captain Kyle Beckerman said.
Head Coach Jeff Cassar had similar sentiments, noting the total team effort that earned the win.
“I think the games have been really even, including the games we've lost here have been very even,” he said. “They're a very good team, they're extremely well coached and their fans are great so you need 11, well actually 14 guys, playing their best.”
Joining Glad on Team of the Week are goalkeeper Joe Bendik (Orlando City SC); defenders Richie Marquez (Philadelphia Union) and Axel Sjoberg (Colorado Rapids); midfielders Kaka (Orlando City SC), Dax McCarty (New York Red Bulls), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Mike Grella (New York Red Bulls) and Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas); and forwards Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls) and Tesho Akinedele (FC Dallas).
RSL forward Yura Movsisyan, who scored his third goal of the season on Saturday, was named to the seven-man bench.
For more on the Week 12 Team of the Week, click here.
Team of the Week
Week 1: Juan Manuel Martinez
Week 2: Sunday Stephen
Week 5: Aaron Maund, Joao Plata
Week 7: Nick Rimando, Demar Phillips
Week 9: Jordan Allen
Week 12: Justen Glad
