SANDY, Utah (Saturday, June 25, 2022) – Real Salt Lake (8-4-5, 29 points) remain undefeated at Rio Tinto Stadium, despite Saturday night’s 0-0 draw against the visiting Columbus Crew. Goalkeeper Zac MacMath made two saves to give the team its seventh clean sheet of the season.
In front of a Club record eighth consecutive sellout crowd, Real Salt Lake and Columbus Crew battled back and forth for much of the first half, struggling to establish dominance on either side. In the 21st minute Justen Glad found himself alone to the left of goal, but his header hit the side netting, just wide of the frame. Moments later Columbus hit the crossbar on a shot from outside the 18-yard box, nearly finding the Crew’s first of the match. For the remainder of the half neither side was able to get another clear-cut opportunity and the first half ended deadlocked at 0-0.
The second half started with the majority of the match being played in the midfield trenches. In the 61st minute Justin Meram was able to fire off a low shot, but the goalkeeper made the diving save. The rebounded shot bounced unmarked into the box, but no one was there to run onto it. Sergio Cordova looked to have a chance in the 69th minute when he broke free towards goal, but Columbus keeper Eloy Room was able to charge outward to make a diving stop.
Down the final stretch Real Salt Lake looked to press for the late-game winner, and the team looked to come close in the 88th minute when Glad hit a one-touch shot towards goal, but the ball fell directly into the hands of the Crew goalkeeper and the match ended in a 0-0 stalemate.
UP NEXT: Real Salt Lake heads on the road to face Minnesota United FC at Allianz Field on Sunday, July 3 at 6:00 p.m. MT before returning to Rio Tinto Stadium for the final leg of the Rocky Mountain Cup against Colorado Rapids on Saturday, July 9 at 8:00 p.m. MT.
NOTES:
- Since the Club’s 0-6 loss at New York on April 17, RSL is 5-2-2 with five clean sheets, allowing just six goals total; buoyed by a 4-0-1 home mark, scoring 7 unanswered goals at home since conceding first to Austin on May 14
- Zack Farnsworth (right ankle), Bret Halsey (ankle), Bobby Wood (abductor) and Damir Kreilach (back) were unavailable due to injury.
- Homegrown Midfielder Diego Luna was unavailable due to being with the U-20 United States Youth National Team for U-20 FIFA World Cup Qualifying. Luna provided a goal and an assist while starting and playing 77 minutes in the U.S. 5-0 win over Nicaragua.
- Midfielder Joni Menendez made his return to the pitch, his first appearance since suffering an adductor injury in the first session after the March 26 loss at Kansas City.
- Real Salt Lake fans set a Club record with its eighth consecutive sellout at Rio Tinto Stadium, snapping the 2015 mark of seven set from July-September that year.
Match: Real Salt Lake vs Columbus Crew
Date: June 25, 2022
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
Weather: Clear and 95 degrees
Attendance: 20,311
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 0 0 0
Columbus Crew 0 0 0
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-4-2): Zac MacMath; Andrew Brody, Justen Glad, Marcelo Silva, Tate Schmitt; Jefferson Savarino, Jasper Löffelsend, Pablo Ruiz (Scott Caldwell 66’), Justin Meram (Maikel Chang 83’); Rubio Rubin (Jonathan Menendez 66’), Sergio Cordova
Subs not used: Tomas Gomez, Johan Kappelhof, Anderson Julio, Tate Schmitt, Everton Luiz, Nick Besler
Columbus Crew (3-5-2): Eloy Room; Jonathan Mensah, Milos Degenek, Sean Zawadski; Darlington Nagbe (Alexandru Matan 90+4’+, Pedro Santos (Will Sands 60’), Aidan Morris, James Igbekeme (Josh Williams 90+4’), Steven Moreira; Luis Diaz (Mohamed Farsi 68’), Miguel Berry (Jacen Russell-Rowe 60’)
Subs not used: Isaiah Parente, Jalil Anisaba, Evan Bush, Jake Morris
Stats Summary: RSL / CLB
Shots: 11 / 6
Shots on Goal: 4 / 2
Saves: 2 / 4
Corner Kicks: 8 / 5
Fouls: 16 / 11
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
RSL: Marcelo Silva (caution) 45+2’
RSL: Steven Moreira (caution) 73’
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Mark Allatin
Assistant Referees: Corey Parker, Kyle Atkins
4th Official: Silviu Petrescu
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
