Real Salt Lake was in need of two goals to break out of a slump that had seen the club go 0-2-4 in the previous six matches. So on Sunday against the Philadelphia Union, two stellar goals by Joao Plata and Javier Morales made the victory twice as nice.
Both goals – a rocket from Plata and a feathery chip from Morales – are up for the MLSsoccer.com Save of the Week and deservedly so.
Trailing 1-0 at the time, Plata’s emphatic strike from the edge of the 18 off of a one-touch pass from Demar Phillips and rifled through Philadelphia goalkeeper Andre Blake was the fire to the ice of Morales’ skillfully lofted shot that just eluded Blake’s reach and dropped under the crossbar and inside the far post with the placement of the finest marksman.
“Two, I think, world class goals,” RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando said, matter of factly. “Our special players, we expect them to do that.”
RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar echoed that sentiment.
“Two world class goals, in my opinion, from Joao and Javi,” he said. “Sometimes it takes that to break the game open.”
Both players had been in search of the back of the net for some time, with Plata’s last goal coming on May 28, while Morales hadn’t scored since April 23. Getting those two pivotal players back in their scoring ways could help shift RSL’s season back into overdrive as the club enters the final stretch of the season.
To vote for the two goals, click here.
