Real Salt Lake was among the best defensive teams in Major League Soccer yet again in 2014. With a veteran back line, RSL allowed 39 goals behind only the LA Galaxy and D.C. United (both with 37 goals allowed) for the stingiest defenses in the league.
The foursome of Tony Beltran, Nat Borchers, Chris Schuler and Chris Wingert were stalwarts in that back line and had a sturdy crew that kept the phalanx strong in protecting Salt Lake’s net all season.
Borchers was a stalwart in back for RSL, logging career-best marks in games (32), starts (32) and minutes (2,856) while also tallying his 10th goal in seven seasons for the Claret-and-Cobalt. Borchers surpassed the 200-game plateau and now has 205 career appearances for RSL, putting him even with Kyle Beckerman and behind only Nick Rimando on the all-time registry.
He was joined in the back by Schuler, who continued his climb through the MLS ranks in his fifth season with RSL. The sturdy defender logged career-highs with 25 matches, 2,154 minutes and three goals. He scored two goals and helped RSL to a 3-0 shutout of D.C. United on August 9 to earn MLS Player of the Week honors. He now has 75 career appearances for RSL.
Waiting at the ready throughout the year at center back were Carlos Salcedo and Aaron Maund.
Salcedo played 800 minutes in his second season on the RSL back line. He scored his first career MLS goal on September 19 in a 5-1 win over the Colorado Rapids. The 21-year-old Academy product started six straight matches to close out the season as Salt Lake went 3-2-1 with a 0.67 goals against average and three straight shutouts in the final three matches.
Maund provided more defensive depth for RSL in 2014, making five starts and six appearances in his second season with the club. He started the opening two matches of the season then saw spot appearances throughout the season. In his six matches, Salt Lake went 4-1-1.
At left back, Wingert continued to be a mainstay in 2014, making 30 starts and logging 2,537 minutes. His three assists matched his career-best for a season, giving him 14 assists in eight seasons for Salt Lake. He joined Rimando, Beckerman and Borchers with over 200 games for RSL, totaling 204 matches with Salt Lake.
Beltran rounded out the Salt Lake defense with 29 appearances at right back. His 28 starts and 2,483 minutes were second only to his career-high totals in 2012 as Beltran made his 150th career start for RSL. He now has 164 career appearances and 151 starts in seven seasons with the Claret-and-Cobalt. Over the final three matches of the season, Beltran came back from a herniated disc in his spine to help RSL to three straight shutouts to close out the season.
Abdoulie Mansally provided depth for Salt Lake’s defense, playing 655 minutes while making six starts in 11 appearances in 2014. In his third season with Real Salt Lake, Mansally assisted on a late goal in a 3-2 road win over the Chicago Fire. He played five straight matches from May 31-July 4, finishing with a substitute appearance against his former club, the New England Revolution.
