The biggest win of the season, at least if we're talking in pure numbers, came on Saturday when RSL hit Chivas USA for a dominant 4-0 victory. It was the first sight of the RSL we know and love in weeks — months, maybe. The killer instinct, the eye for a pass: It was all there on display.
Fabian Espindola and the Assist Hat Trick
If you'd told me we'd see a player grab the first "assist hat trick" in RSL history, I'd have nodded knowingly. "Yes, yes. Javier Morales is quite amazing, isn't he?" And while my specific statement wouldn't be untrue — he is quite amazing — I wouldn't be quite right. So I do a double take: Fabian Espindola. The long-haired, mercurial striker sometimes accused of being too "selfish" with three assists? Say it ain't so.
It was perhaps one of Espindola's brightest games in an RSL kit. He was darting to and fro, popping up on the left and on the right, serving as the immaculate second striker. Of course, he was helped along by a poacher's performance from Alvaro Saborio, who made the perfect runs, and Javier Morales, who pulled defenders to and fro as he is known to do.
Was it something tactical that enabled this? It's hard to say — but with Luis Gil pushing forward, Javier Morales was given a bit more room to create, Chivas USA defenders were forced to scramble and defend — and most importantly, Espindola constantly drew two or three defenders. As such, his ability to get good passes off meant Chivas was short defenders, as they were drawn wide. It's what I call the Fabi Effect.
One for the record books
Two big records were set on Saturday. The first: Fabian Espindola's three assists are the most assists recorded for an RSL player in a single match. The second: Alvaro Saborio became the first RSL player to score multiple hat tricks. It was the club's fourth overall, and if you are to look at the players who helped transform the club, he's one of them.
Even cooler: With his 17th goal of the season, Alvaro Saborio has now scored more goals in a single season than any other Real Salt Lake player, beating out Jeff Cunningham's 2006 record of 16. He's unlikely to win the Golden Boot (very unlikely, even) with San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski a remarkable five goals ahead at 22.
Absentees and Replacements
Ned out, Gil in: With Ned Grabavoy out through injury, Jason Kreis handed Luis Gil an opportunity to impress. Impress he did, although in the miserable 25 minutes — from 20 to 45, by my count — he wasn't tracking back properly. It wasn't what caused problems for the side, but it didn't help. We saw a hugely improved performance on that side in the second half, and if he can continue to make performances like those final 45 minutes, he has a bright future yet.
Olave out, Schuler in: With Jamison Olave out with yellow card suspension, Chris Schuler stepped in and ably handled what came his way. Still, what came his way — and Nat Borchers' way, for that matter — wasn't much, and there was nothing entirely too dangerous about the Chivas attack on Saturday.
Along with contributing to RealSaltLake.com, Matt Montgomery runs RSL blogs RSL Soapbox and Under the Crossbar. Follow Matt on Twitter @TheCrossbarRSL.
