SANDY, Utah - Real Salt Lake GK Nick Rimando ran away with the first 2014 Save of the Week award for his penalty kick save in the Claret-and-Cobalt's 1-0 win over La Galaxy at StubHub Center on March 8.
Rimando won Save of the Week for his miraculous penalty kick save in second half stoppage time that preserved RSL's season opening win. After putting in an outstanding performance throughout regulation, Rimando was put to the test again in the 93rd minute, when RSL DF Tony Beltran was controversially whistled for a foul in the box on LA Galaxy’s Rob Friend. LA Designated Player Robbie Keane stepped to the spot and took the kick, but he was no match for Rimando, who dove to his right to make the incredible stop.
The penalty kick save gave Rimando an all-time 32.8 percent (20-for-61) success rate on PK’s, the best such rate in league history. The shutout was Rimando's 109th regular season clean sheet of his career, putting him just three shutouts away from tying retired GK Kevin Hartman for the all-time MLS record with 112 shutouts.
Rimando took just over 40 percent of the vote to win the award, beating out Portland's Donovan Ricketts, LA's Jaime Penedo, Chicago's Sean Johnson and New England's Bobby Shuttlesworth. The win is Rimando's first Save of the Week win of the 2014 season.
