Real Salt Lake 1 vs Seongnam FC 0
February 11, 2016; Kino Sports Complex
2016 Preseason
Man of the Match: Yura Movsisyan got onto the scoresheet in his 45 minutes of action, taking a ball from Juan Manuel Martinez that was dummied through by Joao Plata and pouncing for the goal. The buildup to the goal saw RSL win possession in the midfield and string together some dangerous passes before Martinez set up the score, showing how lethal RSL’s strike force can be and it starts from a strong defensive effort.
Telling Stat: Throughout preseason Real Salt Lake has been able to limit the danger of the opposing attack and that was the case again against the South Korean club on Sunday. Jeff Attinella kept the clean sheet through a great defensive effort that thwarted Seongnam FC in what was often a five-man wave of attack. In the end, Attinella didn’t face any shots on goal to keep RSL’s second shutout of the preseason.
What You Missed: A pair of players that joined the team in Arizona – new midfielder Sunny and on-trial defender Jerry Akaminko – both asserted themselves well in the match. Sunny continued his aggressive play in the midfield as a holding midfielder alongside Kyle Beckerman, showing that he can cover a lot of ground and win the ball with his tackling in his 60 minutes on the field. Meanwhile, Akaminko worked well with the defensive unit and was strong on the ball in 45 minutes of action.
So What: RSL is now 2-2-0 in four preseason matches. With just two left to play, Head Coach Jeff Cassar will continue to build the fitness and sharpness of the team. A 1-0 victory with two different groups on the field allowed Cassar to evaluate some players on the team while also progressing in those two integral categories. Real Salt Lake faces the New England Revolution next on Wednesday.
