FRISCO, Texas (Saturday, June 25, 2016) – Real Salt Lake (8-5-3, 27 points, West #3) fell 0-2 on the road to FC Dallas Saturday night, conceding a goal in each half in the heat and humidity of Toyota Stadium in North Texas. Dallas (9-5-4, 31 points, West #2) rode goals from Kellyn Acosta and Fabian Castillo to bolster a shutout from former RSL GK Chris Seitz. The loss dropped RSL to an all-time 1-14-2 record across all competitions in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex in MLS, postseason and Open Cup action.
RSL boss Jeff Cassar made 10 changes to the lineup from Wednesday's 2-1 home win, with only MF Luke Mulholland repeating the selection as the Claret-and-Cobalt played its fourth of six games in an 18-day period from June 14 to July 1. Rookie MF Omar Holness - RSL's No. 5 overall pick in the most recent MLS SuperDraft - made his full debut with the club, while DF Boyd Okwuonu (Holness' former teammate at the Univ. of North Carolina and RSL's top pick in the 2015 draft) made just his second career league start. Salt Lake City's own product, DF Phanuel Kavita of Highland High School, made just his third career MLS start as nine RSL starters totaled fewer combined games started (193) entering tonight than each of veteran DF Chris Wingert (317) and DF Jamison Olave (202).
In the 18th minute, Dallas broke through the RSL defense for the first goal. A quick restart from playmaker Mauro Diaz sprung FW Michael Barrios into acres of space up the right side, creating a Dallas two-on-one with RSL GK Jeff Attinella. Barrios got the 'keeper to commit and played the ball across the box to MF Kellyn Acosta in front of the open net, Acosta hitting a first-time shot to put RSL down 0-1.
Diaz nearly doubled the lead in the 29th minute, ripping a shot from the top of the box only to have Kavita make the block with an outstretched trail leg, redirecting the ball over the top of the goal for the goal-saving clearance. Following the mandated "hydration break" in the 31st minute due to a "wet bulb" index that exceeded 82 degrees, RSL was able to hold Dallas scoreless the rest of the half, despite being outshot 2-6.
RSL looked refreshed in the early second half, as Okwuonu, Kavita and Olave each made decisive and dominant defensive plays, with Jordan Allen, Mulholland and Devon Sandoval creating dangerous chances as RSL sought the equalizer. However, in the 58th minute Dallas speedster Fabian Castillo pushed the lead to 2-0 off a tremendous assist from Diaz. The ball was played through the midfield and Diaz turned an overhead ball from the center circle to lead Castillo up the left side. The Colombian winger thumped a curling right-footed shot to beat Attinella inside the far post for his fourth goal of the year.
Attinella made several critical saves down the stretch to keep RSL's hopes alive and the scoreline remained unchanged.
Real Salt Lake returns home to face Seattle Sounders FC on Tuesday in the Fifth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup - kickoff at 8:30 p.m. MT - before finishing off a stretch of six games in 18 days on Friday, July 1, against D.C. United at Rio Tinto Stadium in the club's annual Independence Day Weekend Fireworks Spectacular.
GAME NOTES – FCDvRSL
- RSL MF Kyle Beckerman remained with the U.S. National Team for the third place match against Colombia in Copa America Centenary, but did not appear in the Red, White and Blue's 0-1 loss. The long-time RSL Captain is scheduled to rejoin the team on Sunday in Utah.
- RSL was also without MF Sunday Stephen, who was subbed out of Wednesday’s match against the New York Red Bulls after a collision with New York goalkeeper Luis Robles. He is being monitored for facial fractures and could undergo surgery next week.
- RSL's goal-scoring triumvirate of FW Yura Movsisyan (6 goals), FW Joao Plata (5 goals) and FW Juan Manuel Martinez (5 goals) - who make RSL the lone MLS side with a trio of scorers with five or more goals - did not appear tonight. Martinez and fellow Argentine Javier Morales did not travel, along with RSL DF Aaron Maund. Movsisyan and Plata did not appear as substitutes, nor did GK Nick Rimando, DF Tony Beltran, and DF Justen Glad.
- RSL suffered just its third shutout in 16 league matches this season, and the first since May 15 in an 0-1 loss at Houston. Tonight's zero snapped a run that had seen RSL score 15 goals in its last six contests across all competitions.
- RSL fell to 3-5-2 on the road this season, with only seven road games remaining in the final four months of the 2016 MLS campaign.
- RSL GK Nick Rimando remains just two wins away from sole possession of the all-time MLS wins record, as his current total of 179 sits one shy of fellow UCLA alum Kevin Hartman.
- MF Omar Holness made his MLS debut on Saturday, starting in the midfield. The fifth overall pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft, Holness had previously played for RSL in a substitute role in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and also logged 402 minutes in six appearances in the USL with Real Monarchs. It also marked the 2016 MLS debuts for DF Phanuel Kavita and DF Boyd Okwuonu.
- Eight of RSL's 11 starters tonight had seen minutes at some point with the USL Real Monarchs this season, as only GK Jeff Attinella, DF Jamison Olave and DF Chris Wingert have not utilized RSL's developmental club.
REAL SALT LAKE 0 : 2 at FC DALLAS
SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016
TOYOTA STADIUM
Goals by Period 1 2 F
FC Dallas 1 1 2
Real Salt Lake 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
FCD: Kelly Acosta (Michael Barrios, Mauro Diaz) 18’
FCD: Fabian Castillo (Mauro Diaz) 58’
Misconduct Summary:
FCD: Matt Hedges (Caution; Foul) 49’
FCD: Mauro Diaz (Caution; Dissent) 51’
RSL: Omar Holness (Caution; tactical foul) 82'
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Jeff Attinella; Boyd Okwuonu, Jamison Olave, Phanuel Kavita, Chris Wingert; Omar Holness, John Stertzer; Olmes Garcia, Luke Mulholland (Demar Phillips 67’), Jordan Allen; Devon Sandoval.
Substitutes not used: Nick Rimando, Tony Beltran, Justen Glad, Yura Movsisyan, Joao Plata.
FC Dallas (4-3-3): Chris Seitz; Atiba Harris, Matt Hedges, Walker Zimmerman, Maynor Figueroa; Carlos Gruezo (Victor Ulloa 86'), Mauro Diaz, Kellyn Acosta; Fabian Castillo, Maxi Urruti (Tesho Akindele 70’), Michael Barrios (Carlos Lizarazo 79').
Substitutes not used: Jesse Gonzalez, Colin Bonner, Agustin Jara, Juan Esteban Ortiz
Referee: Drew Fisher
Assistant Referees: Claudiu Badea, Adam Garner
Fourth Official: Sorin Stoica
Attendance: 13,128
Weather: Partly cloudy and 90
