Sandy, Utah (Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017) – Real Salt Lake (10-13-5, 35 pts) used three second-half goals to down the Colorado Rapids 4-1 and win its ninth Rocky Mountain Cup in the last 11 seasons.
FW Luis Silva scored twice and RSL also got goals from FW Joao Plata and FW Brooks Lennon to score four goals in the second straight match after a 4-0 win against the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday. Silva became just the fifth player in club history to score in four consecutive matches.
The first half of action gave way to chances for both sides until Plata fired home the game’s first goal four minutes from the halftime break. RSL nearly added another in first half stoppage time when DF Justen Glad’s header nearly found the back of the net if it weren’t for Rapid’s goalkeeper Tim Howard’s reaction save.
The second half began furiously for the Claret-and-Cobalt when it took all of five minutes to double the lead. FW Jefferson Savarino’s run into the box was cut short when he was brought down just inside the area. Looking for his fourth goal in as many games, Silva was tasked with dispatching the spot kick and did so with ease as he sent Howard the wrong way.
Two red cards for either side brought the match to ten men in the second half with DF Danilo Acosta and Colorado forward Alan Gordon both being sent off.
In the 85th minute, the Colorado Rapids stole a goal back through Joshua Gatt when his header beat GK Nick Rimando. The goal was originally ruled offside but after Video Review the call was overturned and the goal was awarded after three minutes and 19 seconds were spent reviewing the play.
A flurry pf goals came in stoppage time for RSL as Silva notched his second of the match before Lennon tapped home the fourth and final goal of the match before the final whistle blew giving RSL the 4-1 win.
UP NEXT: Real Salt Lake will not return to action until September 9 (8:00 pm MT kickoff), heading on the road to face Vancouver Whitecaps FC for the second time in 2017. In the first meeting between the two sides this season, RSL topped the Whitecaps 3-0 in a snowy contest at Rio Tinto Stadium for its first win of the year on April 8.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
RSL – Joao Plata (Albert Rusnák), 41st minute: A quick counter attack from RSL saw Rusnák play Plata into the penalty area 1v1 with a defender. Plata created space for a shot a fired a low left-footed shot past Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard for his seventh goal of the season.
RSL – Luis Silva (PK), 50th minute: RSL forward Jefferson Savarino darted into the box attempting to dribble his defender but was brought down inside the area. Silva stepped up and laced a driven shot to Howard’s left side as the goalkeeper went right.
COL – Joshua Gatt ( Micheal Azira) 82nd minute: Swinging in a driven cross Azira found the head of Gatt who headed home from close range at the far post to cut RSL’s lead in half. The goal was originally signaled offside but after review was ruled a goal.
RSL – Luis Silva (Brooks Lennon) 90’+2nd minute: Defending deep in his own half RSL forward Brooks Lennon won the ball and played a long ball to Silva who broke free against Howard and calmly slotted home his second of the night, sixth of the season and fifth in the last four matches.
RSL – Brooks Lennon (Sebastian Saucedo, Luke Mulholland) 90’+6th minute: Another long ball from the defensive half put midfielder Sebastian Saucedo on a breakaway down the right side. Saucedo elected to square the ball to Lennon in the box and he tapped home for his second of the year.
KEY SAVES AND DEFENSIVE STOPS:
RSL – Nick Rimando, 14th minute: After quick 1-2 play from the Rapids near the sideline, defender Marlon Hairston attempted a low cross towards the back-post of Rimando’s net but the RSL goalkeeper batted the pass away before Colorado could capitalize.
COL – Axel Sjoberg, 45th minute: A furious run from RSL midfielder Albert Rusnák first forced Rapids net-minder Tim Howard into a save but a second attempt at an open net Rusnák’s fired shot deflected off Sjoberg and out for a corner.
NOTES:
- RSL is 5-1-3 in the last nine home matches after going just 1-3-1 in the first five at Rio Tinto Stadium this season.
- RSL’s U-16 and U-18 Academy sides were honored at halftime of the match as part of their introduction to the new $72-million academy facility in Herriman, where they began classes on Thursday.
- With his goal on Saturday, FW Luis Silva became the fifth player to score goals in four consecutive matches across all competitions and just the second to do it in four consecutive MLS matches. He joins Jeff Cunningham (2006) on the list of players to score in four straight MLS matches and Alvaro Sabrio (2013, 3 MLS and 1 USOC), Sebastian Jaime (2015, 3 MLS and 1 USOC) and Joao Plata (2015, 3 MLS and 1 CCL) in all competitions.
- Colorado’s only goal of the match came after video review, which took three minutes and 19 seconds.
- Brooks Lennon now has two goals in his first MLS season, both coming against the Rapids.
Match: Real Salt Lake vs Colorado Rapids
Date: August 26, 2017
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
Attendance: 18,855
Weather: Clear and 90 degrees
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 1 3 4
Colorado Rapids 0 1 1
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake: (4-2-3-1): Nick Rimando; Tony Beltran, David Horst, Justen Glad, Danilo Acosta; Sunny, Luke Mulholland; Jefferson Savarino (Chris Wingert, 63’), Albert Rusnák, Joao Plata (Brooks Lennon, 73’); Luis Silva
Subs not used: Lalo Fernandez, Justin Schmidt, Nick Besler, Sebastian Saucedo, Yura Movsisyan
Colorado Rapids: (4-3-3): Tim Howard; Marlon Hairston, Eric Miller, Axel Sjoberg, Mekeil Williams; Bismark Boateng (Micheal Azira, 46’), Luis Gil (Alan Gordon 68’), Mohammed Saeid (Joshua Gatt, 62’); Shkelzen Gashi, Kevin Doyle, Dominic Badji
Subs not used: John Berner, Jared Watts, Mike da Fonte, Dillon Serna
Stats Summary: RSL/COL
Shots: 22 / 10
Shots on Goal: 9 / 4
Saves: 3 / 4
Corner Kicks: 5 / 3
Fouls: 9 / 12
Offside: 1 / 4
SCORING SUMMARY
RSL – Joao Plata (Albert Rusnák) 41’
RSL – Luis Silva (PK) 50’
COL – Joshua Gatt (Micheal Azira) 82’
RSL – Luis Silva (Brooks Lennon) 90’+2
RSL – Brooks Lennon (Sebastian Saucedo, Luke Mulholland) 90’+5
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
RSL – Justen Glad (caution) 32’
RSL –Luis Silva (caution) 50’
RSL – Danilo Acosta (ejection) 57’
COL – Alan Gordon (caution) 73’
COL – Alan Gordon (second caution/ejection) 77’
COL – Kevin Doyle (caution) 90’+4
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Armando Villareal
Assistant Referees: Jose Da Silva, Nick Uranga
4th Official: Younes Marrakchi
VAR: Victor Rivas
