Real Salt Lake 1 vs. New York Red Bulls 0
March 17, 2018; Sandy, Utah; Rio Tinto Stadium
Real Salt Lake (1-1-1, 4 points); New York Red Bulls (1-1-0, 3 points)
Man of the Match: Nick Rimando made four saves to keep his first clean sheet of the season. He now leads the league with 14 saves through three matches and earned his 138th career shutout to extend his all-time MLS record total. Although his stellar performances have come to be expected over his 19 seasons in MLS, it’s hard not to stand in awe of his shot-stopping at times and this was one of those instances.
Telling Stat: Although the Red Bulls held 60% of the possession, it only resulted in nine shots. RSL was able to keep the visitors in possession either in their own half or in non-threatening positions. Going up 1-0 early was a big boon for RSL and seeing out the victory, and while it might not have been pretty, the three points at the end of the day was all that mattered to Mike Petke and his squad.
What You Missed: Before the match and at halftime, Real Salt Lake honored longtime cornerstone Chris Wingert. The 14-year MLS veteran and 10-year RSL stalwart was recognized, along with his family for his commitment to the club on the field and in the community, receiving a great ovation from the crowd and several gifts from the club.
So What: It was a much-needed bounce-back game for RSL and showed that resilience that was so prevalent in 2017 under Petke. While it is still just one game and overreactions to the positive or negative can be dangerous, grinding out a win at home under difficult circumstances was just what the team needed heading into a brief break before RSL’s next match against defending MLS Cup champion Toronto FC on Friday, March 30.
