RSL falls in Toronto, 3-1.

TORONTO (Friday, March 30, 2018) – Real Salt Lake (1-2-1, 4 points) fell into an early 2-0 hole and couldn't climb out, falling 3-1 to Toronto FC on Friday night at BMO Field. FW Corey Baird scored his first MLS goal, one week after scoring his first professional goal while on loan with Real Monarchs SLC in the USL, and GK Nick Rimando made an early penalty save, but Toronto FC's Jozy Altidore scored two first-half goals and the defending MLS Cup champions held court winning 3-1.

RSL was outshot 11-3 in the first half and conceded two penalties to Toronto. On the first in the 15th minute, Rimando saved Sebastian Giovinco's attempt, but Altidore converted the second in the 23rd minute to make it 1-0. Altidore would add a second goal in the 45th minute, taking a pass from Ashtone Morgan and whipping it past Rimando and inside the far post to make it 2-0 at halftime.

Real Salt Lake was energized in the second half in looking to battle back from the deficit and got a goal from Baird in the 82nd minute. The Homegrown forward from Stanford took a pass from FW Jefferson Savarino on the left side of the box, took a touch, then slotted it past his defender and it skipped inside the far post to make it 2-1. RSL couldn't find the equalizer, though, and in stoppage time, Tosaint Ricketts put the game out of reach with a putback effort after the initial shot hit the crossbar and spilled in front of the goal.

UP NEXT: RSL will return to Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday, April 7 to host Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MT.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:

TFC: Jozy Altidore, 23rd minute – Justen Glad was whistled for a foul in the box after a collision with Jozy Altidore on a break. Altidore hammered his penalty inside the left post for his first goal of the season.

TFC: Jozy Altidore (Ashtone Morgan, Sebastian Giovinco), 45th minute – Ashtone Morgan played Jozy Altidore to the edge of the 18 on the left side, leaving him to whip a shot past Nick Rimando and inside the far post for his second goal of the night and a 2-0 lead.

RSL: Corey Baird (Jefferson Savarino), 82nd minute – After Damir Kreilach had his ball into the box deflected, Jefferson Savarino turned back and played the ball wide to Corey Baird. He took a touch, then put his shot past his defender and skipped it inside the far post for his first goal in MLS to make it 2-1.

TFC: Tosaint Ricketts, 92nd + minute – Ager Aketxe hit the crossbar with a blast from the edge of the box and the rebound fell right to Tosaint Ricketts, who hammered in the putback attempt to make it 3-1.

KEY SAVES AND DEFENSIVE STOPS:

RSL: Nick Rimando, 14th minute – Sebastian Giovinco led Jozy Altidore into the box up the left side, but Nick Rimando smothered the shot off of Altidore's boot to keep the match scoreless.

RSL: Nick Rimando, 16th minute – After Damir Kreilach was whistled for a handball in the box, Sebastian Giovinco stood over the penalty kick. With a hitch in his step, he fired his shot low and to the left, but Rimando was up to the task, getting a hand to the PK for the save.

TFC: Clint Irwin, 51st minute – Joao Plata fought through the defense to get into the box, but his shot got only as far as Clint Irwin, who came off his line to challenge Plata just inside the box to make the save.

NOTES:

• Friday saw the return to the starting lineup of DF Marcelo Silva, FW Joao Plataand FW Luis Silva after the trio was out of action in the previous match against the New York Red Bulls on March 17. 
• FW Corey Baird scored his first MLS goal in the 82nd minute. The rookie Homegrown forward from Stanford scored his first professional goal last week in a 3-2 win for the USL's Real Monarchs SLC.

Match: Real Salt Lake vs Toronto FC
Date: March 30, 2018
Venue: BMO Field; Toronto, Canada
Attendance: 28,006
Weather: Clear and 35

TFC – Jozy Altidore (PK) 23'
TFC – Jozy Altidore (Ashtone Morgan, Sebastian Giovinco) 45'
RSL – Corey Baird (Jefferson Savarino) 82'
TFC – Tosaint Ricketts 92+'

Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon, Marcelo Silva, Justen Glad, Demar Phillips; Damir Kreilach, Kyle Beckerman; Jefferson Savarino, Albert Rusnák, Joao Plata (Corey Baird 70'); Luis Silva (Sebastian Saucedo 83')
Subs not used: Connor Sparrow, Adam Henley, David Horst, Sunny, Alfredo Ortuno.

Toronto FC: (4-4-2): Clint Irwin; Auro, Gregory Van der Wiel, Drew Moor, Ashtone Morgan; Michael Bradley, Jonathan Osorio, Nicolas Hasler (Ager Aketxe 70'), Marco Delgado (Jay Chapman 59'); Sebastian Giovinco, Jozy Altidore (Tosaint Ricketts 78')
Subs not used: Alex Bono, Eriq Zavaleta, Liam Fraser, Jordan Hamilton.

Stats Summary: RSL / TFC
Shots: 8 / 19
Shots on Goal: 4 / 8
Saves: 5 / 3
Corner Kicks: 2 / 5
Fouls: 8 / 11
Offside: 2 / 3

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:

TFC – Jozy Altidore (caution) 35'
TFC – Sebastian Giovinco (caution) 35'
RSL – Kyle Beckerman (caution) 40'
TFC – Jonathan Osorio (caution) 62'
RSL – Demar Phillips (caution) 77'
TFC – Ashtone Morgan (caution) 86'

OFFICIALS:
Referee: Allen Chapman
Assistant Referees: Matthew Nelson, Joe Fletcher
4th Official: Nima Saghafi
Video Assistant Referee: Geoff Gamble