MATCH 6: REAL SALT LAKE at NEW YORK CITY FC (APRIL 11, 2018)
Starting XI:Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon, David Horst, Justen Glad, Adam Henley; Kyle Beckerman ©, Damir Kreilach; Jefferson Savarino, Albert Rusnák, Corey Baird; Luis Silva.
Bench:Alex Horwath, Nick Besler, Danny Acosta, Sunny, Pablo Ruiz, Sebastian Saucedo, Alfredo Ortuno.
Lineup notes:
·Two changes to the starting lineup after a 2-1 win over Vancouver on Saturday, both of whom were on the field by halftime after first-half injuries. David Horst and Adam Henley replace Marcelo Silva (groin) and Demar Phillips (ankle), respectively.
·Joao Plata did not make the trip as a precaution due to hamstring tightness.
·Nick Besler and Danny Acosta move into the 18 after both started for Real Monarchs SLC in a 1-0 road win over Phoenix Rising on Saturday. Acosta played 11 minutes before being subbed out as a precaution because of the injury to Phillips in RSL’s match.
·Injury list: Jordan Allen (knee), Shawn Barry (knee), Tony Beltran (knee), Aaron Herrera (hamstring), Luke Mulholland (hamstring) and Taylor Peay (knee).
·Four players are playing on loan with Real Monarchs in their road match against Seattle Sounders FC 2 tonight in Tacoma, Washington. Jose Hernandez, Aaron Herrera, Ricky Lopez-Espin and Connor Sparrow are all slated to be in uniform for the 3-0-0 Monarchs.
·GK Nick Rimando (USA/22 caps/38 years old/5 games, 5 starts (457, 457)/2-2-1 (198-152-107), 2.00 GAA/D.C. United) – Now just two wins away from being the first player in MLS history to reach 200 career wins.
·RB Brooks Lennon (USA/0 caps/20 years old/4 games, 3 starts (29, 18)/0 goals, 1 assists (3, 5)/Liverpool (England)/HGP) – RSL is 2-1-0 in his three starts at right back. Picked up an assist over the weekend against Vancouver.
·RCB David Horst (32 years old/4 games, 2 starts (147, 128)/0 goals, 0 assists (5, 4)/Houston Dynamo) – Came off the bench just before halftime in a 2-1 win over Vancouver on Saturday.
·LCB Justen Glad (USA/0 caps/21 years old/5 games, 5 starts (58, 56)/0 goals, 0 assists (2, 1)/RSL Academy/HGP) – Making his 24th consecutive start since returning from injury and international duty last June. RSL is 11-7-5 in the 23 previous starts, outscoring the opposition 40-30 in that stretch.
·LB Adam Henley (Wales/2 caps/23 years old/1 game, 0 starts (1, 0)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Blackburn Rovers (England)) – Made his MLS debut in coming off the bench to replace Demar Phillips early in RSL’s 2-1 win on Saturday over Vancouver. Making his first MLS start tonight against New York.
·DM Kyle Beckerman (USA/58 caps/35 years old/5 games, 5 starts (437, 408)/0 goals, 0 assists (40, 49)/Colorado Rapids) –
·CM Damir Krielach (28 years old/5 games, 5 starts (5, 5)/0 goals, 1 assist (0, 1)/Union Berlin (Germany)/TAM) – Picked up his first MLS assist on RSL’s game-winning goal against Vancouver over the weekend.
·RW Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela/1 cap/21 years old/5 games, 5 starts (27, 24)/1 goals, 1 assist (7, 6)/Zulia (Venezuela)/DP) – Scored his first goal of the season on Saturday, netting the game-winner against Vancouver.
·CAM Albert Rusnák (Slovakia/10 caps, 1 goal/23 years old/5 games, 5 starts (35, 34)/1 goals, 1 assist (8, 15)/FC Groningen (Holland)/DP) –
·LW Corey Baird (22 years old/3 games, 1 start (3, 1)/1 goal, 1 assist (1, 1)/Stanford/HGP) – Earned an assist in his first MLS start on Saturday against Vancouver, giving him 2 goals and 1 assist in four professional matches, including a goal in his lone start with Real Monarchs in the USL.
·FW Luis Silva (29 years old/4 games, 4 starts (142, 103)/1 goal, 0 assists (28, 16)/Tigres (Mexico)) – Scored his first goal of the season on Saturday against Vancouver.
Bench:
·GK Alex Horwath (31 years old/0 games, 0 starts (1, 1)/0-0-0 (0-0-1), 0.00 GAA/Brann (Norway)) – In his lone MLS appearance, earned a shutout in a scoreless draw against the Columbus Crew while playing with the New York Red Bulls in 2011.
·DF Danny Acosta(USA/0 caps/20 years old/1 game, 0 starts (18, 16)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 2)/Real Salt Lake Academy/HGP) – Appeared in 17 matches last season for RSL and 21 in 2015-2016 for Real Monarchs in the USL.
·MF/DF Nick Besler (24 years old/0 games, 0 starts (0, 0)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Real Monarchs) – Captained Real Monarchs to the USL regular season championship in 2017.
·MF Sunny (Nigeria/1 cap/29 years old/3 games, 0 starts (39, 33)/0 goals, 0 assists (1, 2)/Alanyaspor (Turkey)) – Came off the bench to help seal the win over Vancouver on Saturday.
·MF Pablo Ruiz (Argentina/Chile/0 caps/19 years old/0 games, 0 starts (0, 0)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/San Luis (Chile)) – Has two starts on loan with Real Monarchs in the USL, earning one assist in 129 minutes to help the Monarchs to two wins to start the season.
·FW Sebastian Saucedo (21 years old/3 games, 1 start (32, 7)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 2)/Veracruz (Mexico)/HGP) – Made his first start of the season on the left wing in RSL’s 1-0 win over New York.
·FW Alfredo Ortuno (27 years old/2 games, 1 start (2, 1)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Cadiz (Spain)/TAM) – Made his first MLS start against the Red Bulls on March 17. Came to RSL after scoring 17 goals in 40 matches in the 2016-17 season for Cadiz in Spain.
Storylines:
·RSL is 3-0-0 all-time against NYCFC, including a 3-2 win in the club’s only visit to Yankee Stadium in 2016.
·NYCFC one of only two unbeaten teams remaining in MLS at 4-0-1. The other is FC Dallas (1-0-3).
