Starting XI RSL v Vancouver Whitecaps 4/21/18

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MATCH 8: REAL SALT LAKE at VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC (APRIL 27, 2018)

Starting XI: Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon, Justen Glad, Nick Besler, Pablo Ruiz; Kyle Beckerman ©, Damir Kreilach; Jefferson Savarino, Albert Rusnák, Joao Plata; Corey Baird.

Bench: Connor Sparrow, Adam Henley, Danilo Acosta, Sunny, Luke Mulholland, Sebastian Saucedo, Ricky Lopez-Espin.

Lineup notes:

• Two changes to the starting lineup after a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rapids last week.  Pablo Ruiz, who finished the match at left back, is in for that match’s starter, Danilo Acosta.  And Corey Baird returns to the starting lineup in place of Luis Silva, who suffered an ankle injury against Colorado.
• This will be the first MLS start for Pablo Ruiz.  He has appeared off the bench in each of the last two matches.
• Injury list: Jordan Allen (knee), Shawn Barry (knee), Tony Beltran (knee), David Horst (knee), Alex Horwath (Achilles), Alfredo Ortuno (groin), Taylor Peay (knee), Demar Phillips (ankle), Luis Silva (ankle), Marcelo Silva (groin).

• GK Nick Rimando (USA/22 caps/38 years old/7 games, 7 starts (459, 459)/3-3-1 (199-153-107), 2.00 GAA/D.C. United) – After his shutout win over the Colorado Rapids, Rimando is now one win away from becoming the first goalkeeper in MLS history to reach 200 career regular season wins.
• RB Brooks Lennon (USA/0 caps/20 years old/6 games, 5 starts (31, 20)/0 goals, 1 assists (3, 5)/Liverpool (England)/HGP) – Has one assist in three appearances against Vancouver.
• RCB Justen Glad (USA/0 caps/21 years old/7 games, 7 starts (60, 58)/0 goals, 0 assists (2, 1)/RSL Academy/HGP) – Making his 26^thconsecutive start since returning from injury and international duty last June.  RSL is 12-8-5 in the 25 previous starts.
• LCB Nick Besler (24 years old/1 game, 1 start (1, 1)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Real Monarchs) – Made his MLS debut last week in a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rapids.  He has 25 regular season appearances for the Monarchs over the last two seasons after serving as captain for the USL regular season champions in 2017.
• LB Pablo Ruiz (Argentina/Chile/0 caps/19 years old/2 games, 0 starts (2, 0)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/San Luis (Chile)) – Making his first MLS start after playing 45 minutes at left back off the bench last week in a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rapids.  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.
• DM Kyle Beckerman (USA/58 caps/35 years old/7 games, 7 starts (439, 410)/0 goals, 0 assists (40, 49)/Colorado Rapids) – Has played in 15 of the 19 all-time meetings between the two clubs, registering two assists.
• CM Damir Kreilach (28 years old/7 games, 7 starts (7, 7)/1 goal, 1 assist (1, 1)/Union Berlin (Germany)/TAM) – Scored his first MLS goal last week against Colorado after picking up his first MLS assist on RSL’s game-winning goal against Vancouver on April 7.
• RW Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela/1 cap/21 years old/7 games, 7 starts (29, 26)/1 goals, 1 assist (7, 6)/Zulia (Venezuela)/DP) – Scored his first goal of the season on the game-winner against Vancouver on April 7.  Now has one goal and one assist in two career matches against Vancouver.
• CAM Albert Rusnák (Slovakia/10 caps, 1 goal/23 years old/7 games, 7 starts (37, 36)/2 goals, 2 assists (9, 16)/FC Groningen (Holland)/DP) – Tallied one goal and one assist in a 3-0 win over Colorado last week.
• LW Joao Plata (Ecuador/4 caps, 2 goals/26 years old/4 games, 4 starts (173, 147)/3 goals, 0 assists (43, 40)/Toronto FC/TAM) – Has three goals in four starts this season, including two from the penalty spot.
• FW Corey Baird (22 years old/5 games, 2 starts (5, 2)/1 goal, 1 assist (1, 1)/Stanford/HGP) – Earned an assist in his first MLS start on April 7 against Vancouver, giving him 2 goals and 1 assist in six professional matches, including a goal in his lone start with Real Monarchs in the USL.

Bench:

• GK Connor Sparrow (23 years old/0 games, 0 starts (0, 0)/0-0-0 (0-0-0)/Real Monarchs) – Had seven shutouts in 18 appearances last year for Real Monarchs in the USL, leading the Monarchs to the USL regular season title.  Earned a shutout in his only appearance for Real Monarchs thus far in 2018 in a 1-0 win over Phoenix Rising.
• DF Adam Henley (Wales/2 caps/23 years old/3 games, 1 start (3, 1)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Blackburn Rovers (England)) – Made his first MLS start at left back against New York City FC on April 11.  Appeared off the bench to help close out a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rapids last week.  Came to RSL after seven seasons with Blackburn Rovers in England.
• DF Danny Acosta (USA/0 caps/20 years old/2 games, 1 start (19, 17)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 2)/Real Salt Lake Academy/HGP) – Made his first start of the season last week in a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rapids.
• 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.
• MF Luke Mulholland (29 years old/1 game, 0 starts (121, 96)/0 goals, 0 assists (16, 15)/Wilmington Hammerheads) – Returning to the 18 after missing the last four matches recovering from a hamstring injury.
• MF Sebastian Saucedo (21 years old/4 games, 1 start (33, 7)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 2)/Real Salt Lake Academy) – Three of his 33 all-time MLS regular season appearances have come against Vancouver.
• FW Ricky Lopez-Espin (22 years old/0 games, 0 starts (0, 0)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Creighton University) – Making his first appearance on the bench after making two substitute appearances while on loan with Real Monarchs in the USL.  Real Salt Lake’s second round pick (33^rd overall) in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft after scoring 30 goals in 74 matches at Creighton University.