SANDY/HERRIMAN, Utah (Monday, May 14, 2018) – Real Salt Lake claimed victory over D.C. United while Real Monarchs SLC remained at the top of the United Soccer League table. Utah Royals FC drew with Orlando Pride as the RSL Academy claimed a draw and a victory in Herriman. Here is what you need to know at the club this week:
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake (4-5-1, 13 points) ground out a 3-2 victory over Eastern Conference foe D.C. United Saturday night at Rio Tinto Stadium as fans witnessed history with GK Nick Rimando earning his 200th career MLS regular season win. The win further solidified Rimando’s status as the greatest goalkeeper in Major League Soccer history, extending his records for wins, starts and minutes, in addition to his existing record for shutouts.
The visitors form the Nation’s Capital struck first after just nine minutes when Paul Arriola volleyed home the game’s opening goal. In the 21st minute, FW Corey Baird equalized with a diving header to score his second goal in as many games and third on the season. RSL would then go up a man just one minute later when D.C. was shown a red card after video review for a hard tackle on MF Jefferson Savarino. MF Albert Rusnak took full advantage of the red card and in the 26th minute put the Claret-and-Cobalt ahead with his third goal of 2018, sending RSL into halftime with a 2-1 lead.
In the early stages of the second half, Rusnak would play provider with an assist to Savarino who clipped home his second goal of the season to generate some breathing room for RSL as the second half wore on. D.C. found its second of the match in the 83rd minute when Steve Birnbaum headed home to cause nervous minutes for RSL down the stretch.
Rimando was the man of the night as he earned his 200th Major League Soccer victory in front of 16,961 fans at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Up next for RSL is the first of two straight road matches with the Philadelphia Union first on May 19 at Talen Energy Stadium.
Real Salt Lake’s training schedule for the week is as follows:
Tues., May 15 – TBD
Wed., May 16 – TBD
Thurs., May 17 – TBD
Fri., May 18 – TBD
Sat., May 19 – 5:30 p.m. MT – Kickoff @ Philadelphia Union at Talen Energy Stadium
If you plan on attending a training session / game and are requesting access, please contact RSL Director of PR Matt Gaschk at (253) 250-3239 / mgaschk@rsl.com a day in advance for arrangements.
Real Monarchs SLC
Real Monarchs SLC (7-1-1, 22 points 1 West) enjoyed a double game week where it toppled Swope Park Rangers 4-1 on Wednesday before stretching its unbeaten run to four matches and remained atop the league table with 1-0 victory over Fresno FC on Saturday. MF Maikel Chang scored the game’s lone goal in the 8th minute to usher the Monarchs to its seventh win of 2018 on Saturday.
The match opened quickly in favor of the Monarchs as the hosts found the back of the net through Chang in just the eighth minute when his rifled shot proved to be the winner in the early stages. The Monarchs nearly found a second goal near the stroke of halftime when MF Sebastian Velasquez’s chipped effort inside the penalty area just trickled wide of the Fresno net.
In the second half the Monarchs again played the aggressor in search of its second goal and nearly found it in the 60th minute when Velasquez again played provider, this time to MF Josh Heard who’s touch glanced off the far post and away from danger. Claiming 67% of the possession in the match, the Monarchs would see out the match for its third consecutive victory inside its new home at Zions Bank Stadium with the help of GK Jake Leeker, who was made his professional debut in the victory.
The Monarchs training schedule for the week is as follows:
Tues., May 15 – 10:00 a.m. MT – Training at ZBTC (Herriman, UT)
Wed., May 16 – 10:00 a.m. MT – Training at ZBTC (Herriman, UT)
Thurs., May 10 – 10:00 a.m. MT – Training at ZBTC (Herriman, UT)
Fri., May 11 – 10:00 a.m. MT – Training at ZBTC (Herriman, UT)
Sat., May 12 – 9:00 p.m. MT – Kickoff @ Las Vegas Lights FC – Cashman Field
Information regarding Real Monarchs SLC or the Zions Bank Real Academy in Herriman can be found at //RSL.com/Monarchs or //RSL.com/Academy. If you plan on attending a training session / game and requesting access, please contact RSL Media Services personnel Taran Meyer at (801) 657-2161 / tmeyer@rsl.com a day in advance for arrangements.
Utah Royals FC
Utah Royals FC (1-1-5, 8 points) controlled the match against the Orlando Pride last Wednesday at Rio Tinto Stadium and despite a late surge, neither team could find the net and Utah settled for a scoreless draw. GK Abby Smith made two saves to earn her third shutout of the season as Royals FC ran its unbeaten streak to four straight matches.
In a first half played mostly in the midfield, Utah outshot Orlando 5-1, but neither team was able to threaten the goalkeeper much. Royals FC also held a possession advantage at nearly 55%, carrying some momentum into the second half.
Like the first half, the second saw URFC control possession and convert it into scoring opportunities. However, only one of the eight second-half shots went on frame and Orlando goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris earned the clean sheet as well.
With the draw, Utah is now in sixth in the NWSL standings, trailing second-place Seattle Reign by just two points.
After an off weekend, Royals FC returns to Rio Tinto Stadium for the final match in a stretch of four consecutive home games. On May 19, Royals FC will host the Houston Dash in a nationally-televised match on the NWSL Lifetime Game of the Week.
Utah Royals FC training schedule for the week is as follows:
Tues., May 15 – 9:15 a.m. MT – Training at America First Field
Wed., May 16 – OFF
Thurs., May 17 – 11:00 a.m. MT – Training at America First Field
Fri., May 18 – TBD
Sat., May 19 – 1:30 p.m. MT – Kickoff vs. Houston Dash – Rio Tinto Stadium
If you plan on attending a training session / game and are requesting access, please contact Utah Royals FC Director of PR Carla Haslam at (801) 435-6646 / chaslam@rsl.com a day in advance for arrangements.
Real Salt Lake Academy
Last Wednesday, U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team Coach Tab Ramos called in three players from the Real Salt Lake Academy in Herriman, Utah, as part of his 20-man roster for a 12-day training camp that will start in Florida and end with two matches against Honduras in San Pedro Sula. After six days of training in the Sunshine State, the U-20 MNT will travel south for two matches against Los Catrachos on May 17 and 19.
GK David Ochoa, DF Glademir Mendoza and MF Richie Ledezma will represent the RSL Academy in the camp as the U.S. begins preparations for the 2019 CONCACAF U-20 Championship and FIFA U-20 World Cup.
The matchups mark the first time the USA has faced Honduras since the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship final, in which the previous U-20 MNT cycle defeated Honduras in penalty kicks to claim the first regional title for the U.S. U-20 program.
The RSL Academy spent the weekend in Herriman hosting Real So. Cal., where the U-17s drew 4-4 with the visitors while the U-19s topped So. Cal, 3-0.
The U-17s stormed back from a 4-0 deficit to draw 4-4 with Real So. Cal. as DF Zackery Farnsworth, MFs Noah Beck, Athis Mezine and Gabriel Sanchez all notching goals in the draw.
In the afternoon’s second match, RSL handily topped the visitors as a brace from MF Luis Arriaga and DF Delentz Pierre goal solidified the score line. GKTyler Kirberg started and played the full 90 minutes in goal for RSL in the victory.
On Saturday May 19, the RSL Academy will host Pateadores at the Zions Bank Training Center with the U-17s kicking off the day at 11:00 a.m. followed by the U-19s at 1:30 p.m. MT.
The Zions Bank Real Academy Campus in Herriman - located at 14788 South Academy Parkway (3718 West) - MUST be entered off of Mountain View Corridor, just West of the Facility
