MATCH 13: REAL SALT LAKE vs HOUSTON DYNAMO (MAY 30, 2018)
Starting XI: Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon, Marcelo Silva, Justen Glad, Danilo Acosta; Nick Besler, Sunny; Jefferson Savarino, Damir Kreilach, Sebastian Saucedo; Luis Silva.
Bench: Connor Sparrow, Aaron Herrera, David Horst, Pablo Ruiz, Kyle Beckerman, Joao Plata, Corey Baird.
Lineup notes:
MF Albert Rusnák will miss the next two league matches and the club’s U.S. Open Cup match against Sporting Kansas City while away with the Slovakian National Team for friendlies against the Netherlands (Thursday) and Morocco (Monday). He is scheduled to return in time to face the LA Galaxy on June 9. RSL was 1-2-1 in matches Rusnák did not play in during the 2017 season.
The lineup includes three changes from Saturday’s 1-0 win over Seattle. In addition to Rusnák’s departure for international duty, Kyle Beckerman and Corey Baird moved to the bench. Nick Besler, Damir Kreilach and Luis Silva move into the XI in their places during this stretch of five matches in 15 days.
Injury list: Jordan Allen (knee), Shawn Barry (knee), Tony Beltran (knee), Alex Horwath (Achilles), Luke Mulholland (back), Demar Phillips (ankle).
GK Nick Rimando (USA/22 caps/38 years old/12 games, 12 starts (464, 464)/5-6-1 (201-156-107), 2.08 GAA/D.C. United) – Six of Rimando’s 201 career wins have come against the Houston Dynamo. Last week’s shutout against Seattle was his third of the season and 140th in his MLS career.
RB Brooks Lennon (USA/0 caps/20 years old/11 games, 10 starts (34, 23)/0 goals, 1 assists (3, 5)/Liverpool (England)/HGP) – Making his tenth start at right back this season. RSL is 5-4-0 in his nine previous starts at right back with three shutouts. Leads RSL with 24 tackles.
RCB Marcelo Silva (Uruguay/0 caps/29 years old/5 games, 5 starts (14, 14)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Zaragoza (Spain)) – Making his third consecutive start after missing five straight matches to injury.
LCB Justen Glad (USA/0 caps/21 years old/12 games, 12 starts (65, 63)/0 goals, 0 assists (2, 1)/RSL Academy/HGP) – Only player on the back line to start in all 13 matches this season. Leads MLS with 45 interceptions, one ahead of Minnesota’s Rasmus Schuller.
LB Danilo Acosta (USA/0 caps/20 years old/3 games, 2 starts (20, 18)/0 goals, 1 assist (0, 3)/Real Salt Lake Academy/HGP) – Earned MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week honors in his return to the starting lineup on Saturday in a 1-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC.
CM Nick Besler (24 years old/6 games, 4 starts (6, 4)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Real Monarchs) – Made four consecutive starts at center back with RSL going 2-2-0 in those matches. This is his first start in the midfield after playing that position throughout the 2017 season with Real Monarchs SLC, captaining the USL side to the regular season championship.
CM Sunny (Nigeria/1 cap/29 years old/4 games, 1 start (40, 34)/0 goals, 0 assists (1, 2)/Alanyaspor (Turkey)) – Made his first start of 2018 on Saturday, making one tackle while completing 86% of his passes.
RW Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela/1 cap/21 years old/12 games, 12 starts (34, 31)/2 goals, 2 assist (8, 7)/Zulia (Venezuela)/DP) – Ranks ninth in MLS and first on RSL with 31. Also RSL’s most-fouled player, winning 25 fouls this season.
CAM Damir Kreilach (28 years old/12 games, 11 starts (12, 11)/2 goals, 3 assists (2, 3)/Union Berlin (Germany)/TAM) – Moves back into the starting lineup after coming off the bench on Saturday against Seattle.
LW Sebastian Saucedo (21 years old/8 games, 2 starts (36, 8)/1 goal, 1 assist (1, 3)/Real Salt Lake Academy) – Starting for the second consecutive match after scoring his first MLS goal on Saturday against Seattle. Has one goal and one assist in the last two matches for RSL.
FW Luis Silva (29 years old/8 games, 6 starts (146, 105)/1 goal, 0 assists (28, 16)/Tigres (Mexico)) – Making his return to the starting lineup for the first time since a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rapids on April 21.
Bench:
GK Connor Sparrow (23 years old/0 games, 0 starts (0, 0)/0-0-0 (0-0-0)/Real Monarchs) – Has two shutouts in four matches with Real Monarchs in the USL after posting seven shutouts in 18 appearances last year to lead the Monarchs to the USL regular season title.
DF David Horst (32 years old/5 games, 3 starts (148, 129)/0 goals, 0 assists (5, 4)/Houston Dynamo) – Came off the bench just before halftime in a 2-1 win over Vancouver on Saturday.
DF Aaron Herrera (20 years old/1 game, 0 starts (1, 0)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/University of New Mexico) – Made his MLS debut on Saturday, coming off the bench during stoppage time to see out a 1-0 win over Seattle.
MF Pablo Ruiz (Argentina/Chile/0 caps/19 years old/6 games, 4 starts (6, 4)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/San Luis (Chile)) – On the bench for the second straight match after starting four consecutive matches at left back.
MF Kyle Beckerman (USA/58 caps/35 years old/12 games, 12 starts (444, 415)/0 goals, 0 assists (40, 49)/Colorado Rapids) – Moving to the bench after starting all 12 previous matches this season.
FW Corey Baird (22 years old/10 games, 7 starts (10, 7)/3 goals, 1 assist (3, 1)/Stanford/HGP) – Shares the team lead with three goals. Returns to the bench after starting seven of the last eight matches.
FW LW Joao Plata (Ecuador/4 caps, 2 goals/26 years old/7 games, 7 starts (176, 150)/3 goals, 1 assists (43, 41)/Toronto FC/TAM) – Returns to the bench after missing the last two matches with injuries.
Storylines:
Real Salt Lake is winless in the last five meetings with the Houston Dynamo.
RSL has four straight wins at Rio Tinto Stadium.
