MATCH 14: REAL SALT LAKE vs SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC (JUNE 2, 2018)
Starting XI: Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon, Marcelo Silva, Justen Glad, Danilo Acosta; Kyle Beckerman, Sunny; Jefferson Savarino, Damir Kreilach, Joao Plata; Corey Baird.
Bench: Connor Sparrow, Aaron Herrera, David Horst, Pablo Ruiz, Nick Besler, Sebastian Saucedo, Luis Silva.
Lineup notes:
- MF Albert Rusnák will miss one more league match and the club’s U.S. Open Cup match against Sporting Kansas City while away with the Slovakian National Team. He is scheduled to return in time to face the LA Galaxy on June 9. RSL is 2-2-1 in matches Rusnák has not played since he joined the club in 2017. He started and played nearly the full match in a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands on Thursday. Slovakia is set to face Morocco on Monday.
- The lineup includes three changes from Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Houston. Kyle Beckerman, Joao Plata and Corey Baird all move into the lineup in place of Nick Besler, Sebastian Saucedo and Luis Silva. With five matches in a 15-day stretch, Head Coach Mike Petke has used three different lineups in three matches thus far.
- 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/13 games, 13 starts (465, 465)/6-6-1 (202-156-107), 2.00 GAA/D.C. United) – Ten of Rimando’s 202 career wins have come against Seattle, including the 1-0 win last Saturday. Ranks second in MLS with 50 saves this season.
- RB Brooks Lennon (USA/0 caps/20 years old/12 games, 11 starts (35, 24)/0 goals, 2 assists (3, 6)/Liverpool (England)/HGP) – Making his 11th start at right back this season. RSL is 6-4-0 in his 10 previous starts at right back with three shutouts. Leads RSL with 25 tackles.
- RCB Marcelo Silva (Uruguay/0 caps/29 years old/6 games, 6 starts (15, 15)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Zaragoza (Spain)) – Making his fourth consecutive start after missing five straight matches to injury. RSL is 2-1-0 in the last three starts for Silva.
- LCB Justen Glad (USA/0 caps/21 years old/13 games, 13 starts (66, 64)/0 goals, 0 assists (2, 1)/RSL Academy/HGP) – Only player on the back line to start in all 14 matches this season. Leads MLS with 47 interceptions, three ahead of Minnesota’s Rasmus Schuller.
- LB Danilo Acosta (USA/0 caps/20 years old/4 games, 3 starts (21, 19)/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 last week in a 1-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC. Making his third straight start at left back.
- DM Kyle Beckerman (USA/58 caps/35 years old/13 games, 12 starts (445, 415)/1 goal, 0 assists (41, 49)/Colorado Rapids) – Back in the starting lineup after scoring the game-winning goal against Houston on Wednesday. It was his ninth game-winner in his MLS career.
- CM Sunny (Nigeria/1 cap/29 years old/5 games, 2 starts (41, 35)/0 goals, 0 assists (1, 2)/Alanyaspor (Turkey)) – Making his third consecutive start, with RSL winning both matches. Has completed 86% of his passes while making five tackles.
- RW Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela/1 cap/21 years old/13 games, 13 starts (35, 32)/2 goals, 2 assist (8, 7)/Zulia (Venezuela)/DP) – Ranks eighth in MLS and first on RSL with 34 dribbles completed. Also RSL’s most-fouled player, winning 25 fouls this season.
- CAM Damir Kreilach (28 years old/13 games, 12 starts (13, 12)/2 goals, 4 assists (2, 4)/Union Berlin (Germany)/TAM) – Making his second straight start as the attacking midfielder, a role he played regularly with Union Berlin.
- LW Joao Plata (Ecuador/4 caps, 2 goals/26 years old/8 games, 7 starts (177, 150)/3 goals, 1 assists (43, 41)/Toronto FC/TAM) – Returns to the starting lineup after appearing off the bench on Wednesday and missing the prior two matches with injuries. Has three goals and five assists in 12 career matches against Seattle.
- FW Corey Baird (22 years old/11 games, 7 starts (11, 7)/3 goals, 1 assist (3, 1)/Stanford/HGP) – Shares the team lead with three goals. Returns to the starting lineup for the eighth time in the last 10 matches.
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) – Has appeared off the bench twice for RSL this season – in a 1-1 road draw against FC Dallas and in a 2-1 home win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
- 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.
- DF/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 third straight match after starting four consecutive matches at left back.
- DF/MF Nick Besler (24 years old/7 games, 5 starts (7, 5)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Real Monarchs) – Returns to the bench after starting on Wednesday in the midfield during RSL’s 2-1 win over the Houston Dyanmo. RSL is 3-2-0 in his five starts.
- FW Sebastian Saucedo (21 years old/9 games, 3 starts (37, 9)/1 goal, 3 assists (1, 5)/Real Salt Lake Academy) – Moves back to the bench after starting the last two matches. Has one goal and three assists in the last three matches, including the game-winning goal last week against Seattle and assists on both goals against Houston on Wednesday.
- FW Luis Silva (29 years old/9 games, 7 starts (147, 106)/2 goals, 0 assists (29, 16)/Tigres (Mexico)) – Scored his second goal of the season on Wednesday against Houston.
