Real Salt Lake 4 vs Sporting Kansas City 2
July 4, 2018; Sandy, Utah; Rio Tinto Stadium
Real Salt Lake (8-8-2, 26 points); Sporting Kansas City (9-4-5, 32 points)
Man of the Match: On a night when four different players scored in an explosive RSL attack, Sunny bossed the midfield, creating chance after chance for Salt Lake to spring into transition. He finished the match with five tackles, leading both teams in a tackle-heavy match. That not only kept Kansas City’s attack at bay, limiting one of the top offenses in MLS to just eight shots for the match.
Telling Stat: 17-4. Real Salt Lake was under pressure in the opening 27 minutes of the match and was outshot 4-1. However, three shots led to Jefferson Savarino’s third goal of the season to equalize in the 29th minute and RSL held a 17-4 shots advantage the rest of the way to storm to victory.
What You Missed: Prior to the match, Danilo Acosta and Sebastian Saucedo held up a t-shirt in the team photo with the phrase “RIP Victor” across the front. The shirt was to honor Park City native Victor Benitez, a 16-year-old player for Park City Soccer Club who tragically died last week in a car accident. According to the club website, Victor was on his way to work at the Adidas outlet when a car crossed the center line and hit him head on. Victor was a member of Cairel's 02 team last year. In addition, Victor and his father, Adan, had frequently been paired as referees on PCSC games the over last few years.” To help the family raise money for funeral and all other expenses, click here.
So What: The win improves RSL to 7-0-1 in the last eight home matches and with FC Dallas coming to town on Saturday, it’s another opportunity to test its mettle and gain some confidence heading into the final months of the season. It was a big Independence Day win last year that turned around RSL’s season and at that point the 2017 team was just 4-10-2. At 7-8-2 this season prior to the Fourth of July, the team was a full nine points ahead of last season heading into Wednesday’s match. Building on that momentum can go a long way to improve RSL’s playoff chances in 2018.
