MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (Saturday, July 14, 2018) – Real Salt Lake (9-9-2, 29 points) mounted a late comeback effort, but a 3-0 deficit accrued over 17 minutes in the second half proved too deep a hole as RSL fell 3-2 to Minnesota United FC on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.
FW Joao Plata came off the bench to score two goals, but they came after Minnesota had staked a 3-0 lead off a goal and two assists from Darwin Quintero and RSL Head Coach Mike Petke was ejected by referee Alan Kelly. It came after a lackluster first half that appeared to lean RSL’s way.
Real Salt Lake kept Minnesota from causing much danger in the opening half, limiting the home side to just two first-half shots while taking five. Late in the half, MF Damir Kreilach got on the end of a ball in the box and sent a shot on frame, but Minnesota goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth was there for the save and the match went into the break scoreless.
Then Minnesota opened the second half on the front foot when Ibson scored his third goal of the season in the 51st minute. On a ball from the back, Darwin Quintero outmaneuvered DF Justen Glad and turned into the box up the right side. He collected, then passed to Ibson coming down the weak side for a first-time shot that found the net to make it 1-0. In an ensuing argument with Kelly, Petke was ejected from the match, leaving the team in the hands of Assistant Coach Freddy Juarez for the remainder of the match.
Quintero would add one of his own in the 62nd minute when he lofted a ball from the wing past GK Nick Rimando for his seventh goal of the season and a 2-0 lead. Miguel Ibarra would make it 3-0 – on another assist from Quintero – in the 68th minute with his fifth goal of the season.
After subbing into the match late, Plata made an impact when he tallied his fourth goal of the year in the 77th minute. On a free kick just outside the box, Plata played a quick touch to MF Albert Rusnák, who touched it back to Plata for a bending shot through the Minnesota wall and past Shuttleworth to make it 3-1. He added another off a cross from DF Brooks Lennon in the 85th minute, but RSL couldn’t find the late equalizer and fell 3-2.
The loss drops RSL to 1-8-1 on the road this season.
UP NEXT: RSL returns home to host the Colorado Rapids in the second match in the Rocky Mountain Cup. Salt Lake won the first meeting 3-0 on April 21 at Rio Tinto Stadium. Saturday’s match will be followed by a fireworks show celebrating Pioneer Day.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
MIN: Ibson (Darwin Quintero, Francisco Calvo), 51st minute – Darwin Quintero won the ball from Justen Glad, then turned into the box and crossed to Ibson crashing at the far post for his third goal of the season to make it 1-0.
MIN: Darwin Quintero (Francisco Calvo), 62nd minute – Francisco Calvo led Darwin Quintero into space up the right side and he brought the ball down before lofting a shot over the head of Nick Rimando and under the crossbar for his seventh goal of the season to make it 2-0.
MIN: Miguel Ibarra (Darwin Quintero), 68th minute – Darwin Quintero played a winding ball behind the RSL defense, bouncing it into the path of Miguel Ibarra on a run from right-to-left across the top of the box. He hit it off the half-volley with a left-footed shot inside the far post to make it 3-0.
RSL: Joao Plata (Albert Rusnák), 77th minute – On a free kick outside the box, Joao Plata and Albert Rusnák played a 1-2 and Rusnák left it for Plata to pound a shot through the Minnesota wall and past Bobby Shuttleworth for his fourth goal of the season to make it 3-1.
RSL: Joao Plata (Brooks Lennon), 85th minute – Brooks Lennon took the ball on a switching ball from left-to-right and found the head of Joao Plata at the far post, Plata getting inside his defender to nod the shot past Bobby Shuttleworth for his fifth goal of the season.
KEY SAVES AND DEFENSIVE STOPS:
MIN: Bobby Shuttleworth, 45th minute – Damir Kreilach controlled a ball in traffic inside the penalty spot and fired a close-range shot, but Bobby Shuttleworth scooped it up for the save to keep it 0-0 before halftime.
NOTES:
- Head Coach Mike Petke was ejected by referee Alan Kelly in the 53rd minute. He will not be allowed on the bench in next week’s match against the Colorado Rapids.
- FW Joao Plata is the first RSL player to score twice in a match this season. He now has 45 goals in his MLS career and 42 in an RSL uniform. They marked his first goals since April 21, as he moves into a share of the team scoring lead with FW Luis Silva, FW Corey Baird and MF Albert Rusnák.
Match: Real Salt Lake vs. Minnesota United FC
Date: July 14, 2018
Venue: TCF Bank Stadium; Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 23,667
Weather: Clear and 91
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 0 2 2
Minnesota United FC 0 3 3
MIN: Ibson (Darwin Quintero, Francisco Calvo) 51’
MIN: Darwin Quintero (Francisco Calvo) 62’
MIN: Miguel Ibarra (Darwin Quintero) 68’
RSL: Joao Plata (Albert Rusnák) 77’
RSL: Joao Plata (Brooks Lennon) 85’
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon, Marcelo Silva, Justen Glad, Danilo Acosta; Kyle Beckerman, Sunny (Pablo Ruiz 85’); Jefferson Savarino, Albert Rusnák, Corey Baird (Joao Plata 66’); Damir Kreilach (Luis Silva 78’).
Subs not used: Andrew Putna, Aaron Herrera, Nick Besler, Sebastian Saucedo.
Minnesota United FC (3-5-2): Bobby Shuttleworth; Michael Boxall, Brent Kallman, Francisco Calvo; Miguel Ibarra, Ibson (Collin Martin 72’), Collen Warner, Rasmus Schuller (Maximiniano 78’), Alexi Gomez; Christian Ramirez (Mason Toye 86’), Darwin Quintero.
Subs not used: Matt Lampson, Eric Miller, Wyatt Omsberg, Frantz Pangop.
Stats Summary: RSL / MIN
Shots: 12 / 10
Shots on Goal: 6 / 6
Saves: 3 / 4
Corner Kicks: 5 / 7
Fouls: 10 / 12
Offside: 0 / 2
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
MIN: Rasmus Schuller (Caution) 21’
RSL: Marcelo Silva (Caution) 34’
MIN: Collen Warner (Caution) 47’
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Alan Kelly
Assistant Referees: Matthew Nelson, Andrew Bigelow
4th Official: Fotis Bazakos
Video Assistant Referee: Katja Koroleva
