RSL Starting XI 8/18/18

MATCH 26: REAL SALT LAKE at HOUSTON DYNAMO (AUGUST 18, 2018)
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Starting XI: Andrew Putna; Brooks Lennon, Nick Besler, Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera; Sunny, Pablo Ruiz; Jefferson Savarino, Damir Kreilach, Joao Plata; Luis Silva.

Bench: Jake Leeker, Danilo Acosta, Adam Henley, Kyle Beckerman, Albert Rusnák, Sebastian Saucedo, Corey Baird.

Lineup notes:

• Injury list: Jordan Allen (knee), Tony Beltran (knee), David Horst (Achilles), Alex Horwath (Achilles), Ricky Lopez-Espin (knee), Luke Mulholland (back), Nick Rimando (hamstring), Marcelo Silva (foot), Connor Sparrow (knee).

• GK Andrew Putna (23 years old/1 games, 0 starts (1, 0)/Real Monarchs) – Signed with RSL in July.  Made his MLS debut on Wednesday, coming on at halftime in place of the injured Nick Rimando.  Made four saves while allowing no goals in the final 45 minutes against LAFC.  Has allowed three goals in two matches with Real Monarchs SLC this season, giving him six appearances in two seasons with the USL club.  Earned two clean sheets with the Monarchs last season.
• RB Brooks Lennon (USA/0 caps/20 years old/24 games, 23 starts (49, 38)/0 goals, 4 assists (3, 8)/Liverpool (England)/HGP) – RSL is 10-8-4 in his 22 previous starts at right back with six shutouts.  Second on RSL with 38 interceptions and second with 38 tackles.
• RCB Nick Besler (25 years old/15 games, 8 starts (15, 8)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Real Monarchs) – Has seven starts this season as a center back.  Made one additional start in the midfield in a 2-1 win over the Houston Dynamo on May 30 after starting four previous matches as a center back.  RSL is 3-3-2 in his eight regular season starts.
• LCB Justen Glad (USA/0 caps/21 years old/25 games, 25 starts (78, 76)/0 goals, 0 assists (2, 1)/RSL Academy/HGP) – Only position player to start in all 25 matches this season.  Leads RSL and MLS with 77 interceptions.  Also ranks ninth in MLS with 17 blocks.  Ranks third on the team with 37 tackles.
• LB Aaron Herrera (21 years old/7 games, 5 starts (7, 5)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/University of New Mexico) – Making his sixth consecutive MLS start after making his first on July 21 in a 2-2 draw with the Colorado Rapids.  RSL is 1-1-3 in his previous five starts.  Made his MLS debut on the road against Seattle Sounders FC in May.  Waited until July 7 in a 2-0 win over FC Dallas for his second appearance.
• CM Sunny (Nigeria/1 cap/29 years old/15 games, 9 starts (51, 42)/0 goals, 0 assists (1, 2)/Alanyaspor (Turkey)) – RSL is 4-4-1 in his nine starts and 8-4-3 in his 14 appearances.
• CM Pablo Ruiz (Argentina/Chile/0 caps/19 years old/9 games, 4 starts (9, 4)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/San Luis (Chile)) – Appeared off the bench against LAFC on Wednesday for his first appearance since coming off the bench against the Colorado Rapids on July 21.  Making his first start since May 19.
• RW Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela/1 cap/21 years old/24 games, 24 starts (45, 42)/3 goals, 6 assists (9, 11)/Zulia (Venezuela)/DP) – Only RSL attacking player to start in all 24 matches this season until tonight.  Assisted on both of Damir Kreilach’s goals against Chicago to share the team assist lead with Kreilach and Albert Rusnák.  Ranks sixth in MLS and first on RSL with 61 dribbles completed.  Also RSL’s most-fouled player, winning 55 fouls this season (ranking seventh in MLS).  Ranks third on RSL with 34 chances created.
• CAM Damir Kreilach (29 years old/24 games, 22 starts (24, 22)/6 goals, 6 assists (6, 6)/Union Berlin (Germany)/TAM) – Second on the team in scoring after netting two goals against Chicago.  Also shares the team assist lead with Albert Rusnák and Jefferson Savarino.  Ranks second on the team in fouls won with 38 and fourth in tackles with 36.
• LW Joao Plata (Ecuador/4 caps, 2 goals/26 years old/17 games, 12 starts (186, 155)/7 goals, 4 assists (47, 44)/Toronto FC/TAM) – Has four goals and two assists in the last six matches, spanning 399 minutes.  Ranks second on RSL with 37 chances created.
• FW Luis Silva (29 years old/17 games, 7 starts (155, 106)/5 goals, 0 assists (32, 16)/Tigres (Mexico)) – Leads RSL with 12 goals in the last 34 matches, scoring stoppage time goals in each of the last two matches.

Bench:

• GK Jake Leeker (22 years old/0 games, 0 starts (0, 0)/Real Monarchs SLC) – Has six shutouts in 12 starts for Real Monarchs SLC in the USL with a 1.08 goals against average while deterring five penalties – saving three while two have hit the post.
• DF Danilo Acosta (USA/0 caps/20 years old/11 games, 10 starts (28, 26)/0 goals, 1 assist (0, 3)/Real Salt Lake Academy/HGP) – Remains on the bench for a fifth straight match after starting in nine straight matches for RSL, with the club going 5-3-1 in that stretch.  Fifth on the club with 26 tackles.
• RB Adam Henley (Wales/2 caps/23 years old/5 games, 2 starts (5, 2)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Blackburn Rovers (England)) – Appeared in three straight matches from 4/7-21 and then consecutive matches from 5/12-19.  RSL is 3-2-0 in his five matches, winning all three substitute appearances.  Came to RSL after seven seasons with Blackburn Rovers in England.
• MF Kyle Beckerman (USA/58 caps/36 years old/24 games, 22 starts (456, 425)/1 goal, 0 assists (41, 49)/Colorado Rapids) – Leads RSL and ranks third in MLS with 66 tackles, including 36 in his last nine starts.
• MF Albert Rusnák (Slovakia/10 caps, 1 goal/24 years old/23 games, 23 starts (53, 52)/5 goals, 6 assists (12, 20)/FC Groningen (Holland)/DP) – Leads RSL and ranks fifth in MLS with 64 chances created.  Also ranks third with 45 chances created from open play.
• FW Sebastian Saucedo (21 years old/20 games, 9 starts (49, 15)/2 goals, 3 assists (2, 5)/Real Salt Lake Academy) – Appeared off the bench in four of the last six matches, also starting on Wednesday in a 2-0 loss to LAFC.  Led both teams with four shots and three shots on goal.  Started in five straight matches for RSL before moving to the bench against Minnesota last month.
• FW Corey Baird (22 years old/23 games, 18 starts (23, 18)/5 goals, 2 assists (5, 2)/Stanford/HGP) – Leads all MLS rookies in scoring after scoring his fifth goal in a 4-2 win over Sporting Kansas City last month.