REAL SALT LAKE DISMANTLES SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC 3-0
FW Sam Johnson, MF Albert Rusnák Score Ninth Goals of 2019, FW Corey Baird Adds Third in Last Two Matches; RSL Earns Fifth Shutout in Last Ten Matches
SANDY, Utah (Wednesday, August 14, 2019) – Real Salt Lake (12-9-4, 40 points, 4 West) earned a dominant 3-0 victory over Seattle Sounders FC on Wednesday night to earn the club’s fifth shutout victory in its last ten matches.
FW Sam Johnson marked his return to the starting lineup with the winning goal while MF Albert Rusnák and FW Corey Baird each scored goals, MF Damir Kreilach added two assists and RSL’s defense held Seattle without a shot on goal to solidify the victory.
Postgame quotes from RSL v SEA.
Through the first 24 minutes of the match, both teams traded long spells of possession before Johnson found his ninth goal of the year when his deflected shot found its way past Stefan Frei in the 26th minute. RSL held firm defensively to take the 1-0 lead into the halftime break.
In the second half, RSL again maintained possession all around the field and found its second goal when Rusnák’s low driven shot found the bottom corner of Frei’s net for the 2-0 advantage. RSL tripled its lead in the 87th minute when Kreilach claimed his second assist on the night when he fed Baird in on goal where the striker easily found his third goal in his last two matches to help push RSL to the 3-0 victory.
UP NEXT: Real Salt Lake remains at home as it welcomes league-leaders LAFC to Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday, August 17. Kickoff from Sandy is set for 8:00p MT.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
RSL: Sam Johnson (Aaron Herrera), 25th minute: After intercepting an attempted through ball from Seattle, Herrera immediately found the run of Johnson into the attacking third. Johnson took his defender on 1v1 before firing a left-footed shot that took a deflection up and over Stefan Frei in the Sounders FC goal for the opening goal.
RSL: Albert Rusnák (Damir Kreilach, Corey Baird), 71st minute: In the buildup, Baird found the ball at his feet streaking down the near sideline. Baird cut inside and found the feet of Kreilach who looked for a shot but elected to pass to Rusnák. The Slovakian took a touch before firing a low, right-footed effort into the bottom corner of the far post.
RSL: Corey Baird (Damir Kreilach), 87th minute: Receiving the ball at midfield, Kreilach turned to thread a ball into the breakaway run of Baird who took Frei on 1v1 where he sent him the wrong way, slotting the ball into the near post for his third goal in the last two matches.
NOTES:
- DF Tony Beltran (knee) and MF Nick Besler (broken right foot) were out of action due to injury.
- Since returning from the Gold Cup break on June 22, RSL has the best defense in MLS. In those ten matches, RSL is 6-1-3 with fiveshutouts and a league-best 0.50 goals against average. The Portland Timbers (7-2-2, 4, 0.82) are the only other team in MLS with a GAA below 1.00 since the Gold Cup break.
- Real Salt Lake is unbeaten in its last eight matches at home (7-0-1).
- FW Sam Johnson made his first start since July 3, scoring one goal and playing 66 minutes.
- RSL’s win over the Sounders was the club’s third match of the season where it did not concede a shot on goal, a league-leading total.
Match: Real Salt Lake vs Seattle Sounders FC
Date: August 14, 2019
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
Attendance: 17,825
Weather: Sunny and 92 degrees
Scoring Summary:1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 1 2 3
Sounders FC 0 0 0
RSL: Sam Johnson (Aaron Herrera) 25’
RSL: Albert Rusnák (Damir Kreilach, Corey Baird) 71’
RSL: Corey Baird (Damir Kreilach), 87’
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Nick Rimando; Aaron Herrera, Nedum Onuoha, Justen Glad (Marcelo Silva 84’), Donny Toia; Everton Luiz, Damir Kreilach; Jefferson Savarino, Albert Rusnák (Joao Plata 76’), Corey Baird; Sam Johnson (Justin Portillo 66’)
Subs not used: Andrew Putna, Brooks Lennon, Kyle Beckerman, Sebastian Saucedo
Sounders FC: (3-5-2): Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam (Handwalla Bwana, 76’), Saad Abdul-Salaam, Xavier Arreaga; Jonathan Campbell, Joevin Jones, Nicolas Lodeiro, Jordy Delem (Gustav Svensson, 64’), Cristian Roldan; Luis Silva (Jordan Morris, 62’) Raul Ruidiaz
Subs not used: Bryan Meredith, Danny Leyva, Harry Shipp, Justin Dhillon
Stats Summary: RSL / SEA
Shots: 16 / 6
Shots on Goal: 4 / 0
Saves: 0 / 1
Corner Kicks: 3 / 3
Fouls: 8 / 8
Offside: 2 / 1
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
RSL – Everton Luiz (caution) 52’
SEA – Joevin Jones (caution) 70’
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Armando Villareal
Assistant Referees: Nick Uranga, Jefferey Gresson
4th Official: Alex Chilowicz
VAR: Malik Badawi
AVAR: TJ Zablocki
