REAL SALT LAKE COMEBACK FALLS SHORT IN 2-1 LOSS TO LA GALAXY
Largest Crowd of the Season Celebrates Return of RSL’s 2009 MLS Cup Championship Team and Javier Morales’ Name Raised Into Rafters at Rio Tinto Stadium
SANDY, Utah (Wednesday, September 25, 2019) – Real Salt Lake (14-13-5, 47 points) fell 2-1 to the LA Galaxy in front of 20,838 fans at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday night.
After falling behind 2-0, RSL staged a comeback attempt, with DF NedumOnuoha recording his first goal in an RSL uniform, the 12th player to score for the club this season. However, the comeback fell short and LA walked away with victory.
Postgame quotes from RSL v LAG.
Real Salt Lake controlled the first half of the match as it created opportunities towards goal while limiting the LA Galaxy offense. FW Sam Johnson and FW Jefferson Savarino each found chances to find the opening goal and test Galaxy goalkeeper David Bingham throughout the first 45 minutes, including a touch from Johnson off a corner that bounced off the crossbar and the right post before back out into play.
Meanwhile, the RSL defense held the Galaxy without a shot on target, with RSL holding a 9-3 shots advantage in a scoreless first half.LA Galaxy came out of the halftime break running, immediately applying pressure on the RSL defense. Galaxy forward Cristian Pavon got a quick chance around GK Nick Rimando but DF Donny Toia fit into goal to make the goal line save. Pavon was able to find the net with a low shot to the far post in the 50th minute and Zlatan Ibrahimovic redirected a second goal in the 80th minute to give the Galaxy to a 2-0 lead. Before the match would end, Onuoha put RSL onto the board as he headed in a bounced ball from FW Sebastian Saucedo’s attempted volley. While RSL fought through stoppage time to find an equalizer, the Galaxy defense packed in to end the match 2-1.
UP NEXT: Real Salt Lake is set to play its final home game of the 2019 regular season when it hosts the Houston Dynamo at Rio Tinto Stadium on Sunday, September 29. Kickoff from Rio Tinto Stadium is set for 5:30 p.m. MT.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
LAG: Cristian Pavon (Zlatan Ibrahimovic), 50th minute: Pavon latched onto a ball over the top and was able to beat his defender to get into a threatening area within the box. Fighting off the rallied RSL defense, Pavon shot low towards the far post to find the first goal of the night.
LAG: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Cristian Pavon), 80th minute: Pavon took the ball to another dangerous run as he got in to the end line before making the cut towards the middle. He was able to beat out the defenders with a pass over to Ibrahimovic, who took one touch to score his 28th goal of the season.
RSL: Nedum Onuoha (Sebastian Saucedo), 89th minute: After LA Galaxy made a short clearance of an RSL corner kick, Saucedo went to attempt a volley that took a bounce off the ground and back into the air. Onuoha took advantage with a headed effort that dipped below the crossbar.
KEY SAVES AND DEFENSIVE STOPS
RSL: Donny Toia, 47th minute: In a moment where LA Galaxy was presented a near open goal as Zlatan sent a pass to beat Nick Rimando to Cristian Pavon, Pavon readied his shot, but Donny Toia fit himself in front of the net and made the save to keep the Galaxy from taking advantage.
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 17 matches, RSL is 8-5-4 with eight shutouts and a league-best 0.76 goals against average.
- Prior to the match, Real Salt Lake celebrated the 2009 MLS Cup championship team, bringing back players and coaches from the club’s title run for the 10-year anniversary.
- At halftime, RSL honored club legend Javier Morales, hanging his name from the rafters at Rio Tinto Stadium. He played 10 seasons with Real Salt Lake from 2007-2016, totaling 49 goals and 81 assists in 240 matches. Morales is RSL’s all-time leader in assists.
- The standing-room-only crowd of 20,838 was the highest attendance at Rio Tinto Stadium in 2019 and the largest crowd since Sept. 1, 2018, when 21,363 saw RSL top the LA Galaxy 6-2.
Match: Real Salt Lake vs LA Galaxy
Date: September 25, 2019
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
Attendance: 20,838
Weather: Sunny and 70 degrees
Scoring Summary 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 0 1 1
LA Galaxy 0 2 2
LAG: Cristian Pavon (Zlatan Ibrahimovic), 50’
LAG: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Cristian Pavon), 80’
SLC: Nedum Onuoha (Sebastian Saucedo), 89’
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Nick Rimando; Aaron Herrera, Justen Glad, Nedum Onuoha, Donny Toia; Kyle Beckerman (Joao Plata 87’), Everton Luiz; Albert Rusnák, Damir Kreilach, Jefferson Savarino (Sebastian Saucedo 79’); Sam Johnson (Corey Baird 59’)
Subs not used: Andrew Putna, Marcelo Silva, Brooks Lennon, Kelyn Rowe
LA Galaxy (4-2-3-1): David Bingham; Rolf Feltscher (Giancarlo Gonzalez 81’), Daniel Steres, Diego Polenta, Dave Romney; Joe Corona (Servando Carrasco 79’), Jonathan dos Santos; Uriel Antuna, Sebastian Lletget, Cristian Pavon (Julian Araujo 86’); Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Subs not used: Chris Pontius, Efrain Alvarez, Jorgen Skjelvik, Matt Lampson
Stats Summary: RSL/LAG
Shots: 18 / 11
Shots on Goal: 5 / 3
Saves: 0 / 4
Corner Kicks: 7 / 4
Fouls: 7 / 10
Offside: 5 / 2
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
LAG – Diego Polenta (Caution), 36’
LAG – Daniel Steres (Caution) 60’
RSL - Albert Rusnak (Caution) 82’
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
Assistant Referees: Frank Anderson, Cory Richardson
4th Official: Sergii Demianchuk
VAR: Chico Grajeda
AVAR: TJ Zablocki
