On Tuesday evening, Real Salt Lake learned it had advanced to the Knockout Round of the 2020 MLS is Back Tournament, advancing out of Group D with one match to play the following morning.
In finishing third in the group, RSL has experienced nearly every scenario one could face during a tournament format, going 1-1-1 (4 points). Now entering the Round of 16 where it will face the San Jose Earthquakes on Monday at 6:30 p.m. MT (FS1), we look back at how the club booked its place in the knockout round.
A Near-Perfect Performance
Some may argue that RSL’s opening contest of the MLS is Back tournament was its most complete. Facing Rocky Mountain rival Colorado Rapids, RSL came out swinging from the opening whistle and found goals on either side of halftime to secure the 2-0 win. Goals from Albert Rusnák and Damir Kreilach and a shutout performance from Zac MacMath between the pipes secured the win. For nearly 80 minutes of the match, RSL controlled possession and continued to pepper the Colorado goal, and if not for the woodwork and a handful of saves from the Colorado goalkeeper the score could’ve been greater.
“We had the chance to be up 3-0 and maybe not have it be so frantic towards the end. For a first game, we are very pleased as a team,” RSL Head Coach Freddy Juarez said after the match. “Starting a tournament off you want to get a positive result so you can get some momentum. It wasn’t pretty. There were good times and there were some bad times but the best part of it is that we dealt with it as a team and that was the most important part.”
A Heated Stalemate
Facing Minnesota United in its second match, RSL knew that a victory over an always difficult opponent would all but solidify their place in the Round of 16. Juarez made just one change to his starting group as Pablo Ruiz entered the fray for the first time in nearly two years to play alongside Everton Luiz. The match was a trench fight from the opening whistle and the match was mostly battled in the midfield. Going toe-to-toe with The Loons' Ozzie Alonso and Kevin Molino, the RSL midfield held Minnesota to a scoreless draw with both sides seeing limited sights at goal.
Minnesota may have seen the best chance of the evening in first half stoppage time when a breakaway effort clattered off the post before the follow-up attempt fell right into the waiting arms of MacMath. From then, neither side truly looked like it would break the deadlock and the match ended scoreless to keep RSL atop the group on goal differential.
“The whole team and Freddy has emphasized playing just playing simple and not giving the ball away easily to the other team,” MacMath said after the match against Minnesota. “The guys in front of me were outstanding again, not just in the build-up, but defending shots and crosses as well making it really hard for the Minnesota forwards to score.”
Chasing the Game
The RSL vs Sporting Kansas City rivalry doesn’t quite carry the attention of other rivalries around the league but when the two teams meet, fireworks inevitably fly. The final group stage match saw Sporting enter the match fighting for its place in the knockout round with both RSL and Minnesota having already advanced. RSL’s first early-morning match of the tournament opened quickly when Sporting found the net inside the first minute after multiple failed clearances saw the ball fall to Johnny Russell inside the area for the volleyed strike. From then, RSL had to try and claw its way back into the game, naturally pressing forward in search of the equalizer and more.
After the early goal, RSL created multiple chances in the final third but couldn’t quite connect to apply the finishing touch. As it pressed forward, RSL was caught on the counter-attack with three minutes and stoppage to play and ultimately conceded a second goal from a great strike from Gerso Fernandes. Despite dropping its first match of the 2020 season, RSL found positives to carry into the knockout round.
“We’re in a good moment right now. We compete and we’re used to these scenarios,” Juarez said after the match. “We’re disappointed 100% and we wanted those three points for the standings, but we have also put ourselves in a position to advance last night [before the SKC match]. You can’t sit and could’ve should’ve any of that it’s all eyes forward. It shows real character that comes out. Character for your team, the love for your club and the love for competition.”
