Sigi Schmidt and Mike Petke in good spirits before the match.
Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT –Real Salt Lake had it all tonight at Rio Tinto Stadium with Damir Kreilach netting a hat trick and Albert Rusnak with a brace of his own as the home club dominated the LA Galaxy scoring 6 goals on the night. After a stinging loss last time these clubs met up and with playoff implications on the line for both sides it was bound to be a high spirited affair tonight with the LA Galaxy playing for the first time in the Ibrahimovic era. We were treated to a really special night even a duck making its way on to the pitch did nothing to dampen the record setting match. Thanks to the Rio Tinto grounds crew for getting the wayward fowl back on his way.
Albert Rusnak and Damir Kreilach celeberate Damir’s first goal
The Galaxy came out swinging with the starting whistle and with only 33 seconds on the clock Jonathon dos Santos is in the right place for an Ashley Cole pass and slams the ball into the back of the net. Any effects the Claret and Cobalt were feeling from the quick LA start didn’t show as they never let up taking 12 shots in the first 45. The intensity of play started to pay dividends a short time later when Albert Rusnak, with a little help from Joao Plata, put RSL on the board in the 14th minute. Throughout the first half Real Salt Lake kept pushing and was able put in the go-ahead goal in the 3rd minute of stoppage time with an amazing effort from Damir Kreilach who was in the right place to head the ball in the net after Brooks Lennon brings David Bingham out of the goal to deflect his shot.
Jefferson Savarino puts slams one past David Bingham
When play resumed after the break so did the Real Salt Lake onslaught. It only took Jefferson Savario 3 minutes to double the lead with another assist from Joao Plata. Damir Kreilach kept up the pressure and was able to put his second goal of the night past Bingham in the 61st minute. Sigi Schmit brought in all of his substitutions in short order and it looked like it was going to pay off with Romain Alessandrini capitalizing on a great buildup to pull LA back withing two goals. But with what was one of the best 90 minutes of soccer seen anywhere in the last few years the home club was rewarded with Albert Rusnak completing his brace in the 68th minute and Damir Kreilach picking up a hat trick in the 71st.
With the 6-2 win RSL not only picks up 3 points but they also moved the -2 goal differential to +2 and became the first MLS team to score 6 goals in two consecutive matches. With the win RSL takes back 4th place in the West while the Galaxy remain below the playoff line in 8th place. The score disparity also put LA in the negative in the goal differential category.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic with perhaps his best chance of the night
Real Salt Lake will attempt to pay back Minnesota United who handed them a stinging loss at TCF Bank Stadium when they come to Rio Tinto Stadium on September 15th in a match that could put the playoffs out of reach for the Loons and help Real in their playoff push
Goals by Period 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 2 5 6
LA Galaxy. 1 1 2
Damir Kreilach “Man of the Match”
Scoring Summary
LA – Jonathon dos Santos – 1′
RSL – Albert Rusnak – 14′
RSL – Damir Kreilach – 45’+3′
RSL – Jefferson Savarino – 48′
RSL – Damir Kreilach – 61′
LA – Roman Alessandrini – 63′
RSL – Albert Rusnak – 68′
RSL – Damir Kreilach– 71′
Misconduct Summary
LA – Perry Kitchen – 35′ – unsporting behavior
LA – Rolf Feltscher – 64′ – unsporting behavior
Officials
Referee: Drew Fischer
Assistant Referee: Brian Poeschel
Assistant Referee: TJ Zablocki
4th Official: Marcos de Oliveira
Video Assistant Referee: Geoff Gamble
Attendence: 21,363
Lineups
Real Salt Lake Starting XI
Real Salt Lake: Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon; Justen Glad; Aaron Herrera; Nick Besler; Albert Rusnak; Sunny; Kyle Beckerman; Damir Kreilach (Corey Baird, 87′); Joao Plata (Sebastian Saucedo, 81′); Jefferson Savarino
Substitutes Not Used: Shawn Berry; Luis Silva; Adam Henley; Danilo Acosta; Andrew Putna
LA Galaxy Starting XI
LA Galaxy: David Bingham; Jergen Skjelvik; Dave Romney; Michael Ciani (Romain Alessandrini, 62′); Rolf Feltscher; Servando Carrasco (Sebastian Lletget, 55′); Ashley Cole; Perry Kitchen (Giovani dos Santos, 70′); Ola Kamara; Zlatan Ibrahimovic; Jonathon dos Santos
Substitutes Not Used: Daniel Steres; Bradford Jamieson; Justin vom Steeg; Emmanuel Boateng