Corey Baird puts one away early
Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, KS –Nick Rimando came up big tonight with 6 amazing saves to give Real Salt Lake 1 point as they fight tooth and nail to get a place in the 2018 MLS Playoffs.
Real Salt Lake looked like they were being pushed back on their heels as the match kicked off but it didn’t take long for Corey Baird ,who is starting in the place usually held by Albert Rusnak, and he threaded through the Kansas City defenders to put RSL on top in the 9th minute. In a scrappy first half were both teams had their chances, yes Sporting had many more chances, but the Claret and Cobalt were able to keep them out of the back of the net through the first 45 minutes of play.
Jefferson Savarino vs Graham Zusi
With the number of set pieces and shots on goal that SKC had it seemed almost inevitable that they would find a way to pull even and they did in the 52nd minute when Ike Opara got his head on a the ball off of a set piece and past Nick Rimando. That was the only thing they could get past the Wall of the Wasatch as he came up again and again even after he took a nasty boot to his face from Gerso Fernadez giving RSL a very important 1 point on the road.
Real Salt Lake returns home to Rio Tinto Stadium as they enter the home stretch against the Portland Timbers on Saturday October 6th at 7:30 PM. With two matches at home including a home and away against Portland every point is important.
Kreilach and Opara getting some air
Goals by Period 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 1 0 1
Sporting Kansas City 0 1 1
Scoring Summary
RSL – Corey Baird – 9′
SKC – Ike Opara – 52′
Misconduct Summary
SKC – Felipe Gutierrez – 74′ – unsporting behavior
Officials
Referee: Kevin Stott
Assistant Referee: Jason White
Assistant Referee: Jeremy Hanson
4th Official: Marcos DeOliveria
Video Assistant Referee: Edvic Jurisevic
Lineups
Real Salt Lake Starting XI
Real Salt Lake: Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon; Nick Besler (Shawn Berry, 90’+2′); Justen Glad; Aaron Herrera; Damir Kreilach (Albert Rusnak, 61′); Sunny; Kyle Beckerman; Jefferson Savarino; Joao Plata (Chinedun Onuoha, 88′); Corey Baird
Substitutes Not Used: Adrew Putna; Luis Silva; Luke Mullholland; Sebastian Saucedo
Sporting Kansas City: Tim Melia; Graham Zusi; Ike Opara; Matt Besler; Seth Sinovic; Roger Espinosa (Yohan Croizet, 66′); Ilie Sanchez; Felipe Gutierrez; Johnny Russell Daniel Salloi, 77′); Krisztian Nemeth (Diego Rubiom 70′); Gerso Fernandez
Substitutes Not Used: Eric Dick; Andreu Fontas; Jaylin Lindsey; Gianluca Busio