Real Salt Lake: Open Cup 2015 Victory #1

RSL gets ready to take on the Seattle Sounders 2

RSL gets ready to take on the Seattle Sounders 2

Sandy, UT – Real Salt Lake hit the pitch for the first time in this years edition of the Lamar Hunt Open Cup.  It is finally time for RSL to redeem itself after their early exit last year with their loss to the Atlanta Silverbacks

RSL began the match with a number of players that we normally don’t see included as starters, with the exception of JohnStertzer, Joao Plata, Luis Gil andOlmes Garcia.  Several of the players have seen some time on the field

Jeff Attinella comes out strong to protect his turf

Jeff Attinella comes out strong to protect his turf

in MLS matches including, Devon Sandoval, Aaron Maund and Demar Phillip as well as Jeff Attinella who has seen time playing when Nick Rimando has been called up for international duty.

Perhaps it was the heat or the Tuesday night game, but the RSL squad just didn’t seem to be approaching this like a match they wanted to be playing.   The first half Real Salt Lake didn’t look great, with sluggish play and a lack of intensity.  That changed completely when Javier Morales was substituted in for Wellington Paeckart in the 58th minute.  Javier showed everyone why he is still a phenomenal player, the entire team seemed to get re-energized from his play.

Justen Glad

Justen Glad

Early in the match Justen Glad went down on the pitch and had to be attended to by the training staff before re-entering the pitch, only to be replaced in the 39th minute by Phanuel Kavita.  Glad, who has a history of concussions was taken out a precaution as he was having trouble focusing in one eye.

Four minutes in to  first half stoppage time the Sounders 2 were able to get their first and only goal of the match as Sam Garza was able to sneak one past Jeff Attinella

Javier Morales was sent in to replace WellingtonPaeckart in the 58′ of play in an attempt

Javier Morales - Set the tone for the second half

Javier Morales – Set the tone for the second half

to energize an obviously struggling RSL sqaud.  It definitley worked as Javier passes the ball to Olmes Garcia on the far side of the pitch, who put the ball right in front of Plata for the first RSL goal of the match.

Morales kept it up after a very weird free-kick from 5 yards out taken by Joao Plata who slides it over to Javier Morales who sliced it through 8 defenders to hit the back of the net.

AlvaroSaborio came in forOlmes Garcia in the 85th minute, his size

Jaoa Plata - "Man of the Match"

Jaoa Plata – “Man of the Match”

and speed helped RSL keep the attack up during the remainder of the 90 minutes and the 3 minutes of stoppage time to help preserve the win for RSL.

 

 

 

 

 

Lineups

Real Salt Lake : Jeff Attinella; Boyd Okwuonu; Justen Glad (Phanuel Kavita, 39′); Demar Phillips; Aaron Maund; Luis Gil; Wellington Paeckart (Javier Morales, 58′); John Stertzer; Joao Plata; Olmes Garcia (Alvaro, Saborio, 84′); Devon Sandoval (C)

Substitutes not used:  Eduardo Fernandez; Tony Beltran; Luke Mulholland; Sebastian Saucedo

Seattle Sounders FC 2: Saif Kerawala; Giuliano Frano; Aaron Long; Damion Lowe; Nick Miele; Amodu Sanyang (C); Sergia Mota-Mello (Tosh Samkange, 89′); Pablo Rossi (Diego Silvas, 74′); Sam Garza (Duncan McCormick, 65′); Victor Mansaray; Andy Craven

Substitutes not used: RJ Noll;  Kasey French

Up Next for Real Salt Lake:

Real Salt Lake return to MLS action Sunday June 21st as they  Sporting Kansas City to Rio Tinto Stadium.

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