Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT – Real Salt Lake dropped their second home match this season against a Portland club that has struggled most of this season. After an amazing second half of soccer last weekend against the LA Galaxy RSL started off the match looking out of step and just couldn’t find the way to score even with an early PK attempt and taking 11 shots in the second half.
Early in the match it looked like RSL would take the lead when Albert Rusnak lined up for a penalty kick after video review found that Portland had fouled in the penalty box. Albert has been fairly automatic from the spot but not tonight with Clark coming up big to stop the attempt. Sebastian Blanco put Portland on top in the 34th minute and RSL couldn’t equalized before the half
The Claret and Cobalt came out a little more forceful after the break and Sam Johnson was able to pull even with Portland in the 62nd minute. The goal provided a boost for RSL in the second half where they took 11 of their 16 shots however Diego Valeri scored the game winner for Portland when he fired in the rebounded shot in the 68th minute.
RSL played without Kyle Beckerman tonight after he suffered an injury this week during practice. Both Coach Petke and Sam Johnson commented on the need for Real to play faster and be quicker to the ball but the midfield just wasn’t up to the task tonight. Lets hope Kyle is back next week when they take on the Rapids.
Goals by Period 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 0 1 1
Portland Timbers 1 1 2
Scoring Summary:
POR – Sebastian Blanco – 34′
RSL – Sam Johnson – 62′
POR – Diego Valeri – 68′
Misconduct Summary:
POR – Jorge Morera – 45’+3′ – dissent
RSL – Donny Toia – 48′ – unsporting behavior
RSL – Nick Besler – 77′ – unsporting behavior
RSL – Aaron Herrera – 78′ – unsporting behavio
Officials
Referee: Ramy Touchan
Assistant Referee: Corey Rockwell
Assistant Referee: Benjamin Hall-Volpenhein
4th Official: Farhad Dadkho
Video Assistant Referee: Edvin Jurisevic
Attendence: 18,066
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake: Andrew Putna; Aaron Herrera; Necum Onuoha; Justen Glad; Donny Toia (Joao Plata, 86′); Nick Besler (Brooks Lennon, 80′); Corey Baird (Sebastian Saucedo, 69′); Albert Rusnak; Damir Kreilach; Jefferson Savarino; Sam Johnson
Substitutes Not Used: Luke Mulholland; Alex Horwath; Marcelo Silva; Justin Portillo
Portland Timbers: Steve Clark; Jorge Moreira; Bill Tuiloma; Zarek Valentin; Larrys Mabiiala; Sebastian Blanco; Andres Flores (Andy Polo, 60′); Criisthian Parades; Diego Chara; Diego Valeri (Julio Cascante, 86′); Jeremy Ebobisse (Lucas Melano, 83′)
Substitutes Not Used: Jeff Attinella; Tomas Conechny; Jorge Villafana; Renzo Zambrano
Next up for RSL
Real Salt Lake travels to Colorado next weekend, Saturday May 11th where they meet up with the Colorado Rapids.