RSL wins first Open Cup Match of 2016 on Penalty Kicks

Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT  – It took 3 penalty kicks to put Real Salt Lake on top tonight as they met up with their first 2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup opponent at Rio Tinto Stadium tonight.

Real Salt Lake dominated the stats throughout the entire match, but that didn’t stop the Hammerheads from striking first when Mael Corboz shot a rocket past Jeff Attinella in the 34th minute with an

assist from Austin Martz and Justin Moose.  At the half RSL still hadn’t found the back of the net and went into the locker room trailing the Hammerheads 1-0.

RSL made it’s first substitutions in the 56th minute with Yura Movsisyan replacing Devon Sandoval and Joao Plata entering the match for Boyd Okwuonu. The new lineup didn’t stop the Hammerheads and in the 59th minute Justin Moose took a long shot at Jeff Attinella, after a deflection off of Jeff Michaud,

it skidded past Attinella for the 2nd goal of the night for Wilmington.

Joao Plata pulled one back in the 65th minute when Luke Mulholland set him up for a the first RSL goal of the night.

Real leveled the score in the 86th minute on a cross from Joao Plata to a streaking Burrito who made his presence known.

With the match level at 2-2 at the end of 90 minutes 2 extra time periods of 15 minutes began.  RSL kept up its dominance on shots on goal and possession, but at the end of the first 15 the score was still level.  The scoreline was still level at the end of extra time.

Even with the very lopsided statistics this match was settled with penalty kicks. First up Bruno Perone for Wilmington hits the ball over the crossbar. Juan Manuel Martinez took the first shot for RSL hits the mark.  Mael

Croboz takes a shot at Attinella and bounces one off the sidebar and into the net.  Juao Plata steps up to the mark and slides the ball right under Smits. Next up Barnes-Homer hits it high and over the net.  Javier Morales takes his usual stutter-step and it gets blocked by Smit as he went to the exact same spot as Plata.  Attinella blocks the shot by Liam Miller.   Chris Wingert takes his shot and makes it a simple matter as he puts RSL in the winning column RSL 2(3) Wilmington 2(1).

Goals by Period                         1  2  F
Real Salt Lake                              0  2  2
Wilmington Hammerheads          1  1  2

Scoring Summary:
WIL – Mael Corboz – 34′
WIL  – Justin Moose  – 59′
RSL– Joao Plata – 65′
RSL – Juan Manuel Martinez – 86′

Misconduct Summary:
RSL – Luke Mulholland – 29′
WIL – Mael Corboz – 30′
WIL – Ashani Fairclaugh – 61′
WIL – Pebo Doue – 90′ + 3′
WIL – Tom Parrett – 102′

Lineups:

Real Salt Lake: Jeff Attinella; Jamison Olave; Boyd Okwuonu (Joao Plata, 56′); Chris Wingert; Aaron Maund; Luke Mulholland; John Stertzer (Omar Holness, 116′); Javier Morales;  Juan Manuel Martinez; Devon Sandoval (Yura Movsisyan, 56′); Jordan Allen

Substitutes Not Used: Lalo Fernandez; Danilo Acosta; Justen Glad; Phanuel Kavita

Wilmington Hammerheads: John Smits; Paebo Doue; Michael Mecham (Tom Parett, 81′); Bruno Perone; Ashani Fairclaugh; Liam Miller; Austin Martz; Mael Corboz; Justin Moose (Logan Miller 67′); Jeff Michaud; Kyle Parker (Matthew Barnes-Homer, 67′)

Substitutes Not Used: Sam Williams; Cacey Townsend; Stafan Deffegger; Zer Taublieb

Referee: Victor Rivas
Referee’s Assistant: TJ Zablocki
Referee’s Assistant: Brandon Major
4th Official: Brad Jensen

Next up for RSL

Real Salt Lake hosts the Portland Timbers at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday June 18th.