Couple of moments cost RSL points in 2-1 road loss to Nashville SC
There are 5,400 moments in an MLS match, Real Salt Lake manager Pablo Mastroeni likes to say. And RSL owned all but a few of them in Saturday night's 2-1 loss to Nashville SC.
The average soccer match is a series of 5,400 moments, Real Salt Lake manager Pablo Mastroeni likes to stress, and for roughly 5,396 of them Saturday night in Nashville, the visitors were a team capable of leaving with a well-deserved point.
But then there are those handful of moments otherwise.
Daniel Surridge converted the match-winning penalty in the first minute of second-half stoppage time to help Nashville SC stop a two-match skid with a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee.
Dominik Marczuk gave the visitors an early lead, pouncing on a loose rebound following Diogo Gonçalves’ shot and finishing at the far post to give Salt Lake a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute.
Daniel Lovitz equalized with a well-placed header in the 30th minute, allowing Nashville to take a 1-1 draw into halftime.
Moments after Rafael Cabral posted a quick-twitch save on one end, Jesus Barea nearly put Salt Lake back in front. The rookie out of Missouri State checked in and crashed the back post to put away a counter-attacking cross from Marczuk in the 71st minute that looked to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.
But VAR confirmed a missed offside call, and Barea’s campaign lifter was called back upon video review.
Still, RSL center backs Justen Glad and Brayan Vera put in a heroic performance. Combined with a handful of quick-twitch reflex saves by Cabral, and Salt Lake nearly escaped the Music City with — at the very least — a point on the road.
“I think continuity in the back line has been important for our group,” Mastroeni said. “I’d even throw Rafa in that mix; he’s come up trumps for us.
“They make plays, and plays exist beyond the tactics. But they’ve been making a lot of plays for us.”
But one play went against Salt Lake — and it was the “moment” Mastroeni often stretches after a win, a loss or a decisive draw. There are 5,400 moments in a match — and one or two are often the difference in a result.
On Saturday night that moment came from Hany Mukhtar, who drew a penalty off second-half sub Nelson Palacio in the 90th minute. The Designated Player striker then deferred his go-ahead goal-moment to Sam Surridge, who put away the spot kick in the first minute of stoppage time to rescue all three points for the hosts.
“Everything in their penalty box is their penalty box,” Mastroeni noted. “You have to tip-toe around in ballerina shoes.
“We did enough to get a result tonight,” he added. “Just disappointed that moment at the end cost us the points.”
Nashville SC 2-1 Real Salt Lake
12’ — RSL: Dominik Marczuk (Unassisted)
30’ — NSH: Daniel Lovitz (Edvard Tagseth)
90’ + 1 — NSH: Sam Surridge (Penalty)
RSL TEAM NOTES
Today’s loss marked sixth time in 10 matches that RSL got on the scoresheet first, making it 3-3-0 across Champions Cup and MLS.
When scoring first during the Mastroeni era, RSL now has just 7 losses against 36 wins and 12 draws
During Pablo Mastroeni’s 148 games as Head Coach, the team has experienced 12 back-to-back losses, next week looking to avoid 13 at home against Toronto
Tonight marked the first match of a heavy road run through the end of May, with four of five away from home and 7 out of 10 through May 31
First-round MLS SuperDraft pick Jesús Barea had an opportunity to score his first professional goal in just his third appearance for the Club; however, the goal was called back due to an offside prior in the play.
The penalty called in favor of Nashville just before the end of the match marked was the second that Rafael Cabral faced this season, saving the first at home in a 1-0 loss against FC Dallas.
LINEUPS
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Rafael Cabral; Alex Katranis, Justin Glad, Brayan Vera, Bode Hidalgo; Braian Ojeda (Nelson Palacio, 76’), Emeka Eneli ©; Diogo Gonçalves (Lachlan Brook, 76’), Diego Luna, Dominik Marczuk (Zavier Gozo, 87’); Ariath Piol (Jesús Barea, 66’)
Subs not used: Tyler Wolff, Philip Quinton, Sam Junqua, Mason Stajduhar, Noel Caliskan
Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni
Nashville SC (4-3-3): Joe Willis; Andy Najar, Jeison Palacios, Jack Maher, Daniel Lovitz; Edvard Tagseth, Gastón Brugman (Jonathan Pérez 83’), Alex Muyl (Patrick Yazbek, 74’); Hany Mukhtar ©, Sam Surridge, Ahmed Qasem (Jacob Shaffelburg, 62’)
Subs not used: Teal Bunbury, Matthew Corcoran, Josh Bauer, Taylor Washington, Christopher Applewhite, Brian Schwake
Head Coach: B.J. Callaghan
Stats Summary: NSH / RSL
Shots: 21 / 12
Shots on Goal: 7 / 5
Saves: 4 / 5
Corner Kicks: 4 / 2
Fouls: 17 / 8
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
NSH: Hany Mukhtar (Yellow Card - 22’)
NSH: Daniel Lovitz (Yellow Card - 26’)
NSH: Gastón Brugman (Yellow Card - 47’)
RSL: Diogo Gonçalves (Yellow Card - 51’)
NSH: Edvard Tagseth (Yellow Card - 61’)
RSL: Justen Glad (Yellow Card - 64’)
RSL: Braian Ojeda (Yellow Card - 64’)