Real Salt Lake earns first clean sheet with scoreless home draw against Seattle
Real Salt Lake earns first clean sheet with scoreless home draw against Seattle
Was it a point gained, or two points lost in RSL's scoreless stalemate with the Sounders? That probably depends on who you ask.
Whether a point gained or two points lost, RSL hit a defensive milestone Saturday night at America First Field.
Zac MacMath made one save, and Real Salt Lake played Western Conference leaders Seattle Sounders FC to a scoreless draw in Sandy, Utah.
It’s the first clean sheet of the season for RSL (3-5-1, 10 points), which snapped a 13-match streak in MLS regular-season play without a shutout. But it also sent Seattle (6-2-2, 20 points) to the top of the West with a 1-point edge on St. Louis City SC.
A point gained or two points lost is in the eye of the beholder. But the defensive effort will be a positive taken for the hosts, center back Justen Glad said.
“It’s been in the back of our minds, not having a shutout yet,” he said. “I think the whole team put in the effort; we knew where (Sounders MF Nico) Lodeiro was the whole game, and everyone put in a shift.”
Results are often in the eye of the beholder, head coach Pablo Mastroeni added.
“This happens to be a good defensive performance,” he said. “But we’re looking to revive the magic of having the ball hit the back of the net.”
With Scott Caldwell stepping in for an injured Jasper Loffelsend, and Danny Musovski starting for the first time with RSL in MLS play, the visitors opened the match on the attacking foot.
But Salt Lake found its footing, out-shooting the Sounders 7-4 before the break — but with five shots off target — in scoreless stalemate through the first half. Brayan Vera, Andres Gomez and Rubio Rubin all had chances, but no goal came.
RSL tried everything, even bringing in team talisman Damir Kreilach in the 81st minute to spark a goal — three days after the captain went 120 in Las Vegas in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
But no goal came — through 12 shots (but only three shots on target), five yellow-card fouls, and a double-yellow against Pablo Ruiz that sent RSL down to 10 men in the third minute of second-half stoppage time.
RSLvSEA Postgame | HC Pablo Mastroeni
RSLvSEA Postgame | DF Justen Glad
Play your kids
RSL rookie Bertin Jacquesson made his MLS debut Saturday night, becoming the sixth debutant for the club in 2022. The French-born midfielder who played collegiately at Pitt replaced Danny Musovski in the 55th minute.
The winger who was perhaps RSL’s most creative attacking player in a Wednesday’s 3-1 win over Las Vegas Lights FC joins Andres Gómez, Brayan Vera, Emeka Eneli, Ilijah Paul and goalkeeper Gavin Beavers in seeing their first minutes for the club.
And with a mid-week injury to Jasper Loffelsend and Pablo Ruiz’s second yellow card that will cause him to miss next week’s match at Houston, there may be more minutes in Jacquesson’s future.
“I thought he was bright,” Mastroeni said of the youngster. “I thought he threatened behind the defense, and had some good hold-up moments. He’s a player who can stand on one leg and hit the ball with accuracy and pace.
“For a debut, it was really good to see him. Moving forward, I think he’s put himself in position to get more minutes.”
Mastroeni added that Loffelsend’s diagnosis came back better than the team expected, but said the former Pitt standout was “questionable, at best” to return next week.
RSL hits the road again next Saturday to face Houston Dynamo FC. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. MT on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Lineups
Real Salt Lake (4-4-2): Zac MacMath; Brayan Vera, Justen Glad, Marcelo Silva, Bryan Oviedo; Scott Caldwell (Braian Ojeda 56’), Pablo Ruiz, Andrés Gómez (Emeka Eneli 90’+4’), Jefferson Savarino; Rubio Rubin (Damir Kreilach 81’), Danny Musovski (Bertin Jacquesson 56’)
Subs not used: Gavin Beavers, Moses Nyeman, Ilijah Paul, Maikel Chang, Diego Luna
Seattle Sounders (4-3-3): Stefan Frei; Kelyn Rowe (Reed Baker-Whiting 90’+1’), Jackson Ragen, Yeimar Gomez, Alex Roldan; Joao Paulo (Xavier Arreaga 90’+1’), Nicolas Lodeiro, Albert Rusnak; Leo Chu (Dylan Teves 71’), Heber (Fredy Montero 81’), Jordan Morris
Subs not used: Stefan Cleveland, Ethan Dobbelaere, Obed Vargas, Sota Kitahara, Josh Atencio
Stats Summary: RSL/SEA
Shots: 15/12
Shots on goal: 3/1
Saves: 1/3
Corner Kicks: 7/2
Fouls: 15/7
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
SEA: Joao Paulo (caution) 8’
RSL: Jefferson Savarino (caution) 9’
RSL: Bryan Oviedo (caution) 36’
RSL: Justen Glad (caution) 53’
RSL: Pablo Ruiz (cautiona) 62’
RSL: Braian Ojeda (caution) 69’
SEA: Alex Roldan (caution) 72’
RSL: Pablo Ruiz (second caution, ejection) 90’+3’|
SEA: Albert Rusnák (caution) 90’+4’