What to make of Real Salt Lake's 4-0 loss to San Jose in MLS opener
Real Salt Lake’s league opener Saturday ended with a thud and a 4-0 defeat to the San Jose Earthquakes at PayPal Park in San Jose, California.
Real Salt Lake’s league opener Saturday ended with a thud and a 4-0 defeat to the San Jose Earthquakes at PayPal Park in San Jose, California.
The visitors brought in three players who didn’t make the trip to the club’s CONCACAF Champions Cup opener in Costa Rica to fill out the roster, including Diego Luna — who started on the left side of the attack while sporting his black face mask while recovering from a nasal fracture — and Philip Quinton, who started at center back.
“It was always going to be difficult to integrate the group, and with 10 hours of travel. It was never going to easy,” RSL manager Pablo Mastroeni said.
“That’s obviously two games now where we haven’t found the back of the net. However, I think we’re putting ourselves in really good positions to score goals. We’re a bit thin up top at the moment, and just trying to plug holes. But the game’s crazy, because I thought we controlled a lot of the game, created some good chances.”
Jamar Ricketts struck first for San Jose, tapping one between Javain Brown and Philip Quinton from inside the box in the 29th minute for the early advantage.
RSL out-shot the Quakes 7-5 in the first half with 51.4% of possession. But the visitors only put one shot on goal with a lineup that included the return of Diego Luna in the attack and Justen Glad — wearing the captain’s armband — in defense.
But it got worse from there.
Cristian Espinoza assisted on a pair of goals in the second half, first to Rodrigues in the 70th minute that the Brazilian center back steered past RSL goalkeeper Rafael Cabral with a header. Four minutes later, Espinoza delivered a long ball over the top of the defense that Ousseni Bouda tucked low for the 3-0 advantage.
Vitor Costa de Brito topped off the scoring with seven minutes left in regulation, finishing a cutback across the face of goal from Mark-Anthony Kaye that lifted the Earthquakes to the final 4-0 margin and gift Bruce Arena’s side all three points.
LINEUPS
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Rafael Cabral; Javain Brown (Emeka Eneli, 46), Philip Quinton (Brayan Vera, 57’), Justen Glad ©, Alex Katranis (Sam Junqua, 57’); Nelson Palacio, Braian Ojeda (Bode Hidalgo, 77’); Tyler Wolff, Pablo Ruiz, Diego Luna; Forster Ajago (Diogo Gonçalves, 68’)
Subs not used: Lachlan Brook, Dominik Marczuk, Kobi Henry, Mason Stajduhar
Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni
San Jose Earthquakes (3-5-2): Daniel De Sousa; Rodrigues, Bruno Wilson, Dave Romney; Cristian Espinoza ©, Beau Leroux (Mark-Anthony Kaye, 46’), Hernán López (Amahl Pellegrino, 68’), Ian Harkes, Jamar Ricketts (Vitor Costa de Brito, 82’); Cristian Arango (Preston Judd, 87), Josef Martínez (Ousseni Bouda, 67’)
Subs not used: Daniel Munie, Nick Lima, Max Floriani, Earl Edwards Jr.,
Head Coach: Bruce Arena
Stats Summary: RSL / SJ
Shots: 21 / 14
Shots on Goal: 7 / 9
Saves: 4 / 7
Corner Kicks: 5 / 6
Fouls: 15 / 13
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
RSL: Alex Katranis (Yellow Card - 54’)
SJ: Cristian Espinoza (Yellow Card - 73’)
SJ: Ian Harkes (Yellow Card - 81’)
RSL: Diego Luna (Yellow Card - 90’+3’)
SJ: Daniel (Yellow Card - 90’+4’)
