Real Salt Lake Rout Sporting Kansas City 3-0

July 18, 2022 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Real Salt Lake News Release

SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake (9-6-6, 33 points) pumps out three goals in the second half to soundly defeat Sporting Kansas City 3-0 in front of its 10th consecutive sellout crowd this season. Justin Glad, Jefferson Savarino, and Marcello Silva’s return to the starting lineup was the boost the Club needed to outpace its bitter Western Conference rival. The Claret-and-Cobalt upped their record to 7-0-3 at home this season and has now won 12 of 13 games following a loss under Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni.

Postgame Quotes from RSL vs. SKC

Postgame Video from RSL vs. SKC Pablo Mastroeni, Justen Glad, Pablo Ruiz

Real Salt Lake controlled a majority of the possession and pace throughout the first half. The Claret-and-Cobalt’s best chance of the first 45 minutes came when Sergio Cordova and Savarino put up back-to-back shots on target in the 10th minute, forcing goalkeeper John Pulskamp to make point blank and fingertip saves to keep RSL from finding the back of the net. In the 40th minute Savarino found himself on a breakaway, but his shot fell directly into the hands of the Sporting keeper.

On the defensive end, with the return of Glad, the backline limited Sporting to just one shot on target, a slow roller which Zac MacMath easily secured. Despite nearly controlling every statistical category, Real Salt Lake was unable to find the back of the net and the two sides remained deadlocked at 0-0.

Real Salt Lake made quick work in the second half, finding the break-through goal in the 50th minute when Andrew Brody serviced a cross onto the head of a flying Cordova for the 1-0 lead. Five minutes later Cordova nearly doubled the team’s lead, but his jumping header fell just wide of the left post.

In the 62nd minute Sporting Kansas City was reduced to 10 men when Roger Espinoza was shown a red card for a hard foul on midfielder Jasper Löffelsend. Real Salt Lake were quick to take advantage with Ruiz scoring only one minute later to take the 2-0 lead. In the 71st minute the Claret-and-Cobalt scored again when Aaron Herrera found Justin Meram breaking out along the wing, and Meram quickly found Savarino streaking to the front of the net and Savarino buried the redirection in the back of the net to give the Club the 3-0 lead. Real Salt Lake kept the pressure on Sporting right up to the final whistle as substitute Anderson Julio had several runs on the keeper.

UP NEXT: Real Salt Lake will remain at Rio…