Real Salt Lake Draws At Home Against Vancouver Whitecaps

August 21, 2022 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Real Salt Lake News Release

SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake (10-8-8, 38 points, 5th West) secured a point at home, conceding late to draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps 1-1. The Claret-and-Cobalt remain in fifth place in the crowded Western Conference standings, one of nine teams mired in a 10-point glut between third and 11th places. RSL FW Sergio Cordova extended his scoring streak to three consecutive matches, but it was not enough to secure the win at home in front of RSL’s Club-record 13th consecutive home sellout.

Postgame Quotes from VAN vs. RSL

Postgame Video from VAN vs. RSL: Pablo Mastroeni, Zac MacMath

Both sides came out in the first half looking to possess and create pressure in the offensive zone. Real Salt Lake sought to leverage the counter-attack several times in the first half, getting the ball out to the wings to lead the quick transition, but could not muster any clean shots on goal in the half. Vancouver played a more pressing style in the half, maintained a high line in the middle third and pressured Real Salt Lake’s backline several times, but also could not muster any significant shots on frame. The half ended with the score knotted at 0-0.

The Whitecaps came out of halftime applying pressure in the offensive zone. Vancouver possessed the ball deep in the zone but still could not muster any strong shots on frame. RSL continued to execute the counterattack, generating a great scoring chance when DF Aaron Herrera lofted a long clearing pass over top to Sergio Cordova that he corralled, then cleanly sent a drop pass to FW Jefferson Savarino who was streaking up the center of the field. Savarino ripped off a clean shot on frame that GK Thomas Hasal had to leap to deflect over the crossbar. Savarino again found the crossbar in the 56th minute but Vancouver withstood the pressure.

Real Salt Lake finally capitalized on the counterattack when MF Jasper Loffelsend hit Cordova with a long clearing pass as he was streaking up the center of the field. Sergio gathered the pass in stride, took a few dribbles to center himself and buried his shot from the penalty spot past Hasal to give Real Salt Lake the lead. RSL GK Zac MacMath was forced to make multiple stops of point-blank shots as Vancouver started to mount offensive pressure inside the box.

With only three minutes remaining in regulation, Vancouver again assembled pressure in the middle third of the field of play. Whitecaps playmaker Ryan Gauld…