May 8, 2021 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Real Salt Lake News Release
SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake (2-1-0, 6 points) fell 2-1 to the San Jose Earthquakes on Friday night, seeing the club drop its first points of the 2021 Major League Soccer season.
Rubio Rubin’s wonder goal – his third goal in the last two matches – was not enough to stave off a late charge by San Jose as Chris Wondolowski added to his MLS-record goal-scoring tally.
RSL controlled the first half in regard to chances, forcing ‘Quakes goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski into two saves in the first half. The best early chance of the match came from the foot of Justin Meram who rattled the crossbar in the 16th minute with a curling right-footed effort from outside the penalty area. The home side finally broke the deadlock when Damir Kreilach’s flicked header found Rubin inside the area and his bicycle kick effort flew into the top corner in the 43rd minute to bring the first half to a close with RSL leading 1-0.
The second half of the match became aggressive from the outset as both teams were on the receiving end of tough challenges. Meram nearly found RSL’s second of the night when he cut into the box in the 56th minute and unleashed a left-footed shot from a close angle that narrowly missed the inside of the far post.
From then, the Earthquakes played aggressor and found two goals from league’s all-time leading scorer as Wondolowski came off the bench to score in the 83rd and 87th minutes. His first was put back on a rebound from a David Ochoa save, the second a header from the top of the six-yard box to secure a 2-1 victory for the visitors.
UP NEXT: Real Salt Lake will play its third straight home match against Nashville SC on Saturday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m. MT from Rio Tinto Stadium. The match will be the first meeting between the two sides.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
RSL: Rubio Rubin (Damir Kreilach, Donny Toia) 43rd minute: From a throw in, Toia flew the ball into the head of Kreilach who flicked the ball onto Rubin. Taking the ball off his chest with his back to goal, Rubin whipped into and overhead kick that found the top corner of the net from inside the penalty area.
SJ: Chris Wondolowski 83rd minute: Filtering the ball out wide to Shea Salinas just inside the area, he fired a low cross to Carlos Fierro whose initial shot was saved by Ochoa but was put back into the top of the net by Wondolowski.
SJ: Chris Wondolowski (Carlos Fierro) 87th minute: Receiving the ball near the touchline with room to cross, Fierro whipped a ball across the face of goal near the top of the six-yard box that was met by the head of Wondolowski, who slammed the header home for the game-winning goal.
NOTES:
– Midfielder Everton Luiz (knee), forward Anderson Julio (hamstring) and defenders Aaron Herrera (quad) and Marcelo Silva (hamstring) were unavailable due to injury.
– Andrew Brody made his first MLS start after registering an assist in his MLS debut last week in a 3-1 win over Sporting Kansas City. He played 90 minutes in the match against San Jose.
– Real Salt Lake had five RSL Academy products in the XI and seven on the 20-man roster. Additionally, six players on the 20-man roster were previously signed to the Monarchs.
Match: Real Salt Lake vs. San Jose Earthquakes
Date: May 7, 2021
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
Weather: Windy and 74 Degrees
Attendance: 10,448
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 1 0 1
San Jose Earthquakes 0 2 2
RSL: Rubio Rubin (Damir Kreilach, Donny Toia) 43′
SJ: Chris Wondolowski 83′
SJ: Chris Wondolowski (Carlos Fierro) 87′
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): David Ochoa; Andrew Brody, Justen Glad, Erik Holt, Donny Toia; Nick Besler, Pablo Ruiz; Albert Rusnak, Damir Kreilach, Justin Meram (Maikel Chang 79′); Rubio Rubin (Douglas Martinez 80′)
Subs not used: Zac MacMath, Andrew Putna, Ashtone Morgan, Tate Schmitt, Justin Portillo, Jeizon Ramirez, Milan Iloski
San Jose Earthquakes (4-2-3-1): JT Marcinkowski; Tommy Thompson (Luciano Abecasis 66′), Tanner Beason (Chris Wondolowski 72′), Florian Jungwirth, Marcos Lopez (Andres Rios, 66′); Eric Remedi, Jackson Yueill; Christian Espinoza (Judson 87′) , Javier Lopez (Shea Salinas 66′), Carlos Fierro; Cade Cowell
Subs not used: Daniel Vega, Paul Marie, Jack Skahan, Benji Kikanovic
Stats Summary: RSL / SJ
Shots: 15 / 15
Shots on Goal: 4 / 6
Saves: 4 / 3
Corner Kicks: 4 / 7
Fouls: 11 / 9
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
RSL: Damir Kreilach (caution) 1′
SJ: Eric Remedi (caution) 21′
RSL: Albert Rusnák (caution) 49′
RSL: Justin Meram (caution) 50′
RSL: Nick Besler (caution) 86′
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Fotis Bazakos
Assistant Referees: Jeremy Hanson, Diego Blas
4th Official: Ramy Touchan
VAR: Alan Kelly
AVAR: TJ Zablocki
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