Real Salt Lake vs. FC Dallas MLS week 7
Pregame
It was wonderful sunny day with temps in the mid 60’s, and nothing better than soccer at Rice Eccles Stadium in front of 12,000 plus fans to enjoy the festivities. RSL is without a couple of familiar faces, Carey Talley is no longer with the team, traded to Chivas, and coach Jason Kreis is out serving a one game suspension for speaking out in a critical factor of MLS officials. RSL is going with a bit of a different look, they have move Chris Wingert up into the midfield, and moved Nat Borchers to the outside of the back line, Dallas also is going with a different formation playing more of a 3-5-2, putting more a more offensive effort as they are really looking for better than a road draw.
1st half
Dallas comes out quick and gets a corner kick a minute into the action, but all it results in is a high shot from distance that sails over the goal. RSL appears to be challenged by the extra Dallas body in the midfield, but are looking for a way to get through the clogged middle and into the attack. Early efforts by Nat Borchers attacking up the side, gets a ball into the box and a shot by Espindola goes just wide of the box. That is followed quickly by a shot by Kyle Beckerman from about 25 yards out that gives Sala a little grief but he recovers to make the save, TV coverage gives a nice shot of Jason up in the box with a radio, so much for harsh suspension. Both teams are really looking for a rhythm in the midfield, Dallas is a bit more deliberate in their attacks, while RSL is looking the more aggressive of the two side, In the 10th minute the RSL attack was clicking and the result is a great ball in by Wingert, headed on goal by Espindola and Sala is there with another save, who has over 250 minutes without giving up a goal and 3 clean sheets so far this season.
Dallas is looking for something; they have shuffled Alvarez and Cooper to different sides, so Morrow must see something that he thinks he can take advantage of. Javi drives a shot from long range and it goes high over the goal, did you know that with four assists that Morales is tied for the MLS lead? In the 18th minute Dallas mounts their best attack of the match, as Cooper passes the ball to Thompson inside the box, but Abe’s shot goes high over the net and the threat is averted. I have to say 20 minutes in and the match is fairly even, I like the play of Olave and Borchers who have kept Cooper fairly well contained, Beckerman and Espindola look like the two best RSL offensive threats. Morales again gets a shot off and goes near post and one more save by Sala, Dallas seems to be trying more long balls, while RSL is working the ball through the midfield for their attacking chances. A handball in the 24th minute and RSL had a chance from the 20 yard line, and the shot by Morales hits the pole, bounces back into the field of play, Kenny Deuchar dives for hit, but misses and Dallas clears the ball and ends the opportunity. A long ball from Kenny gets past the Dallas defense, Sala comes out to slow down Morales, but he misses the ball and it falls to Morales’ feet and he puts it into the back of the net 1-0 RSL. Dallas tries to answer off a free kick, but Rimando is there for the save, and the threat is avoided, interesting fact the team that has scored first in MKS this season, they have not lost 33 wins, and 7 draws, but not a single defeat for the team that scores first.
A horrible free kick by Alvarez misses everything on goes out past the end line, Dallas tries to attack again and Cooper fires a shot from 25 yards out, but it goes wide of the net. RSL looks a little rattled as Dallas has really stepped up their attack as they try to answer the RSL goal. RSL gets a couple chances off some decent midfield play from Morales, but nothing comes of it, and Dallas gets a counter in the 36th minute but it results in a shot that is easy pickings for Rimando. Dallas tries another attack by a great slide tackle by Olave breaks it up, but Dallas tries again and a Thompson shot poses no threat, you can see that Dallas is playing much more aggressively. RSL does their best to counter and gets a corner kick on a great second effort by Beckerman, the ball gets into the box, but no one gets a touch on it. In the 40th minute Williams comes in for Olave, who appears that he might have gotten a slight injury, he had an ice pack on his knee as he went into the locker room at the half. RSL gets their 5th corner of the match in the 41st minute, and this one gets cleared by Sala as there is a traffic wreck in the box with Borchers, Cooper and Sala all ending up on the ground. RSL is doing a good job of closing down Dallas when they get in the RSL final third, and RSL is doing a decent job of passing in the middle third. Both teams look like they are ready for the half to end and get a break and re-energize for the second half, and yes Samba Gringa is just as annoying on TV as they are in real life. I really hope they are a RES memory when we move to the new stadium. Interesting note to the match, Dallas has the youngest team in MLS this season, and RSL is the second youngest team, so this could be a couple of teams that become very familiar with each other over the next few years. The half ends 1-0 RSL.
2nd Half
RSL comes out with a quick attack, it is clear that the aggressive style that Jason has started RSL playing in recent weeks is something the players are embracing, I know it has made the matches much more enjoyable to watch. A free kick for RSL in the 47th minute, but nothing comes of it as Dallas wins the ball back and counters, but both teams have struggled to get any real attacks going in the first five minutes of the second half. Dallas is doing a better effort of trying to control the ball in the midfield, and less attacking via long balls, so far they don’t have much to show for it. RSL on the other hand gets a great chance on a long ball from Williams to Kenny, who passes it back to Beckerman, and his first touch lets him down and no shot results, Dallas counters and gets a good look at goal, but Rimando is there once again to shut them down. Another quick ball into a great position for RSL, and a shot from Morales bounces off Rocha and RSL gets another corner, but nothing comes from it. RSL is doing a nice job of getting wide balls and crossing them into box, but so far either the final effort has failed or there has been no one there to do anything with the ball.
Kenny puts forth a nice effort coming down the side, but his crossing pass is deflected and Sala clears the ball. Dallas counters and on a long ball Cooper gets the ball and makes an incredible shot putting the ball near post past Rimando, who had no chance at that ball and we are now tied 1-1. The remaining questions are how will RSL respond, and is Dallas a one trick pony with just Kenny Cooper as their only real offensive threat? A cheap shot from Moor on Espindola as he spikes him on the ankle, the match is getting a bit more physical as both teams are looking to get 3 points instead of one. Dallas is playing better in the second half, but RSL gets a great chance in the 61st as Dema beats Sala, but the Dallas DP Davino is there to clear the ball which was headed for the open goal, they dodged a bullet on that one.
Wow I love that Rocha took a huge dive when Beckerman touched the back of his neck, someone please give him an Oscar cause that was horrible, unless Kyle knows the Vulcan death grip that was a Olympic diving effort. A great long ball by Dema goes just a bit too long and into Sala’s hands, but it was a nice effort. RSL again seems to be regaining the battle for possession and the attacks have really come better from the team with possession, the long ball seems to have lost its punch after the Cooper goal. RSL again in the attacking third with possession, Dallas counters with Alvarez, who appeared to be offside but the flag stays down, but Dallas loses the ball without getting a shot. Cooper looks like he is almost out of gas, I really wonder why Dallas continues to look for the long ball, I also wonder why Dax McCarty hasn’t seen any action tonight, and he looked great in the U23 qualifying and earlier in the season for Dallas. In the 72nd minute Beckerman gets a shot on a ball served up by Dema, but Sala is just in the right spot one more time. RSL attacks again as Williams get the ball and Sala comes out and breaks it up, but RSL gets the ball right back and Andy plays the ball over the defense, and Kyle Beckerman taps it past Sala for the goal 2-1 RSL.
Dallas gets a corner kick in the 75th, which is cleared without too much trouble, but Dallas gets it back and then turns it over in the midfield. RSL gets a free kick about 10 yards outside the box, Williams serves the ball into Deuchar, who was held and tackled, but the call goes against him. Dallas has a nice attack in the 78th minute, and despite a good effort to get the ball in the box, they simply don’t have anyone to finish, and they lose the ball. Williams has been all over the pitch tonight in both the attack and defense, this is the Andy we saw in 2006, and I like having him back into the form that we are used to. The clocks shows 80 and RSL is up 2-1, but RSL has given up goals to Dallas in the last 10 minutes in every matchup last year, but this is a very different RSL. Williams drives a beautiful cross into Beckerman, who onetimes it on goal, a tough save by Sala who juggles the ball and then regains control to make the save, that one would have put the match away, but Dallas is still holding on. RSL has 9 players behind the ball in order to repel the Dallas attack, but you can see they are still looking for chances to attack. Findley gets into the box in the 86th minute but the ball goes off a Dallas player, and RSL gets a corner kick out of it, but with protecting the lead in mind, they only have one player on the receiving end in the box. Dallas is continuing to attack, and gets a free kick from about 8 yards outside of the box on a hard foul by Dema, but Kenny heads the ball away, what he has lacked in offense he has made up in defense on set pieces.
Well we have reached full time, and the fourth official has shown three minutes of stoppage time, RSL gives the ball away in the middle of the pitch, Dallas drive the ball into the box and Borchers clears it away. Dallas puts the ball over the end line and a goal kick for RSL, Rimando takes his time as the first minute of stoppage time has passed, and as the match winds down the Dallas announce team expresses their surprise at how good RSL is, again it is mentioned that they look like a playoff team. Meanwhile on the pitch Dallas is putting a lot of pressure on RSL in the attacking third, but so far their chances have fallen just short, and as the clock shows 3 minutes have past an offside call against Dallas, and the official blows his whistle this one is over and RSL wins 2-1. Salt Lake picks Williams as their man of the match and the Dallas announce team picks Kyle Beckerman who had the match winner.
Summary
Well this was a great match, both teams put forth solid efforts. I thought Dallas relied too much on the long ball, and gave up far too much possession in the midfield, while RSL controlled the tempo and the possession all match long. RSL failed to convert some chances, but overall their aggressive style of play was enough to get the win tonight. I thought Olave and Borchers put in great effort on defense, I was not real impressed with the Wingert at midfield experiment, and when Olave went out and Wingert moved back, I thought RSL controlled the ball a bit better. So at home RSL has not lost a match, but Thursday they travel to Denver for the first match in the Rocky Mountain Cup, can RSL pick up their first points on the road? I will make my preview and pick on Wednesday.
OFF MY SOAPBOX
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