Real Salt Lake 1 : 0 Sounders FC

Sounders fell 1-0 to Real Salt Lake at the Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday evening. The Seattle side can have few complaints after a disappointing performance in which they rarely threatened Nick Rimando’s goal. The deciding goal came in the 61st minute when Rimando’s goal kick was allowed to run through the Sounders’ midfield and fell to Robbie Findley, who turned Peter Vagenas with disappointing ease, and fired superbly past Kasey Keller for the lead. Sounders FC have now failed to score in five games, although that includes friendlies with top European sides, Chelsea and Barcelona.

Real Salt Lake v Sounders Player Ratings

Although the manner in which the goal was conceded can be isolated and scrutinised, that would serve only to mask a below par Sounders’ performance. James Riley missed this game due to his red card last week. Brad Evans played at right back, and was arguably sorely missed in midfield.

There are many aspects of the Sounders’ display which failed to meet adequate criteria, with the exception of Tyrone Marshall, Kasey Keller and perhaps Osvaldo Alonso. Brad Evans played in the unfamiliar role of right-back in James Riley’s absence, and although he has played that role for the United States, did not look comfortable.

RSL manager Jason Kreis was banished to the stand due to a previous red card, but his side began the stronger. Tyrone Marshall produced an excellent tackle inside Seattle’s penalty box after just seven minutes to dispossess Robbie Findley. A mis-step either way and it could have been fatal. Tyrone’s timing of the tackle remains his greatest strength. Clint Mathis picked up an early yellow four minutes later for an assault on MLS debutant Leo Gonzalez, and thereafter spent the rest of the game trying to get the Costa Rican booked back.

On the quarter hour, Will Johnson’s square ball traveled all the way across Sounders danger area, and the visitors were glad to see Beltran miss with his shot. Six minutes later, Robbie Findley shrugged off Peter Vagenas, but Beckerman drilled his pass wide. Sounders were playing way too much long ball stuff and it was both awful to watch and ineffective. Ossie Alonso made a marvelous interception just before half time, to deny Beckerman another goal effort and Clint Mathis blasted another late first half opportunity over after he was the lucky recipient off the ball at an RSL free kick. Just before half time, the only Ljungberg corner to find a Sounder was headed over the bar by Fredy Montero.

The second half opened poorly for Seattle. They had the ball inside the RSL half and looked threatless and continued to dither with the ball as defenders closed in until Vagenas was finally dispossessed. The ball quickly broke to the other end and Kasey Keller saved everybody’s blushes. Montero shot another opportunity wide after 52, but the game changing moment which gave Salt Lake the lead was only nine minutes away.

There was little cause for pleasure about anything Sounders FC produced tonight. Steve Zakuani didn’t receive significant possession for the first half hour, but did admittedly look threatening when his colleagues finally fed him the ball. However, there’s been more chance of a threat of activity from the right in a North Korean general election than the Sounders’ showed tonight. Sounders won eleven corners and lost the challenge to all but a couple in the box. Nick Rimando was called upon to make just one save, although Kasey Keller made one more. Of Seattle’s nine shots, eight were off target.

Real Salt Lake move to 26 points while, Los Angeles Galaxy’s victory over New England Revolution vaulted them above Sounders in the Western Conference. San Jose’s recovery ground to a halt with a 3-0 defeat against Columbus, and Chivas’s miserable run of 9 weeks without an MLS point continued with a 4-0 hammering by Colorado Rapids, who leap-frogged Sounders to go into third.

Seattle will visit Los Angeles next week without Jhon Hurtado who picked up another booking. The gap at centre-half presents an opportunity for Taylor Graham, Tyson Wahl or Pat Ianni to stake a claim for the third choice centre-half position.

Vote for the Man of the Match

Western Conference Table

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points
Houston	21	10	5	6	35
Los Angeles	20	7	10	3	31
Colorado	20	8	6	6	30
Seattle	20	7	8	5	29
Chivas USA	18	8	3	7	27
Real Salt Lake	20	7	5	8	26
FC Dallas	20	6	5	9	23
San Jose	20	4	5	11	17

Real Salt Lake: Nick Rimando, Chris Wingert, Jamison Olave, Nat Borchers, Tony Beltran, Clint Mathis (Rachid El Khalfi 67), Kyle Beckerman, Javier Morales, Will Johnson, Fabian Espindola (Pablo Campos 90), Robbie Findley

Substitutes Not Used: Andy Williams, Ned Grabavoy, Chris Seitz, David Horst, Jean Alexandre

Seattle Sounders FC: Kasey Keller, Brad Evans, Tyrone Marshall, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Leo Gonzalez (Sanna Nyassi 81), Osvaldo Alonso (Nathan Sturgis 81), Peter Vagenas, Steve Zakuani, Fredy Montero, Nate Jaqua (Roger Levesque 69).

Substitutes Not Used: Terry Boss, Patrick Ianni, Tyson Wahl, Zach Scott.

Attendance: 14,913

---

NEW Commission an Award-Winning Prost Amerika Match Report for your child, school or team. Send us an email for further details.*

Stay Informed When We Post a New Story

Facebook User? Become a Facebook Fan

Click For All Stories in the MLS, Match Reports, Sounders FC Category

Back to Soccer Homepage

*Discount for Washington Youth Soccer Members. Perfect for a birthday present too.