Jefferson Savarino Free Kick Ties Score In Second Half For Real Salt Lake
Nov 6, 2023, 8:46 PM | Updated: 8:49 pm
RSL forward Jefferson Savarino (Courtesy of Real Salt Lake)
(Courtesy of Real Salt Lake)
SANDY, Utah – Chicho Arango’s presence completely shifted the Real Salt Lake attack in the second half, allowing Jefferson Savarino to even the score on a 70th-minute free kick.
Real Salt Lake hosts the Houston Dynamo in the second leg of a best-of-three first-round series. Houston leads the series 1-0 after beating RSL 2-1 on October 29.
RELATED: Real Salt Lake President Previews Playoff Game 2 Against Houston
Savarino 🚀🚀🚀 with a Golazo of a free kick to give RSL a lifeline. Ties things up at 1-1 #RSL @kslsports
— RSL Show on KSL (@rslshow) November 7, 2023
Real Salt Lake showed little ability to attack until Arango entered the 55th minute. Arango’s entrance immediately put RSL on the attack.
Houston keeper Steve Clark was up to the task until a foul gave Savarino the free kick from just outside the 18-yard box. Savarino blasted the ball past Clark to even the score at one.
Real Salt Lake needs to win to extend its season.
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Win To Stay In MLS Cup Hunt
In four games against the Dynamo this year, RSL forced one draw. The other three were losses. The club must reverse this trend if it hopes to advance past the first round.
This may prove tough for RSL. The last time Houston lost was against Sporting KC on September 23.
RELATED: Real Salt Lake Looks To Stay Alive As They Host Houston Dynamo
#HoldItDown look to lock it up and advance to Western Conference Semifinals. #RSL hopes to force Match 3 and keep their Audi #MLSCupPlayoffs dream alive.
Watch with NOW #MLSSeasonPass:https://t.co/U1y4HlN4yX pic.twitter.com/gnkeAWW2Iu
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 7, 2023
Real scored just one goal in its playoff opener against Houston.
However, the club was without two of its biggest offensive playmakers Chicho Arango and Pablo Ruiz. Ruiz suffered a season-ending injury earlier this season. Arango was dealing with a lingering hamstring injury.
On the other side of the MLS bracket, Kansas City defeated the No. 1 seed St. Louis City SC, 4-1. If RSL can win two straight and advance, they could potentially face the 8-seed in the semifinals.
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