Real Salt Lake Score At The Death To Pinch A Point From Portland
Aug 29, 2020, 10:40 PM | Updated: 11:41 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Real Salt Lake score two goals in the final ten minutes to pinch a point in emphatic fashion against the Portland Timbers. Late substitutions by Freddy Juarez ended up being the difference as Diego Rossi and Sam Johnson made a big difference.
That was fun pic.twitter.com/fd80D4jpqg
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) August 30, 2020
Goals Galore
RSL surrendered the first goal in incredibly poor fashion. Andrew Putna played a simple ball to Pablo Ruiz who did not realize Diego Chara was on his heels. Chara pick-pocketed the ball, danced around Putna and passed the ball into an open goal.
Corey Baird then equalized in the 19th minute after the football was pin-balled around the six-yard box. He pocked it behind Steve Clark to give the visitors their first goal of the match.
Unfortunately, poor marking from a corner-kick gave Portland the second goal and the lead into the half.
The second half started just how RSL wanted when Damir Kreilach scissor-kicked the ball into the top right corner from a deflected header.
As the game went on, it was evident that RSL was starting to lose its energy.
Sebastian Blanco cut onto his non-preferred left foot and scored an amazing long ranch shot by finding the top right-hand corner.
70' Blanco puts the Timbers up for the third time this evening
3-2 pic.twitter.com/urT3ve8b2d
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) August 30, 2020
The onslaught continued, which led Freddy Juarez to bring Sam Johnson on for Pablo Ruiz in the 81st minute.
Diego Rossi came on soon after.
RSL found themselves down a goal on three separate occasions throughout the match.
Portland Go Up 4-2
In the 83rd minute, minutes after Diego Rossi entered the game, he played a ball into the area from a corner kick and the ball fell to the feet of center-back Nedum Onuoha. His right foot shot would ricochet off the far post and into the much-relieved hands of Steve Clark.
RSL came within inches of scoring yet another equalizer late in the game.
Then, Portland immediately transitioned the ball into their attack. Onuoha was one on one with Felipe Mora who tricked Putna into thinking he was shooting to the back post and instead punished RSL with a goal, finding and beating Putna at the near post.
The game of soccer can be brutal.
Nail Biting Finish
91' Rossi gets his first MLS goal!!!!
4-3 pic.twitter.com/ryz0IcQHdU
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) August 30, 2020
Diego Rossi scored his first goal for the club in the 91st minute after Damir Kreilach put the ball on a platter for Rossi who scored with his preferred left foot from the six-yard area.
In the 95th minute, Corey Baird dazzled his way into the area and found Sam Johnson unattended. Johnson’s left foot rocketed the equalizer into the top left corner of the net to pinch a point from the MLS Is Back Tournament winners.
RSL broke a club record by generating 29 shots on goal against the Portland Timbers. Unfortunately. they were only able to score on three occasions.
What a remarkable effort by RSL who showed a tremendous amount of perseverance to manage to find a point.
95' ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!??!
4-4 pic.twitter.com/rJ7t7dJpu3
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) August 30, 2020
Next Match
RSL will return home with a Wednesday night fixture against the reigning MLS Cup champions the Seattle Sounders.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. with a limited number of tickets still available.
