The 2015 season has not been the kind of years Real Salt Lake players or fans are used to.
“We’re not where we want to be. Where we’ve been in the past seven years or so building that foundation to get us to be an elite team in this league took a lot of hard work. Now our fans have those expectations, that’s where we want to be,” RSL captain Kyle Beckerman told Deseret News' James Edward last Friday.
Saturday night, Real Salt Lake hosted another "riches-to-rags" team in 2015, the Seattle Sounders who had gone just 1-8-0 prior to a win against Orlando City last weekend. With Real Salt Lake sitting six points behind Seattle, which is currently in the final Western Conference playoff spot, a win could keep hope alive. And this time of year, hope can be a powerful thing. Just ask the 2009 Real Salt Lake squad that made the playoffs in miracle fashion. We all know where that led.
RSL started things off in charge with some help from Seattle defender Roman Torres, who handled the ball in the box in the 12th minute. Javier Morales scored on the ensuing penalty kick. Sebastian Jaime scored a second in the 27th minute in what can be described as a team-earned goal. The Claret and Cobalt held off the Sounders to end the half up 2-0.
Real Salt Lake has struggled in the past to keep halftime leads, but Saturday Salt Lake was simply more determined than Seattle, and while there wasn't much about the second half to get excited about, RSL survived the grind and earned three relished points with a final score of 2-0.
Here are the player grades:
Nick Rimando (GK), 9, Most nights, it's not easy to find anything to be critical about with Nick Rimando. And for the most part, Saturday was just one more of those nights. While he simply wasn't challenged much by Seattle's attacking front, he did have a handful of nice saves. There was one knock, come to think of it. His distribution was not quite up to snuff. And that's being pretty picky given how good "not up to snuff" can be for Rimando compared to the rest of the MLS ’keepers.
Aaron Maund (DEF), 9, is both testament to the quality of RLS's defensive coaching staff, the time they've put in with young center back, and the value of hard work. It's taken a couple of years, but Maund has certainly earned his place starting in the central defense along side Jamison Olave. Saturday night was another solid performance, especially around the box.
Jamison Olave (DEF), 9, can be Jekyll and Hyde. One minute he's burning turf to take away an unbelievable angle, and the next he's plowing into a player for a red card. It's inexplicable. Thankfully, Saturday required little explanation. Olave was excellent. He behaved himself — mostly. He didn't earn any cards and he was just mean enough to keep Seattle's attack squad on their heels anytime they came near the RSL box. This is the Olave RSL needs if it is going to make the playoffs.
Demar Phillips (DEF), 7, struggled a bit to keep up with Seattle's quick and skilled right side in the likes of Erik Friberg and Obafemi Martins. He was particularly vulnerable up against the touch-line on defense, and he struggled to have an impact on offense when coming up the flank. He was very good in the central midfield, linking up with all of the midfielders and Joao Plata to take advantage of the central space Seattle was giving up in its wide 4-4-2.
Tony Beltran (DEF), 9, was efficient, he was quick and he was critical in several man-on defensive battles just outside the box that kept a Seattle team frustrated over the course of the game. He did have to hold things down defensively a bit more than usual, given Silva's roaming role, but the few times he was able to get forward, particularly in the second half, Beltran was solid.
Luke Mulholland (MID), 10, did not start off sharp offensively. His passing in particular was slightly off. But it was his shot in the 19th minute from 27 yards out that ricocheted off the crossbar that fell perfectly to Sebastian Jaime alone in the box for an un-earned assist on RSL's second goal of the night. From that point on, Mulholland owned the midfield. He was literally everywhere, attacking every ball with intent.
Kyle Beckerman (MID), 10, set the tone for Real Salt Lake Saturday night. There was no doubt that Beckerman is gunning for a playoff spot at any cost. He was brilliant from box to box, taking three meaningful shots from distance, two on goal, but saved by Seattle's Stefan Frei. And defensively he was a beast, using his untiring motor and speed, not typical of Beckerman these days, to keep Seattle from stringing together much of an attack through the center of the field. Together, Beckerman and Mulholland were a powerful combination in the central midfield.
Javier Morales (MID), 10, spent the first 12 minutes marshalling the RSL troops, bobbing and weaving their way through the midfield testing the Seattle defense for weaknesses. He found one in the 12th minute when Seattle's Roman Torres inexplicably handled the ball just inside the box with no one else around to put Morales at the penalty kick spot. He had no trouble putting the game opener into the right side netting in the 13th minute.
Luis Silva (MID), 9, showed immediate veteran savvy and patience in a hybrid right mid/right forward role that took Seattle a bit by surprise on offense Saturday night. Silva sent several good balls into the box from the wing and played part in the melee of the 12th minute that earned RSL an eventual goal-scoring opportunity from the PK spot. Silva's only knock was a tendency to get caught a bit high on the field, especially in the counterattack, to get caught ball-watching on more than one occasion.
Sebastian Jaime (FWD), 10, little by little has begun to pull a nice array of tricks out of his bag. Saturday night he showed a Chris Wondolowski-esque knack for positioning — being in the right place at the right time. The 19th minute found him all alone in the box to capitalize on Luke Mulholland's rebounded shot where he headed it for RSL's second goal. But it was the work Jaime put in the 30 or so seconds prior to the goal that allowed him to be in that position. And it continued to happen all night.
Joao Plata (FWD), 7, started Saturday's game in very good form, linking up with Morales and Jaime in particular to put pressure on the Seattle defense. Then he disappeared. He struggled against the robust Roman Torres, and Seattle's Tyrone Mears did a good job of reining him in with some physical play and speed for quickness.
Olmes Garcia (FWD, SUB 69'), 6, came on for Joao Plata. Garcia continues to show God-given skill in blazing bursts that somehow always seem to fizzle in the moment of truth. His 76th minute drive from the right side of the field into the box included a back-heel flick over his head directly into a full sprint at the box only to side foot it into a crowd of Seattle defenders. This was indicative of other similar situations throughout the second half. He was also shown a yellow card in the 83rd minute.
Jordan Allen (MID, SUB 83'), 8, Came on for Luis Silva. Allen struggled to find the flow of the game so late, but provided enough of a presence to keep the momentum with RSL.
Devon Sandoval (FWD, SUB 87'), no grade. Came on for Sebastian Jaime.
Chris Higbee is the former general manager of DeseretNews.com and continues to write on various topics, including soccer, theater and social commentary.