Real Salt Lake came home to Rio Tinto Stadium Saturday night with a 1-1-1 record over the last 3 games. Not exactly stellar, but adequate considering two of those three games were on the road. That being said, RSL needs goals and it needed a win.
The first half gave RSL everything it could have hoped for. It scored two goals, one from Olmes Garcia, who both RSL fans and brass have been waiting to see own up to his potential. RSL had the clean sheet, and Chicago was gassed.
All RSL had to do was keep Chicago on the ropes throughout the second half and the game was won.
Chicago's Arturo Alvarez had other ideas in the 58th minute when he snuck in behind Demar Phillips and pinged home a single-touch volley off a beautiful Nick LaBrocca cross.
Chicago had taken on new life, and the game's momentum. That was until Javier Morales took it back in the 63rd minute with a crack of a goal to put RSL back up by two goals.
Nick Rimando finished things off with three tremendous saves to keep the score 3-1 for the win and a place in the record books as the keeper with the most wins in MLS history.
Here are the player grades.
Nick Rimando (GK), 8, played a typically strong game Saturday night. Most of his work came from commanding the box on crosses and set pieces. He did allow a goal when Arturo Alvarez pinged in an unsavable goal, but Rimando did keep Chicago from believing it might have a chance when he saved Michael Harrington's 79th-minute shot, and a save of the week candidate in his double save on Nick LaBrocca in the final seconds of the game. With Saturday's win, Rimando passed Kevin Hartman to become the winningest goalkeeper in Major League Soccer history.
Demar Phillips (DEF), 6, played an adequate 90 minutes for RSL. His one-on-one defending was solid, but it was his zonal defense that let him down in the 53rd minute when Chicago's Arturo Alvarez caught him ball-watching and snuck in behind Phillips to temporarily steal the game's momentum with a goal.
Justen Glad (DEF), 8, is proving to be one of best one-on-one defenders of the central backs in Major League Soccer. He uses his speed and size extremely well, and has surprising strength for his wiry frame. Add that to some vastly improved decision-making, and Saturday was one of his most commanding performances of the season.
Jamison Olave (DEF), 7, seems to have benefitted from his bench time this season. Not only because it's allowed him to remain healthy, but because it seems to have given him a sort of confidence seeing Aaron Maund settle into the starting role — granting Olave a sort of permission to own his role of occasional fill-in, but knowing he can give it his all. And Olave did that Saturday night with one of his tightest games of the year.
Chris Wingert (DEF), 7, was excellent in place of a resting Tony Beltran Saturday night. His passing was near-perfect, and his spacing, offensively, was a huge part of RSL opening the Chicago defense up along the right wing. He did well to get back on defense, but it was clear part of the RSL game plan had Wingert playing into the attack as much as possible. He was subbed out in the 59th minute to make way for Beltran to close out the game.
Luke Mulholland (MID), 7, apart from an errant pass in the 39th minute that nearly turned to a Chicago goal, provided excellent energy throughout the midfield both defensively and offensively. He really was everywhere the action seemed to be.
Javier Morales (MID), 9, continues to be the backbone of the RSL attack. Saturday night he picked apart the Chicago defense with tremendous passing and confidence on the ball all along the 18-yard box. His connection with Burrito Martinez was as good as it's been all season. Morales earned an assist off Garcia's 15th-minute goal, a goal of his own in the 28th minute at the penalty spot off a Martinez won penalty, and another critical one in the 53rd minute as RSL had lost some momentum to a re-energized Chicago team in the second half. Man of the Match.
Kyle Beckerman (MID), 8, looked as fresh as if this were his first game in a week's time. It happened to be his third full game. Nevertheless, Beckerman wore down the Chicago midfield with his constant pressure and barrage of challenges Saturday night. Beckerman also gave RSL another steady source of confidence that allowed Luke Mulholland and the wings to play more into the attack than they might have otherwise. It was one of the reasons why RSL dominated the game.
Juan Manuel Martinez (FWD), 8, was on Saturday night. His passing with Morales and Wingert down the right wing won him a PK in the 28th minute (taken, and converted by Morales), and a near goal minutes later in the 30th minute as he slolomed through Chicago defenders for one of the game's most exciting moments.
Olmes Garcia (FWD), 7, has benefited from the spate of games he's put under his belt lately. With Yura Movsisyan rehabbing an injury, Garcia has had time to improve his spacing, his passing and his shooting. And in the 15th minute, he was the recipient of a simple pass from Javier Morales at the top of the box, where he put a simple, well-placed shot into the back of the net. It was his first since June 2015, when he scored against Columbus at home.
Joao Plata (FWD), 7, doesn't have to score to do so many important things for this team. Saturday was one of those nights. He didn't score. He didn't earn an assist, but he was a constant nuisance to the Chicago backline, helping to pull them apart all night long as the rest of the RSL attack turned that hard work into points.
Tony Beltran (SUB, 59', DEF), 7, came on for Chris Wingert in the 59th minute in a clearly defensive focused role. He didn't pass midfield much, but was focused on locking down the right flank with some excellent one-on-one defending.
John Stertzer (SUB 82', MID), 7, came on for Luke Mulholland and did exactly what was asked of him. He was a wrecker in the midfield, and by the time he entered the game, he was clearly asked to keep the passing simple and safe.
Omar Holness (SUB, 88', FWD), came on for Burrito Martinez. He did not play enough to earn a grade.
Chris Higbee is a regular contributor to DeseretNews.com, where he writes about Real Salt Lake, the arts, and social commentary.