Albert Rusnak shakes off injury to lead RSL to 3-0 victory at Cincinnati

Published: April 19, 2019, 8:19 p.m. MDT

Real Salt Lake midfielder Albert Rusnak, right, celebrates with forward Sam Johnson (50) after scoring on a penalty kick during the second half of the team's MLS soccer match against FC Cincinnati, Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) John Minchillo, AP

In the first half, things were not looking up for Albert Rusnak.

He looked at his hand after a slide tackle. His left ring finger was bending the wrong way. Dislocated.

And he received a yellow card for his tackle as well. Not to mention his team, Real Salt Lake, was being outshot, outpossesed and had given up nine corner kicks to a team that thrives on set pieces.

But then everything changed for RSL, and it came from the team's aggressiveness. In the end, Rusnak scored two goals, new striker Sam Johnson added another and Real put that four-game losing streak firmly in the rearview mirror with a 3-0 victory over expansion side FC Cincinnati in front of more than 26,000 fans Nippert Stadium in Cinicinnati.

"I'm very pleased on how they played," RSL head coach Mike Petke told Samantha Yarock on the television broadcast. "We've gone over some rough patches, but when we click and put it together, we play really well."

Just four minutes after having his fingers taped, Rusnak put RSL ahead.

Corey Baird pressed hard to win the ball back deep in FC Cincinnati's defensive third of the field. He blocked the clearance, gathered the ball along the endline. He faked a pass, took a shot that smashed off goalkeeper Spencer Richey's chest. Rusnak was waiting at the 18-yard line and pounced on the rebound.

Rusnak with the goal 🥅. pic.twitter.com/Pk41pRYgvT
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) April 20, 2019

It was Rusnak's third goal of the season.

"I felt my finger was out of place. My hand is not that important to the game, so I continued," he said. "When you score a goal, you don't feel the pain."

Despite being on the road, RSL continued to attack FCC's goal before halftime and Johnson smashed the ball into the net from inside the 6-yard box after efforts by Damir Kreilach and Baird were blocked.

Sam doubles the lead before the half! pic.twitter.com/hENkAypTvP
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) April 20, 2019

"It was a good press by our team," Johnson said at halftime.

Real continued to be aggressive in the second half, and in 59th minute Jefferson Savarino was taken down inside the penalty area. Rusnak made no mistake, clobbering the penalty into the left upper corner of the goal for the 3-0 advantage.

Albert Four-Fingers 🖖makes it 3-0 in Cinci. pic.twitter.com/xFCFVPCHN7
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) April 20, 2019

Defensively, RSL was able to clear two headers off the line after corner kicks, one in each half. Those were Cincinnati's best chances of the game as RSL goalkeeper Andrew Putna only had to make one save. Putna earned his first career MLS shutout in his first appearance of the season, filling in for Nick Rimando.

It was only RSL's second clean sheet of the season.

"Discipline, workrate, back pressing. The commitment on the night on both sides of the ball ... that was what closed the game out," Petke said.

In its fifth road game of the season, RSL (3-4-1) finally got their first win away from home.

"It feels good, not just the win, but how we played," Rusnak said. "The style we play at home, we need to present that on the road."

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RSL will go for their second road victory next Saturday, April 28, at the L.A. Galaxy.

Real Salt Lake midfielder Albert Rusnak lies on the pitch after sustaining a hand injury during the first half of the team's MLS soccer match against FC Cincinnati, Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

Real Salt Lake forward Sam Johnson, center, celebrates after scoring during the first half of the team's MLS soccer match against FC Cincinnati, Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

Real Salt Lake midfielder Albert Rusnak, center, celebrates with his teammates after scoring during the first half of an MLS soccer match against FC Cincinnati, Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

FC Cincinnati forward Darren Mattocks (11) passes the ball as Real Salt Lake forward Jefferson Savarino (7) defends during the first half of an MLS soccer match Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

Real Salt Lake forward Sam Johnson, center, and FC Cincinnati midfielder Frankie Amaya, rear, vie for a head ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

Real Salt Lake midfielder Albert Rusnak, right, and FC Cincinnati midfielder Leonardo Bertone (6) compete for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

FC Cincinnati midfielder Kenny Saief, right, reacts alongside Real Salt Lake forward Corey Baird (17) during the first half of an MLS soccer match Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

Real Salt Lake forward Corey Baird, right, dribbles past FC Cincinnati defender Alvas Powell during the second half of an MLS soccer match Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

Real Salt Lake midfielder Albert Rusnak takes a penalty kick during the second half of the team's MLS soccer match against FC Cincinnati, Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Spencer Richey looks down during the second half of the team's MLS soccer match against Real Salt Lake, Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

FC Cincinnati defender Mathieu Deplagne, right, tackles Real Salt Lake forward Jefferson Savarino (7) during the second half of an MLS soccer match Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

Real Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman, right, dribbles past FC Cincinnati midfielder Allan Cruz, front left, during the second half of an MLS soccer match Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

Real Salt Lake forward Jefferson Savarino reacts following a tackle from FC Cincinnati defender Mathieu Deplagne during the second half of an MLS soccer match Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

Real Salt Lake midfielder Damir Kreilach, center left, reacts toward FC Cincinnati defender Kendall Waston (2) during the second half of an MLS soccer match Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

FC Cincinnati defender Mathieu Deplagne (17) and midfielder Victor Ulloa (8) defend against Real Salt Lake midfielder Albert Rusnak (11) during the second half of an MLS soccer match Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Andrew Putna looks to pass the ball during the first half of the team's MLS soccer match against FC Cincinnati, Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

Real Salt Lake midfielder Albert Rusnak, left, collides with FC Cincinnati midfielder Leonardo Bertone (6) during the first half of an MLS soccer match Friday, April 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) | John Minchillo, AP

SOCCER NOTES: While RSL was on the road, brother and sister clubs Real Monarchs SLC and Utah Royals FC are home Saturday.

The Monarchs will try to bounce back from a 5-1 loss at New Mexico United while hosting rival San Antonio FC at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman at 5 p.m.

The Royals open their season by hosting the Washington Spirit at Rio Tinto Stadium at 7 p.m. The Spirit feature former BYU striker Ashley Hatch.

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