Mike Petke takes the blame for 'lackluster' Real Salt Lake in 1-1 draw against Minnesota United

SANDY — Despite a lackluster performance, Real Salt Lake managed to salvage a point Saturday night.

RSL’s 1-1 draw with Minnesota United on Saturday night at Rio Tinto Stadium was very different affair from last week’s engergetic 4-0 victory over Philadelphia. Head coach Mike Petke put the blame on himself.

“It’s a tale of two weeks from this week to last week,” he said. “It starts with me. I think I pushed them a bit too hard this week. I take fault for the lackluster (performance).”

The game felt disjointed from start, and that seemed to play into the exact type of game United wanted to play, pushing two banks of four defenders up the field to disrupt the RSL attack.

“Their lines were so tight,” RSL midfielder/attacker Damir Kreilach said. “We didn’t create our space. It was difficult to play forward. At the end of the day a point is a point and every point counts.”

The even result gives RSL an even 30 goals for and 30 goals against for 30 points in the standings to remain in seventh place. United ended the game tied for fourth place.

Both of the match's goals came off corner kicks, and the first came when Darwin Quintero gave Minnesota the lead in the 57th minute. Quintero had an easy header just inches away from the goal after teammate Mason Toye directed the cross to him.

Petke soon made some tactical adjustments by substituting in Corey Baird and Joao Plata. It seemed to give RSL some life, and it almost paid off in the 69th minute when Donny Toia nearly latched onto a Jefferson Savarino cross.

On the ensuing corner, Savarino tried his luck again, and this time he connected with his target, Marcelo Silva. The center back had drifted away from his markers and scissor-volleyed the ball past an off-balance United goalkeeper Vito Mannone.

“I could feel something coming,” right back Brooks Lennon said. “We were putting a lot of pressure on them. I think we had a couple of corners in that span, and we were pushing for the second one (after that goal). We all know we let points slip tonight.”

For Silva it was a fitting reward for his strong defensive work throughout the game. Petke said he's been impressed from what he’s seen recently from the starter-turned backup-turned-starter.

“Marcelo is somebody I can relate to because he’s cut from the same cloth,” Petke said. “He knows what’s he’s good at, and what he’s not good at. He’s been patient getting into the lineup. He’s giving me a lot to think about (when Nedum Onuoha returns from injury).”

After the goal, both teams had excellent chances to win the game.

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Plata came on for Albert Rusnak in the 77th minute and looked dangerous right away, creating three scoring chances just minutes after coming on. Kreilach had a free header from just outside the 6-yard box. Just minutes later, Kyle Beckerman had another close header shot that was blocked.

In the 88th minute United hit the post on a bending shot by Jan Gregus. The ball careened back into Nick Rimando before being eventually cleared. That started a nervy five minutes where Minnesota sent several dangerous balls into the box.

While neither team took advantage, both squads kept long undefeated streaks alive. United hasn’t lost in MLS or U.S. Open Cup action since June 6 while it’s nearly as long (June 11) since RSL has lost a match at home.

Real turns its attention to a new interleague knockout competition called the Leagues Cup, which pits four MLS teams against four Liga MX clubs. RSL will host Tigres of Nuevo León on Wednesday at 8:30.

RSL then follows that game up with a key MLS game at FC Dallas on Saturday. The Hoops are just two points ahead of RSL in the Western Conference standings.