Goals from Javier Morales and Sebastian Jaime kept RSL’s playoff hopes alive as they cruised past a lackluster Seattle Sounders at Rio Tinto Stadium. Both goals came within the first 20 minutes of play.
The Sounders had found some form last weekend following a five-game losing streak after they comprehensively defeated Orlando City at CenturyLink Field. Despite the win, the Seattle side were still teetering at sixth place in the conference, and were hoping that the recent return of Obafemi Martins would propel them back up the table. RSL were having a tumultuous time themselves – they’ve lost their last three MLS games, leaving them six points adrift of a playoff spot.
Real Salt Lake had some shakeup in the backroom as well, with the club having recently parted ways with President Bill Manning. On the pitch however, Jeff Cassar’s men had cornered themselves into a must-win situation. A defeat would have effectively ended their MLS campaign – a nine-point gap at this stage would just be too huge to bridge.
With both sides looking nervy, the opening minutes made for feeble exchanges with heavy touches and stray passes aplenty in both halves. Eventually RSL got the first break in the 12th minute, when Roman Torres made the first crucial mistake of the game after he was adjudged to have handled a seemingly innocuous ball in the box. Javier Morales obliged from the spot to give the home side an early lead.
Forward Sebastian Jaime soon doubled the lead in the 18th minute of play, after Luke Mulholland’s shot from outside the box hit the crossbar. The Argentine coolly poached in front of goal to beat an out-of-position Sebastian Frei.
The best chance for Sounders came in the 35th minute when forward Obafemi Martins got on the end of a Aaron Kovar cross. His effort was tipped straight into the crossbar by keeper Nick Rimando.
At half-time, coach Jeff Cassar would have been satisfied with the rotation and interplay between his front three, but would’ve hardly been complacent – RSL have often failed to close games from winning positions this season.
Seattle Sounders came into the second half with more purpose and indeed had spells where they had the lion’s share of the possession; however, they barely did enough in the final third and Rimando never had to make save in the second 45. The closest they came was in the 56th minute, when Martins shot wide of goal from a tight angle.
RSL could’ve snatched a third themselves – the best chance falling to Luis Silva in the 64th minute. The recently-recruited RSL winger got himself at the end of a Luke Mulholland cross, but just could not get enough connection to direct the ball goal-wards.
The two-goal lead was more than adequate nonetheless, as Seattle never mounted a serious threat in the game. The win takes RSL within three points of a playoff spot, while Sounders’ slump continued as they invited the likes of RSL, Houston Dynamo and San Jose Earthquakes back into the playoff tussle. RSL face Sounders twice more this season – including a potentially crucial fixture on the Decision Day, so the sides remain destined to significantly affect each other’s playoff hopes going into the business end of the season.
