Bring your green hat, we're going streaking!

Real Salt Lake pushed their winning streak to 5 straight Saturday night (most in the storied? history of the Salt Lake side) as they put the beating down on the Wiz (worst name in the league) of Kansas City, 4-1 off goals from Espindola, Saborio, Russel and Grabavoy.
The party got started right in the 31st minute as Fabian Espindola put down his third goal of the 2010 campaign off a brilliant set up from elder RSL statesman and consummate pro Andy Williams. Williams received the ball in an advanced position and feigned a couple of shot attempts. As the Kansas City defense started to back off, Williams found Espindola running on the left wing and the RSL striker  was able to slot it past KC keeper Jimmy Nielsen's and into the far post netting.

The Wizards looked like they were in for a long night when only three minutes later they were digging an Alvaro Saborio strike out of the back of the net. Espindola got loose on the left wing again and chipped the ball toward Nielsen, who totally fumbled the save. Saborio came flying in and poked it past the beaming blond KC keep.

RSL seemed to be in total control as the half was coming to a close, but a fatal mistake by Nat Borchers allowed the Wizards to sneak back into the match. After Nick Rimando gathered a long ball attempt and played around with it for too long he played it out to Borchers, who also was way too casual with the clearance. Former US national team stand out Josh Wolff pounced on the nonchalant play and slid a pass across the goal mouth to a wide open Davy Arnaud (who was sent off in the second half for being totally ridiculous throughout the whole match) and Arnaud blasted it past Rimando in the 42nd minute.

Despite the breakdown in the back, RSL was able to bounce back in the second half and regain control of the match. A number of scoring chances came and went for the home side that were never converted, but Kansas City never looked to be much of a threat. RSL did strike the killing blow, however, in the 86th after a hard foul just outside the box, which resulted in Arnaud's dismissal. The goal came off of a volley from second half sub Robbie Russell. Javier Morales blasted a shot the skipped net-ward but Nielsen was able to get a boot to it at the last minute. Russell was there on the follow up and put a pretty one timer in.

As the game was winding down, Ned Grabavoy was able to knock in his first goal of the season, when he took the ball off of a bumbling KC defender and easily put it past Nielsen to make the final tally 4-1 for the team who remains undefeated at home in 2010.

 

...And Saborio Is His Name

After weeks and months of everyone around the Real Salt Lake raving about the Costa Rican super-striker, Major League Soccer was officially introduced to its best kept secret on Thursday night as Alvaro Saborio notched two top-shelf goals, leading his club to a 3-1 revenge romp over Western Conference foes (more like bitter enemies) Houston Dynamo.

On a day when his running partner at the top, Robbie Findley, was eating up all of the headlines for his inclusion in the 30 man US World Cup roster, Saborio stole the show with a dominant performance which he started off in the 24th minute, picking up a Javi-Mo poke and burying from just inside the penalty area.

After Morales fought off two defenders for possession, he was able to do just enough to get it to Saborio who caulked back and put it past Pat Onstad, putting RSL up 2-0.


The Costa Rican international was in no way finished though. In the 61st minute Saborio redirected a Morales restart with his head and past Onstad for his second of the night, tallying his second header goal in as many weeks.

The big question coming into the match is whether or not Findley was going to show some of that late 2009 form on the eve of the US men's team training camp. Findley answered some concern early with a well finished header from a Kyle Beckerman cross in the 3rd minute, but, on a whole, seemed to be still over thinking things, as he missed two easy one on one chances that RSL is so used to seeing him bury.

Houston, who won the last meeting between the sides early in the season 2-1, were completely outclassed on the night, managing only one tally on a broken defensive play in the late stages of the game.

Salt Lake looks to continue this hot streak next Saturday as they go on the road to face Chivas USA in Home Depot Stadium.

Man of the Match: Alvaro Saborio was simply dominant tonight, not only with his two goals but with his athleticism, his touch and his instinct tonight. The man looks to be about as "on" as a forward in this league can be right now, Major League Soccer is officially on notice.

Notes: 12, 945 fans were on hand for the midweek affair, and they were rocking, easily the loudest crowd of the year...Will Johnson was back in the lineup after missing a few weeks because of injury...Brian Ching came on late as a sub, his first action since being injured in week two.

No Love For Philly

 Real Salt Lake, after a shaky start on the season, was looking at the month of May to be their spark for the rest of 2010. With four home games during the month, RSL needed to take a lot of points into June, and with Saturday's 3-0 win coupled with the win over Toronto last week, they are doing just that.

The expansion side, Philadelphia Union, came into the match with just three points on the season and have been struggling with chemistry and personnel issues, really showed a lot of weaknesses as Real did whatever they wanted during the matinee affair in Rio Tinto.

The home side opened the scoring in the 28th minute after Union defender Christian Arrieta's clearing pass fell right onto RSL's Alvaro Saborio's foot. Saborio walked it into the box and tried to find someone to play the ball to and his attempt was broken up. But Kyle Beckerman was able to find the loose ball at the top of the penalty area and bury a strike past former RSL man, and current Union keeper, Chris Seitz.

Real Salt Lake seemed to break Philadelphia's spirit at that point and the away side started to make chippy, desperate fouls. One such foul, a reckless tackle by Arrieta on Will Johnson (which earned Arrieta a caution--not his day), led to Real's second goal. Javier Morales stepped  up to the free kick just outside the area and swung the ball toward Seitz. Seitz was unable to control the attempt and Jamison Olave pounded into the back of the net. 2-0 RSL in minute 53.

The second half continued to be all Real Salt Lake , who really outclassed Philly in every department. Every ball seemed crisp and patient and Real was just winning everything that was even remotely up for grabs.

RSL was able to seal the deal in the 71st minute when Pablo Campos (a first half sub for Robbie Findley, who left the match with a back injury) layed a ball up to Saborio who put a precision header past Seitz.

Overall, a very impressive performance by Real, who now awaits the Thursday evening clash with bitter Western Conference foe, the Houston Dynamo.

Man of the Match: Kyle Beckerman was a monster today. A very special strike to start things off was only one of the many great hustle plays the Salt Lake captain made this afternoon.. When he plays his game, there are very few in the league that can affect a match the way he does.

Happy to be Home

It's been a tough start for the defending MLS Cup Champions, playing four of five on the road, three of which losses to playoff-caliber teams, but Rio Tinto proved to be home sweet home once again as Real Salt Lake held on to a 2-1 result against Toronto FC on Saturday night.

After failing to score against C-Bus last week, Real was obviously eager to get on the board early in this one, getting one from Jamison Olave off an Andy Williams corner in the 13th minute. Williams whipped in a great corner that Alvaro Saborio went up for and hit past Toronto goalkeeper Stefam Frei. Olave easily poked the chance in and RSL was off and running.

The difference in the match came off of a picturesque strike from Andy Williams in minute 42. Left fullback Tony Beltran, who was sensational tonight, cut through Toronto's wing defense and laid one off to Andy 18 yards away. Williams stepped up and bent one past Frei, putting his side up 2-0.

The second half seemed to be ripe for one or two more tallies for the home side but missed chances combined with questionable offside flags from the linesman kept them at bay.

Toronto put in their only goal on the night on a penalty kick from Dwayne De Rosario in the 88th minute. The penalty was awarded to Toronto after Kyle Beckerman was called for handling the ball in the box. The cold and rainy match was called shortly after the goal and RSL was able to hold on for their second win on the season.

Man of the Match: Tony Beltran - the young left fullback was EVERYWHERE. He had the assist for the game winner, but what won't show up in the stats is his goal-saving slide tackle early in the second half. If that is converted it's a wholly different match.

Game notes: A little over 12,000 fans braved the elements and were in full voice for the win; no more notes really, I'm too cold.