Do you remember April 30, 2011? No? Well, when it comes to the history of the rivalry between Real Salt Lake and the Portland Timbers, that date was the last occasion Portland was able to celebrate a victory. In the interim, the Claret-and-Cobalttook seven wins and three draws from Portland. That stretch included a sweep in the 2013 MLS Western Conference Final(going 4-0-2 for the year) and logging (pun intended) a few stunning comebacks.
And now it’s time to add another win to the proverbial pile.
With a 1-0 victory over Portland at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night, RSL improved to 3-0-4 on the season and now finds itself tied with Seattle for second in the league table behind FC Dallas.
And who does RSL have to thank for the win? Ned Grabavoynetted the game’s only goal with a far-post blast just out of the reach of Donovan Ricketts, while Nick Rimando preserved allthree points with four world-class saves.
The home side went on the attack early, earning a corner kick just seconds into the game. But in spite of RSL’s success in the first fifteen minutes at maintaining possession and successfully moving the ball into the attacking third, the team was unable to generate any significant scoring chances outside of a 2nd-minutevolley from Javier Morales at an extremely tight angle that forced Ricketts into a near-post save.
The roles were reversed in the latter portion of the first half, although the script remained largely the same: Portland maintained possession, but with limited scoring opportunities. The Timbers’ Darlington Nagbe provided a moment of excitement in the 19th minute when he rounded the RSL defense and entered the box, but his shot from the top of the six-yard box was tipped over the crossbar by Rimando.
Portland almost took the lead early in the second half when Maximiliano Urruti’s blast from 18 yards rang off the crossbarin the 60th minute. Moments later, a floated cross from DiegoValeri found Urruti at the top of the six, but Urruti was unable to control the ball out of the air, and it bounced harmlessly over the end line. Urruti had one more chance—again, only seconds later—when an RSL turnover led to a Portland break, but Urruti’sshot sailed wide of Rimando’s net.
The game ultimately turned around in the 65th minute, when Real Salt Lake gained and maintained dangerous possession in Portland’s half of the field for almost 15 minutes. Under a heavy RSL attack, Portland was forced to clear the ball on numerous possessions to relieve pressure until the 78th minute, when Ned Grabavoy’s open run to the top of the box freed him for the shot that would ultimately provide the difference between the two sides.
The game still had a few more fireworks. Portland’s AlvasPowell got behind the RSL defense in the 85th minute and almost managed to steer a low shot past Rimando, but the RSL ‘keeper managed a successful kick save. Portland’s last qualitychance of the game came on Gaston Fernandez’s shot from 18 yards, but Rimando once again managed a highlight-reel save, springing to his right to tip the shot over the bar.
RSL now turns its attention to another Cascadia opponent as it welcomes the Vancouver Whitecaps to Rio Tinto Stadium next Saturday.
Wrap-Up
Tomorrow’s MLSsoccer dot com headline: “Rimando with Shutout, but Ricketts New Goalkeeper of the Year Leader“ #WashRinseRepeat
— Heath Waddingham (@RSLTotalMLS) April 20, 2014
Prove me wrong, MLS.
Portland haven't won yet this year and RSL fans won't let them forget it (via @gothamistdan) http://t.co/E3CV6iUz0Q pic.twitter.com/VmcliLkKzY
— SB Nation Soccer (@SBNationSoccer) April 20, 2014
One that’s self-explanatory:
Real Salt Lake two-pole. #rsl #sltid #supporters #football #futbol #soccer #chasestu pic.twitter.com/qpJFp5n30l
— North American Football Culture #ACAB (@AmericanCasual1) April 20, 2014
A well-placed banner directly below the Portland Timbers’ visitor section:
https://twitter.com/KungFuCantona/status/457978815336042496
And my personal favorite, this banner commemorating the Hillsborough tragedy. The “P.D.” on the banner is for RSL assistant Paul Dalglish. Dalglish attended the Liverpool-Nottingham Forest match in 1989 in which 96 soccer fans perished. Dalglish was only 12 at the time, and his father, Kenny, was Liverpool’s manager at the match:
https://twitter.com/pauldalglish/status/457742564733362176
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