Real Salt Lake left Talen Energy Stadium Sunday evening with three points in tow, as the visitors netted twice in a six-minute span in the second half to stun the Philadelphia Union.
Whistles aplenty early
The match opened with a choppy first 30 minutes, as the teams combined for 10 fouls out of the gates. The Claret-and-Cobalt produced the match’s first quality chance in the 15th minute, as Olmes Garcia placed a perfectly weighted ball through the middle of the Union back four, finding Joao Plata at the top of the 18-yard box. But Union goalkeeper Andre Blake’s well-timed charge forced Plata into a rushed toe poke, which slid under Blake before ricocheting off the goalkeeper’s left post.
The home side took the lead shortly before halftime, as C.J. Sapong drew a penalty from Real Salt Lake central defender Aaron Maund. Roland Alberg’s spot kick beat Nick Rimando to give the Union a 1-0 lead heading into the break.
Starting the second half quickly
But Philadelphia's lead was short-lived, as Plata provided a 48th-minute equalizer. With Real Salt Lake pressing out of halftime, Plata received a laid off ball from Jamaican defender Demar Phillips at the top of the 18-yard box, pinging a curling shot over a leaping Blake which struck the underside of the crossbar and settled into the far post side-netting.
Only six minutes later, the Utah-based side took the lead on the strength of a Javier Morales goal assisted by Garcia. Garcia’s attempted run on goal was corralled by the Philadelphia back four, but the speedy Colombian managed to escape toward the sideline, creating enough space to pick out Morales’s run toward the penalty area, and the Real Salt Lake playmaker lobbed a perfectly placed chip over a helpless Blake for the 2-1 lead.
Dodging bullets before the final whistle
The Union nearly managed a point in the closing minutes, failing to capitalize on two close-range opportunities. The home team nearly tapped in a tying goal in the 85th minute, when Leonardo Fernandes gained the end line after a run through the right side of the penalty area. But Fernandes's square ball across the top of the six-yard box proved to have too much pace, as a sliding Sapong was unable to toe the ball into goalkeeper Nick Rimando’s empty net.
The Union then missed a series of golden chances in the 89th minute, as a Union free kick resulted in chaos in the Real Salt Lake penalty area. Brian Carroll’s ensuing shot on goal was saved by a diving Rimando, and subsequent strikes by Ken Tribbett and Richie Marquez were blocked by a scrambling RSL defense. The visitors were able to see out the remaining four minutes of stoppage time to seal the win, RSL’s first after a six-game winless skid in which the squad dropped eight points at home, with six of those points lost to Eastern Conference visitors.
The win gave Real Salt Lake netminder Rimando his 180th career victory, a mark tying him with Kevin Hartman for the all-time MLS wins record by a goalkeeper.
Up next
Real Salt Lake returns to action on Wednesday, August 3 with a visit to Toronto FC. The Union will look to end their two-game losing streak with a visit to D.C. United on Saturday, August 6.