KANSAS CITY, Kan.—It didn't look like an auspicious night for streak-breaking, not with so many key players out against an opponent that hadn't even trailed this season.
But Real Salt Lake walked out of Children's Mercy Park on Saturday night with their first victory in the stadium's five-plus years of existence, and for the first time in their three road games this season managed to avoid blowing a two-goal lead.
“That wasn't going to happen again,” said 19-year-old Real Salt Lake center back Justen Glad, who scored the opener in the 2-1 victory. “The team wasn't going to let that happen.”
RSL had been forced to settle for 2-2 draws after initially leading 2-0 in each of the last two matches that they played as visitors. It happened first in the season opener against Orlando City, and then last time out against the Portland Timbers.
Jeff Cassar's side refused to allow that a third occurrence. After Glad scored his first MLS goal off a set-piece header in the opening stanza, Luke Mulholland netted in the 79th minute to put Real Salt Lake in firm control of the match.
Benny Feilhaber pulled one back for Sporting with a penalty kick in the fourth minute of stoppage time, but that was as close as Real Salt Lake ever let the hosts get.
“We've had the heartbreak of being up 2-0 in the 93rd and having it be 2-2 in the 94th,” Glad said. “And I think there was just no way that any single player, any team member, was OK with that.”
Cassar had to invoke an emergency hardship rule for this game, calling up two players from USL side Real Monarchs to fill out his roster. Kyle Beckerman, Jamison Olave and Juan Manuel Martinez were all suspended for this match, and Nick Rimando and Javier Morales also missed out.
“We had a lot of key players out, a lot of big names,” said right back Tony Beltran. “Over the course of the season, that's going to happen. We have a lot of confidence in our depth. We have a lot of confidence in the guys playing tonight. This result is a testament to them.”
It was also a testament to following the defensive game plan, Cassar explained during the postmatch presser. His club frustrated Sporting's high-pressure offense, drawing them offside a staggering eight times.
“We had a defensive scheme that we wanted to do,” Cassar said. “It was making sure the spacing was right and when it did get to certain areas, trying to win it there. It was more about being disciplined and not getting pulled out of shape.”
