Real Salt Lake 1, Sporting Kansas City 1 | 2017 MLS Match Recap

Steve Brisendine

Cards, boos and fierce, bitter competition: Must be Real Salt Lake taking on Sporting Kansas City again.

The two rivals fought to a 1-1 draw on Saturday night in a chippy match that saw six cautions issued and RSL coach Mike Petke sent off from the sidelines in the 72nd minute for saying too much to the fourth official.

Luis Silva scored his first MLS goal in 27 months in the 43rd minute, giving the hosts a 1-0 halftime lead.

Danny Acosta played a perfect ball out of the back to Joao Plata, who sent in a cross that Silva finished over Tim Melia.

But shortly before the hour mark, Benny Feilhaber drew a penalty foul on MLS debutante Marcelo Silva and followed up with a succesaful conversion from the spot.

Goals

43' - RSL - Luis Silva (WATCH)
59 - SKC - Benny Feilhaber (PK) (WATCH)

Three Things

ROUGH DEBUT - Uruguayan center back Marcelo Silva played his first MLS match on Saturday night for RSL, and while he made some big plays on defense, there were some moments Silva doubtless would like to have back. He found the woodwork on a header in the 41st minute, and his foul on Feilhaber in the 18 set up Feilhaber's equalizer on Sporting's first penalty attempt of the year.
KEEPER'S BEST FRIEND - Marcelo Silva wasn't the only Real player to be denied by a post on Saturday night -- or even the only Silva. Forward Luis Silva, who scored the match's opening goal late in the first half, got free on goal in the 74th minute -- and managed to double-post his first shot and hit the left post on his putback attempt.
DRAWSTRINGS AREN'T JUST FOR SHORTS: Sporting have now gone seven in a row without a loss -- but the last three matches have ended in draws for Kansas City, who dropped a point back of new leaders FC Dallas in the Western Conference standings. Over the course of the unbeaten run, Sporting are 2-0-5, with three of those draws at home.