Albert Rusnak's Friday night: From gruesome injury to two goals in Cincy

Albert Rusnak - Real Salt Lake - April 19, 2019

For Albert Rusnak, Friday night's match took a couple of turns. 


His Real Salt Lake side was deadlocked 0-0 with hosts FC Cincinnati late in the first half, he'd been flagged with a yellow card, and then landed awkwardly on his hand once play resumed. The injury — which appeared to be a gruesome-looking dislocated finger — forced Rusnak to briefly receive attention on the sidelines, resulting in two of his fingers getting bandaged together. 


Shortly after, in the match's 42nd minute, Rusnak was back in action for RSL, running toward goal as teammate Corey Baird let a shot fly. Though FCC goalkeeper Spencer Richey was able to chest down the shot, Rusnak pounced on the rebound to score the opener. 


Rusnak then had a hand in RSL's second goal, eventually put in by Sam Johnson after several teammates peppered Richey with shots. 


Then, by the time Rusnak converted a 59th-minute penalty to put RSL up 3-0, the legend was already growing, with RSL commentator Brian Dunseth dubbing him "Albert Four Fingers" on the PK goal call and the official RSL Twitter account following suit: