Real Salt Lake off to best start in team history
SANDY, Utah (ABC4 Sports) – It has been the best start to a season in Real Salt Lake history.
RSL hasn’t lost an MLS game since March 9th, an unbeaten streak of 10 straight. The historic start reached a feverish pitch last Saturday with a thrilling 5-3 comeback win over arch rival Colorado. Real Salt Lake scored a game-tying goal in the 85th minute and a game-winner in the 88th in one of the best exciting regular season wins in club history.
“I’d say that was a first,” said midfielder Diego Luna about the excitement of the win. “The atmosphere was just unreal, and I think you know the 12th man saying is definitely what we think about when something like that happens. A sold out crowd, everyone on their feet everyone buzzing.”
Real Salt Lake wins shootout over Colorado, 5-3
Everybody in MLS is buzzing about Real Salt Lake. They’ve scored the most goals in the Western Conference (27) and are tied for the least amount given up (14). Chicho Arango leads the entire league in goal scored with 13, and is just four away from tying Alvaro Saborio’s club record.
Real Salt Lake is halfway to the team record for most victories in a season of 16. But head coach Pablo Mastroeni’s task now is to keep his team level-headed.
“I think in the world of social media, it’s easy to get lost.” Mastroeni said. “I think it’s easy when people are singing your praises. The ego starts taking control, and we need humility. When people start talking about you, you lose sight of what got you to this moment.”
That might have accounted for RSL’s slow start against Colorado when they gave up two first half goals to the Rapids.
“I think we started off slow, everybody knows that,” Luna said. “I think things like that are going to happen. But it’s the mentality that to come back and continue to work no matter what the score is, doing something like that is what’s making us number one.”
Real Salt Lake stays hot, shuts out Seattle, 2-0
Riding an MLS unbeaten streak of 10 in a row (7-0-3), Real Salt Lake now hits the road at FC Dallas Saturday, and they know every team is coming for them now.
“We’re not really thinking about the streak or anything,” Luna said. “I think we’re going to just keep winning. We have the feel, we have the momentum, and no matter what happens, you’re just going to continue to work and continue to be us and play. Then things will go our way.”
“Every opponent we play is going to be a great opponent,” added Mastroeni. “But I think if we can play to our standards, we’ll be able to find our way in every game.”
Real Salt Lake next hits the road at FC Dallas Saturday night at 6:30 p.m MT.
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