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Real Salt Lake Look To Build On First Road Point
RSL's first road point of the season after a 0-0 draw with D.C. United is a step in the right direction for a club that excels at home, but stutters when it comes to playing away from Rio Tinto Stadium.
May 25, 2009 5:40:39 AM
For all of its successes at home, Real Salt Lake's form away has been pitiful this season. After the first four games away from the friendly confines of Rio Tinto Stadium, RSL amassed a total of zero points, conceding seven times, and scoring exactly zero goals. Yes, zero goals away from home.
The amount of goals scored on the road did not change after the game against D.C. United at RFK Stadium during Major League Soccer's tenth week, but the point total did.
The Lakers again failed to find a goal; however, with an inspired defensive performance, the team recorded a clean sheet against a vaunted United attack. In the 0-0 draw, Real was the first team to keep a clean sheet against United this season, earning the team's first away point in the process.
And that is something to build on.
"We have played four road games and lost every match. It was important that we get something tonight. And its a step in the right direction for us," mused Jason Kreis, head coach of Real Salt Lake.
This sentiment was echoed by the players after the match.
"We gave ourselves a good opportunity to win the game, and at the end of the day, we didn't," said Ned Grabavoy, who was making his first start of the season for Real Salt Lake. "But we at least came out with a point on the road."
Real's away form is surprising on the surface, especially when considering the force that the team is when playing at Rio Tinto.
Earlier in the season, RSL demolished the New England Revolution, by scoring six times in the second half in a 6-0 route. The attacking prowess shown by Real on the night was second to none, as the squad set a team record for goals scored in a game. That makes its road form all the more curious.
Despite employing a more free flowing attack at home, the team, like most in MLS, sets up to defend on the road, trying to score via the counter attack. As of yet, Real has not been able to figure out the scoring part.
And through the first four games on the road, the team had not figured out the defensive part either, losing games at Seattle, Colorado, New York, and Chivas USA, conceding seven goals in those four games.
But when facing United, which is joint-top of the league with 17 goals scored, Real Salt Lake figured out its defensive responsibilities, and was able to pick up a point with an inspired performance from the defense.
RSL exceeded against United by being able to control the tempo of the game and defending effectively, cutting off United's normal passing lanes. Because of RSL's defensive performance, United was left with just a few decent scoring attempts throughout the game, and thoroughly frustrated by the end of the game.
And while Real Salt Lake failed to score, that certainly did not put a damper on the mood in the locker room after the game.
"As a coaching staff, we have to put our focus on one thing. And tonight, we had to get back to how we built this team, and that was defending extremely well, and defending with one hundred percent commitment," stated Kreis. "We did those things tonight, so job well done, and we will build from this."
The next tasks for RSL on the road? Score a goal and win a game.
A performance similar to the one against D.C. United might just be enough to see both happen in the same game. The next opportunity comes when RSL visits the San Jose Earthquakes this Saturday, a team that has struggled mightily during the opening stanza of the season.
"Maybe next week in San Jose we'll get three points," said RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando after the United game, who was back in goal after missing several matches with an injury to his finger. "But for confidence alone, coming here, playing one of the best teams in the East, and getting a point, it's a pat on our back and the coaching staff's."
Steven Streff is the D.C. correspondent for Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com’s MLS page.
The amount of goals scored on the road did not change after the game against D.C. United at RFK Stadium during Major League Soccer's tenth week, but the point total did.
The Lakers again failed to find a goal; however, with an inspired defensive performance, the team recorded a clean sheet against a vaunted United attack. In the 0-0 draw, Real was the first team to keep a clean sheet against United this season, earning the team's first away point in the process.
And that is something to build on.
"We have played four road games and lost every match. It was important that we get something tonight. And its a step in the right direction for us," mused Jason Kreis, head coach of Real Salt Lake.
This sentiment was echoed by the players after the match.
"We gave ourselves a good opportunity to win the game, and at the end of the day, we didn't," said Ned Grabavoy, who was making his first start of the season for Real Salt Lake. "But we at least came out with a point on the road."
Real's away form is surprising on the surface, especially when considering the force that the team is when playing at Rio Tinto.
Earlier in the season, RSL demolished the New England Revolution, by scoring six times in the second half in a 6-0 route. The attacking prowess shown by Real on the night was second to none, as the squad set a team record for goals scored in a game. That makes its road form all the more curious.
Despite employing a more free flowing attack at home, the team, like most in MLS, sets up to defend on the road, trying to score via the counter attack. As of yet, Real has not been able to figure out the scoring part.
And through the first four games on the road, the team had not figured out the defensive part either, losing games at Seattle, Colorado, New York, and Chivas USA, conceding seven goals in those four games.
But when facing United, which is joint-top of the league with 17 goals scored, Real Salt Lake figured out its defensive responsibilities, and was able to pick up a point with an inspired performance from the defense.
RSL exceeded against United by being able to control the tempo of the game and defending effectively, cutting off United's normal passing lanes. Because of RSL's defensive performance, United was left with just a few decent scoring attempts throughout the game, and thoroughly frustrated by the end of the game.
And while Real Salt Lake failed to score, that certainly did not put a damper on the mood in the locker room after the game.
"As a coaching staff, we have to put our focus on one thing. And tonight, we had to get back to how we built this team, and that was defending extremely well, and defending with one hundred percent commitment," stated Kreis. "We did those things tonight, so job well done, and we will build from this."
The next tasks for RSL on the road? Score a goal and win a game.
A performance similar to the one against D.C. United might just be enough to see both happen in the same game. The next opportunity comes when RSL visits the San Jose Earthquakes this Saturday, a team that has struggled mightily during the opening stanza of the season.
"Maybe next week in San Jose we'll get three points," said RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando after the United game, who was back in goal after missing several matches with an injury to his finger. "But for confidence alone, coming here, playing one of the best teams in the East, and getting a point, it's a pat on our back and the coaching staff's."
Steven Streff is the D.C. correspondent for Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com’s MLS page.
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