Real Salt Lake Ends Losing Streak with 2-0 Win Over Portland Timbers
Zavier Gozo and Diego Luna scored in the first half as Real Salt Lake snapped a two-game losing streak with a stress-free 2-0 victory over the Portland Timbers Saturday in Sandy, Utah.
Juan Manuel Sanabria assisted on both goals for RSL (6-3-1, 19 points), who are off to their best start since 2014 when they opened without a loss in their first 12 MLS matches.
Rafael Cabral had two saves for Salt Lake, which avenged a 3-1 season-ending defeat last October at Portland in the wild-card round of the MLS playoffs.
James Pantemis had 13 saves for the Timbers (3-6-1, 10 points) as he kept RSL from turning the match into a rout.
Real Salt Lake dominated from the start, unleashing seven shots before the Timbers took their first attempt in the 26th minute.
After scoring just one goal in 225 minutes prior to this game, Salt Lake frequently capitalized on transition opportunities with through passes against Portland’s lackluster defense.
Sanabria set up the first goal with a precise long pass that found Sergi Solans streaking down the middle of the pitch.
Running down the right wing, Gozo received a laid-off pass and unleashed a right-footed shot from inside the box. Pantemis got a hand on the ball inside the near post but couldn’t stop it as Gozo netted his third goal of the season.
Real Salt Lake continued their offensive pressure as Morgan Guilavogui took three promising shots in a hectic seven-minute span.
Pantemis saved a breakaway attempt from Guilavogui, who then hit the crossbar and went wide right on another shot during that sequence.
Salt Lake doubled their lead in the 28th minute through a one-two play on the left side of the box, where Luna took a return pass from Sanabria and scored with a left-footed shot inside the far post for his third goal of the season.
Luna’s goal came right after Portland managed their only shots on goal, one minute apart. Cabral denied a header by Kevin Kelsy, then thwarted a low-percentage try by Antony Alves Santos.
In the second half, Real Salt Lake slowed down the pace, content to play defensively, which limited the Timbers from registering any shots on target.