With the 2019 MLS season at an end for Real Salt Lake, let’s look back at another solid season by the club that ended with a second straight postseason appearance.
There were both good things and bad for RSL in 2019 and there were a lot more distractions off the field than any of us expected or wanted. Despite the issues off the pitch, the team showed up well on the field, finishing with 16 wins, 13 losses and five draws, good for 53 points and a third-place finish in a tightly contested Western Conference.
Due to regular season success, Real was able to secure a first round home game in the new single game knockout MLS Cup Playoff format, drawing 6th place Portland. Thanks to a late winner by Jefferson Savarino, RSL were able to advance to the semifinals with a 2-1 victory, before eventually falling to second place Seattle on the road, 2-0.
So now that it’s over and we wait for 2020, let’s look back at the good, bad and the special moments of 2019.
The defense was much improved
After last season’s disastrous defensive showing, RSL improved drastically in 2019 despite an in season coaching change.
In 2018 the team gave up a whopping 58 goals, tied for sixth worst in the league and the worst of the 12 playoff teams. This season, Real gave up just 41 goals, a 17-goal improvement in just one season. The 41 goals allowed ended up placing them third in MLS, first overall after the CONCACAF Gold Cup break in July.
Despite a defensive rotation that often changed, the numerous back line combinations of Nedum Onuoha, Everton Luiz, Justen Glad, Donny Toia, Marcelo Silva and Aaron Herrera were able to keep the opposing team’s offenses in check.
The offense was…not very good
Despite the excellent defensive numbers, the offense struggled for much of the season. The team scored just 46 goals, nine less than last year and just 19th out of the 24 MLS teams.
Even with numerous options to start or have off the bench, the team struggled to drum up offensive chances, which eventually cost them in the playoffs against the Sounders.
Perhaps it was inconsistency, injury or just having too many options with not enough minutes to go around or some of everything, but RSL was to easily contained on offense in 2019, being shutout eight times.
While sometimes the defense might have covered some of the holes of the front line, the fact that we had just one double-digit goal scorer (Albert Rusnák with 10) is disappointing when the team has the talented options of Damir Kreilach, Albert, Joao Plata – RSL’s third all-time goal scorer -, Brooks Lennon, Sam Johnson, Jefferson Savarino, Sebastian Saucedo and 2018 MLS Rookie of the Year Corey Baird as weapons on offense.
Experience on the international stage
Another big positive from RSL’s campaign was seeing numerous members of the club represent their countries, both at the youth and senior team levels.
Defenders Justen Glad and Aaron Hererra, defender/forward Brooks Lennon, forward Sebastian Saucedo and goalkeeper David Ochoa all received camp invites and playing time under former RSL manager and current USMNT U-23 coach Jason Kreis, while Ochoa also saw time with the US U-20 side.
Real players also made a big impact at the senior level for their respective national teams, with Corey Baird registering four caps and tallying an assist for the U.S. Jefferson Savarino continued his rise for the Venezuela National Team, where he now has nine appearances and scored his first goal against the U.S. in a June friendly. Sam Johnson registered four caps and a goal for Liberia, while Albert Rusnák raised his caps total to 23 for Slovakia, adding a goal against Hungary in a Euro 2020 qualifier in March.
Coaching carousel
Well, the coaching change wasn’t expected and that’s all I’m going to say.
Mike Petke was able to muster eight wins, eight losses and three draws through 19 matches before his firing following the Leagues Cup debacle, and in stepped assistant coach Freddy Juarez. Freddy was able to go 8-5-2, including wins in four of his first five matches as well as a first round playoff win over Portland.
So now that the season is over, RSL’s coaching position is currently vacant. Did Coach Juarez do enough to keep the job on a permanent basis?
A consistent franchise, great home performances
Although RSL wasn’t particularly consistent during the season, they did reach the playoffs for the 10th time is 12 seasons, the second most appearances within that span, behind only the New York Red Bulls.
Another note on the season, Real continued to play well at home, with Rio Tinto Stadium being the site of a franchise record 12 home wins, breaking the previous record of 11 from the 2010, 2012 and 2017 seasons.
Celebrating the 2009 MLS Cup triumph, Honoring “The Maestro”
Remembering the 2009 MLS Cup champions, former players and coaches gathered to meet the fans and be honored pregame against the LA Galaxy – the team they defeated in the 2009 MLS Cup final – on September 25.
The highlight of the evening was honoring club legend Javier Morales, whose name and number were put into the rafters of Rio Tinto Stadium during halftime, cementing his claim as an RSL icon.
Tony Beltran retires
After suffering a gruesome injury towards the end of the 2017 season, Beltran was never able to recover enough to see the field again, announcing on September 15 that he was retiring after missing the last two seasons.
The third overall pick of the 2008 MLS SuperDraft, Beltran etched his name into the RSL record books while being a member of the greatest teams in club history.
Tony is one of just five players to appear in a game with the club during ten different seasons, and he ranks fourth in team history in games played (245).
A two-time MLS All-Star selection (2013, 2015), Beltran helped the club reach the playoffs 10 times in his 12 seasons, reaching four cup finals and winning the 2009 MLS Cup title. He was also able to represent his country, registering three caps and helping the team win the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup alongside teammates Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando.
After a fantastic career, we very well could see Tony’s name and number honored in the rafters of the RioT alongside Jason Kreis and Javier Morales.
The end for the G.O.A.T., Nick Rimando
13 seasons with RSL. 10 playoff appearances and four cup finals. The 2009 MLS Cup championship. Those are just the team accomplishments Nick Rimando led Real Salt Lake to following his arrival in 2007.
Rimando was also a regular for his country during his career, registering 22 caps for the U.S. He started in goal as the team won the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup and was a member of the 2014 World Cup team.
The “Wall of the Wasatch”, Rimando is Major League Soccer’s all-time leader in minutes played, appearances, saves, wins, shutouts and penalty kick saves. He nearly single handedly led RSL to the 2009 MLS Cup victory, saving penalties in both the Eastern Conference final and MLS Cup final in the shootouts to win MLS Cup MVP honors.
An eight-time MLS All-Star with Real, Rimando was selected to the roster by MLS Commissioner Don Garber and also was the Save of the Year Award recipient for the third time in his storied career, this time thanks to an incredible double save against Colorado.
Simply put, Nick Rimando is the G.O.A.T. and there’s never been any goalkeeper better in MLS history. Now we wait for his name and number to be honored at the stadium and his inevitable induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
