Real Salt Lake Closes Out Pre-Season With Loss To Portland Timbers

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Real Salt Lake wrapped up their preseason play with a 3-0 loss to the defending Western Conference Champion Portland Timbers.

RSL decided to use their main players in the final tune up before their season opener on Saturday.

The team sheet is in. Here is the final preseason Starting XI to face @TimbersFC:

Rimando
Lennon
Glad
Silva
Herrera
Beckerman
Luiz
Kreilach
Savarino
Baird
Rusnák#StrongerTogether

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) February 23, 2019

RSL trailed early after Ebobisse slots the ball home after a cracking piece of artistry in the 5th minute.

Real Salt Lake settled down had a number of opportunities to level things up throughout the course of the first half.

However, in the 44th minute, RSL allowed another goal, trailing 2-0 after a devilish ball that was played across the box by Diego Valeri,  which Sebastian Blanco easily put away.

In the 48^th minute a scary moment occurred involving RSL defender Marcelo Silva and Portland’s Jeremy Ebobisse when they clashed heads competing for a header. Fortunately, both were okay.

Portland put their third goal passed Nick Rimando in the 72nd minute after Andy Polo nutmegs Rimando from a tight angle to make it 3-0 Portland.

Five Takeaway’s

1. RSL cannot be giving away early goals and constantly fighting from behind. They will not win many games in MLS giving up goals within the first five minutes of games.
2. Real Salt Lake needs to put away their chances. They had way too many opportunities to put it in the back of the net, but were unable to capitalize.
3. Portland looked much cleaner and more composed on the ball.
4. Thankfully it is just pre-season and the end result is irrelevant, but the players need to switch it on if they are going to get a result in Houston.

Real Salt Lake open their season in Houston against the Dynamo on Saturday at 4 p.m. on the KSL TV app.