Real Salt Lake Defeats UVU In Practice Match As Bobby Wood Shines
Feb 9, 2022, 1:58 PM
Photo courtesy: Real Salt Lake
SALT LAKE CITY – Real Salt Lake has defeated the University of Utah men’s soccer team 8-1 behind closed doors in Herriman, Utah today.
Pablo Mastroeni opted to start David Ochoa in goal, Justen Glad, Marcelo Silva, Bode Davis, and Tate Schmitt across the backline with Jesper Loefelsend and Everton Luiz in the midfield, Justin Meram, Joni Menendez on the wing, and Pedro Fonesca sitting just behind Bobby Wood at the point of the attack.
Interestingly, it took Real Salt Lake a handful of minutes to find the flow of the game, and UVU was able to capitalize with a few early shots on Ochoa. Then, on the first corner kick of the game Wood found the back of the net, Meram was credited with the assist after a beautiful delivery from the corner flag.
Shortly thereafter, UVU was rewarded for their positive start to the match when they equalized via Ken Belleni who also happens to be a member of the RSL Academy.
The Belleni goal awoke Real Salt Lake and from that point onwards it was one-way traffic.
Meram found his second assist when Menendez scored, Wood then put a half volley away for his brace, Loefelsend got on the scoring sheet to make it 4-1, Schmitt assisted Wood’s hattrick, Fonesca then found Wood for his fourth and the teams sixth.
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At halftime, Mastroeni opted to completely alter the personnel giving other players the chance to impress.
Chris Garcia implemented himself shortly after entering the fray when he was credited with the assist on the team’s seventh goal before scoring himself to make it 8-1.
Many key players such as newly acquired forward Sergio Cordova and second-year striker Rubio Rubin were unavailable to play due to injury. Cordova recently picked up an unknown injury during a recent club scrimmage in Tucson, Arizona while Rubin is recovering from abductor surgery.
Real Salt Lake will now depart for Portland, Oregon where they will participate in a preseason tournament. On Sunday, February 4th, at 2:30 p.m. Real Salt Lake will play Norwegian side Viking FC before taking on Minnesota United and Portland Timbers at 6 p.m. on the 16th and 19th of February.
RSL opens the MLS season on the road against Houston on February 27 before hosting Albert Rusnák and the Seattle Sounders in the home opener on March 5.
