Johnny Russell and Zavier Gozo scored in each half to give Real Salt Lake a 2-0 win over visiting D.C. United on Saturday in Sandy, Utah.
The result ended Salt Lake’s seven-match (0-4-3) winless streak. While the victory was paramount, it was also just the sixth time that low-scoring RSL (5-10-3, 18 points) tallied multiple goals in a match this season.
Salt Lake’s relative offensive outburst Saturday came without leading scorer Diego Luna, who was away on international duty with the United States at the Gold Cup.
Goalkeeper Rafael Cabral had to make just one save for his fourth shutout of the season.
RSL held 58 percent of the possession in an overall dominant performance. Salt Lake outshot D.C. United (4-9-6, 18 points) by a 20-8 margin, and an 8-1 margin in shots on target.
D.C. United are 1-3-2 with four goals scored over their last six matches. The team’s attack continues to struggle without star forward Christian Benteke, who has missed those six matches due to an ankle injury.
In the 23rd minute, Diogo Goncalves found Russell with a pass down the right side, and the veteran striker maneuvered into the box. Given too much space by defender Kye Rowles, Russell fired a left-footed shot that beat goalkeeper Luis Barraza for the opening score.
Saturday marked Russell’s 200th career MLS regular-season match, and his first goal in a Real Salt Lake uniform. It was the forward’s first start and fourth appearance with Salt Lake since signing with the club in late April.
Gozo extended RSL’s lead by taking a long downfield pass and then clinically finishing in the 77th minute. The goal was initially ruled offside, but a video review revealed that Gozo just barely kept his footing when breaking away from D.C. United’s David Schnegg near midfield.
Ariath Piol seemingly added an insurance goal for Salt Lake in the 87th minute. In a reversal of Gozo’s situation, Piol’s goal was erased after a video review revealed an offsides position in the lead-up to the play.
–Field Level Media
