Stertzer scores as RSL beats NYC FC 2-0 in Kreis' return


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SANDY — Real Salt Lake welcomed home former boss Jason Kreis and five former players with New York City FC with a 2-0 win in front of a standing-room-only crowd Saturday night at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Third-year midfielder John Stertzer put the home side ahead in the 25th minute, rocketing a left-footed shot inside the far post and past NYC goalkeeper Josh Saunders for the opening goal.

RSL out-shot New York City 5-1 in shots on target in the first half, and Alvaro Saborio doubled the advantage with his team-high third goal of the season just four minutes into the second half. The Costa Rican striker finished a glancing header inside the box after a cross from Luke Mulholland, giving the home side a cushion late.

The win helps salve the burn of a 4-1 loss at Montreal just a week ago, and lifts Real Salt Lake into a tie for fifth place place in the Western Conference with 17 points. New York City, meanwhile, drops to last place in the East with seven points.

Here are a few quick thoughts on RSL’s big win against a former coach.

Stertzer scores ---------------

Less than a year after suffering a horrendous leg fracture in RSL’s mid-season friendly with Club Tijuana, Stertzer scored his first career MLS goal in only his fifth start. Stertzer finished a left-footed shot that dipped inside the far post after collecting Devon Sandoval’s glancing header at the corner of the box to put RSL on top 1-0 in the 25th minute. Kyle Beckerman's boot out of the midfield zipped right to Sandoval, who gingerly flicked it over to Stertzer for the goal.

“It was all Devon," Stertzer said modestly of his goal. "He set up a great flick off a header, and I just got a decent run and was in a decent position to finish it.”

The Maryland graduate and 2012 MLS SuperDraft pick of Real Salt Lake broke into the starting lineup after playing in only his 19th career MLS game, finishing in splendid fashion as Cassar resorted to a 4-4-2 formation for the fourth-straight game. Stertzer’s goal showcases needed depth in the midfield for RSL, who saw Javier Morales make his first appearance on the bench since suffering a concussion against San Jose.

Kreis returns

The former RSL coach made his first trip back to Rio Tinto Stadium since taking the head coach job with New York City FC following the 2013 season. The first-ever player in Real Salt Lake history came out of the tunnel to a small smattering of applause wearing a sharp navy blue suit — but his return didn’t go as well as he’d hope for his new team (he also had his share of critics, with one tifo that read “Next time you turn your back, leave the number 9").

As emotional as the return was for RSL's core group that remembered its former coach and team captain, RSL coach Jeff Cassar said the group was all business on the field.

"I know that sounds cliche, but we had a job to do," Cassar said. "We can’t be distracted by other things. Credit to the players for not being distracted; there were a lot of dinners and other things, talking here and there, and for them to focus like they did for this match is a huge credit to the players."

NYC FC managed only one shot on goal in its first five shots of the match, then saw themselves go down 2-0 less than 50 minutes into the match on Saborio’s close-range header. As RSL knows well, expansion outfits sometimes take time to click — and Kreis’ second attempt at an expansion team is going much like the first, with only one win in 12 matches.

Morales, Plata healthier

Saturday’s match marked the return of midfielder Javier Morales, who made his first appearance on the bench since suffering a concussion May 1 against San Jose. The Argentine statesman entered in the 61st minute for Stertzer, entering the field to a raucous ovation from the stadium-record crowd of 20,801.

"I’m happy to be back," Morales said after the match. "It was a couple of weeks that I wasn’t feeling good after the concussion. Right now, I am happy to be back.”

Plata also received a brief roll out, making his first regular-season appearance in 2015 after preseason surgery to his fifth metatarsal. The Ecuadorian striker entered the match in the 89th minute, replacing goal-scorer Saborio as RSL held on to a comfortable 2-0 advantage.

“He scored 15 goals last year, so we need him," Morales said of Plata. "Everyone is happy in the locker room to have him back again."

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