Jaime surges, Vasquez returns in RSL's Open Cup victory over Portland


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SANDY — Real Salt Lake scored its second-straight victory over an opponent from the Pacific Northwest in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 2-0 win over the Portland Timbers on Wednesday night at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Sebastian Jaime opened the scoring in the 54th minute, running onto the end of a through ball from Olmes Garcia to rip home a shot down the middle of the chute and give RSL a 1-0 advantage.

Javier Morales added a goal from the penalty spot to go up 2-0, after Joao Plata drew a foul in the box in the 70th minute.

But there was more to the match than the final result, the advancement or the goals scored.

Here are a few quick notes after RSL advanced to face the LA Galaxy in the quarterfinals.

It's official: Jaime’s on fire ------------------------------

Jaime scored his third goal in four games across all competitions for RSL, which acquired him at the close of last season’s transfer window from Union Espanol in Chile.

The Argentine striker struggled to get on the score sheet for nearly 800 minutes, but he’s finally broken through — and in a big way for the Salt Lake side.

“I think you can see his engine,” RSL coach Jeff Cassar said of Jaime. “It’s getting to full strength. But he’s about hard work and being threatening, and you can only do that when you are really fit.”

Jaime’s scoring streak comes at a time when the rest of RSL’s attack is also getting back into full health and fitness.

“Joao (Plata) is getting fitter now, Olmes is getting longer minutes and more dangerous, and they are finding second winds,” Cassar added. “We’ll need that moving forward.”

Vasquez is back ... for the night

Elias Vasquez made his return to Sandy on Wednesday night, starting in central defense for the first time since a 0-0 draw June 20 against Colorado. Vasquez, who could not re-enter the country with visa difficulties after going home following that match, booked a red-eye flight out of Guatemala, where he had been training with the national team, Tuesday night and arrived at Salt Lake International Airport on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. in time to join his teammates for the Open Cup.

“Sometimes you have to believe in the players and what they are saying. He said he was able to play,” Cassar said of Vasquez. “He wanted to be here for the team, and those are the kinds of guys we need to be on our team right now.”

The 23-year-old Guatemala international has started all 10 of his appearances in central defense for Salt Lake, accumulating 900 minutes in MLS play before the State Department glitch put a brief hiccup in his season.

Vasquez will turn around and head to Nashville on Thursday to prepare for Guatemala’s friendly Friday against the United States before the CONCACAF Gold Cup. RSL mainstays Nick Rimando and Kyle Beckerman are also expected to play in that match Saturday.

Locals on the pitch

Salt Lake City native Taylor Peay made his return to his hometown for Portland, getting the start at right back with the Timbers alongside former RSL man Nat Borchers, who also visited Rio Tinto Stadium for the first time since he was traded in the offseason.

Peay was drafted by the Timbers with the No. 26 overall pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft after spending four years at Washington. The Brighton High graduate had one appearance with the Timbers in MLS play before Wednesday night, making a four-minute substitute appearance in a 2-0 win over Houston on June 20.

Peay was one of three Utah natives to see the field on Wednesday. Former RSL striker and Salt Lake Community College standout Justin Braun scored for Sacramento Republic FC in their 1-1 tie with Real Monarchs in the early match, and Park City native Sebastian Saucedo entered for Jaime at the start of stoppage time.

Highland High grad Phanuel Kavita was on the bench for RSL, and nearly faced off against Peay in an local slugfest on the pitch.

“I called some of the players to let them know Elias would be in the lineup, and everybody was on board,” Cassar said. “Credit to Phannie, because yesterday he was starting and he came out of the lineup for Elias."

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