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Real Salt Lake went to El Salvador's Santa Tecla FC in CONCACAF Champion's League and emerged battered, bloody — and with a 0-0 draw Tuesday night to move to the top of its group with two home matches left in the regional tournament's opening stage at Estadio Las Delicias.
Goalkeeper Jeff Attinella made five saves to earn the complete-game shutout for RSL, which had five players make their first Champions League start in a reserve-heavy lineup. The moves included RSL-Arizona Academy products Justen Glad and Sebastian Saucedo, latter a Park City native.
"We fought, got a point and now we get to play them back at home in front of the Riot," Attinella told reporters after the match. "It's three points or bust. We came down here, did our jobs, had a good time and now it's back to Salt Lake to worry about L.A."
RSL midfielder John Stertzer was shown a second yellow card and sent off in the 79th minute for a foul at midfield, and RSL played the final 10 minutes down a man as it earned a point on the road to remain unbeaten in CCL play.
The hosts out-shot RSL 10-7, and held Salt Lake to just two shots on goal. Santa Tecla's Ricardinho smashed a header into the back of the net in first-half stoppage time, but his goal was called back on an offside call to keep both teams level at halftime.
RSL returns to MLS play Saturday against the defending champion L.A. Galaxy at 7:30 p.m. MDT at Rio Tinto Stadium. Salt Lake finishes the Champions League group stage with home contests against Santa Tecla on Sept. 24, and against Guatemala's Municipal on Oct. 20 — the final home match of the 2015 season.
