Defense, MLS-best unbeaten streak gives swagger back to Real Salt Lake


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SANDY — After missing the playoffs for the first time in eight years, Real Salt Lake players readily admit they lost some swagger a year ago in the midst of a period of significant change at Rio Tinto Stadium.

But now? That swagger is back.

“I think it’s more just a mentality that we are coming into these games with,” defender Tony Beltran said. “It was embarrassing last year, giving up as many goals as we did and having the season we did. Nobody wants that again. We put the hard work in, and we go into every game wanting to fight and being hungry to fight for a zero.

“We know if we get a zero with the offense we have in front of us, we’re going to win games.”

RSL is off to the best start in Major League Soccer, with a 4-0-2 record and the only unbeaten team in the league. The Salt Lake side currently ranks second in the league with 14 points, and tops in the league with 2.33 points per game.

Many point to the outstanding play of RSL’s front three on offense — Joao Plata, Juan Manuel “El Burrito” Martinez and Yura Movsisyan — for the turnaround, and they certainly have played their role.

But RSL has only allowed six goals through the first six games of the year, the fourth-fewest in MLS. The squad is also coming off back-to-back shutouts at home — a pair of results made possible by the emergence of Aaron Maund, who is quickly becoming one of the better center backs in the league.

Maund used a goal-line clearance with his back to the field in the club’s 1-0 win over Vancouver, and did nearly the same thing a week earlier against Colorado to play a vital role in Salt Lake’s 3-0 record at home.

“He’s been playing amazing,” said Justen Glad, the RSL academy product who has broken out next to Maund. “This guy has really upped his game, and I’m happy to be working alongside him.”

Maund credits the team’s emergence — even his own production — on the young players like Glad around him. The youngster from Tucson, Arizona, is one of a slew of young players finding their stride on a team that oversaw a large amount of change following the departure of ex-coach Jason Kreis.

Combine that with the general youth of the squad, and you could expect some growing pains. Past tense, of course.

“Coming into the league and starting off new, you’re going to see growing pains,” Maund said. “That’s expected. But now everyone is starting to shed that growth and starting to mature. That’s really helping us out a lot.”

Defense is a premium, but RSL’s offense has also clicked immediately after RSL lost a two-game quarterfinal series to Mexico’s Tigres UANL in CONCACAF Champions League play to start the season.

Plata has four goals and four assists in the season’s first six matches, earning MLS player of the month honors in March. Martinez tallied his first goal of the season against the Rapids a week ago, and Movsisyan is second on the team to just Plata with 10 shots — six of them on goal.

There are a lot of reasons for the hot start, RSL coach Jeff Cassar said, adding the group has come together in an offseason that started earlier than each returner had initially hoped.

Real Salt Lake forward Juan Manuel Martinez (7) celebrates with teammate Real Salt Lake forward Joao Plata (10) after scoring a goal as RSL and Vancouver play at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy Saturday, April 16, 2016. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
Real Salt Lake forward Juan Manuel Martinez (7) celebrates with teammate Real Salt Lake forward Joao Plata (10) after scoring a goal as RSL and Vancouver play at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy Saturday, April 16, 2016. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

“It started in the offseason; these guys really put in work. We came in focused, and I think those Champions League games helped us out to focus for an important game early,” Cassar said after training Tuesday. “The competition was fantastic, and even though we didn’t get the results we wanted, it gave us confidence, and that’s carrying through.”

It’s still early, as each RSL coach and player is quick to point out after the strong start. After Saturday’s trip to the StubHub Center and rival L.A. Galaxy, RSL ends April with a home game against Houston on the final day of the month before a five-match road trip through June 18 because of field renovations at Rio Tinto Stadium.

RSL will learn a lot about itself through the trip to face teams like the Dynamo, Sporting Kansas City and New York City FC. But the club can also take heart in its performance without the consistent availability of key contributors like midfielder Javier Morales and veteran center back Jamison Olave.

“Away games are tough, and the Galaxy have a lot of good players,” Maund said. “They know how to play, and they are very experienced; that’s a challenge in itself.”

And the fast start gives young players like Glad a lot to work on, even as they try to enjoy the fruits built up of being MLS’ lone unbeaten team.

“We know it’s a long season. We want to keep it rolling, but we don’t want to just start off good and take our foot off the pedal,” Glad said. “I think we need to keep the momentum going forward.

“There are things to work on. We’re happy with three points, but we also want to win with good soccer.”

MLS Supporters’ Shield standings

Name Points Record
FC Dallas 17 5-1-2
<b>Real Salt Lake</b> 14 4-0-2
Colorado Rapids 13 4-2-1
Montreal Impact 12 4-2-0
Sporting Kansas City 12 4-3-0
LA Galaxy 11 3-1-2
San Jose Earthquakes 11 3-2-2
Philadelphia Union 9 3-3-0
Orlando City SC 9 2-1-3
Toronto FC 8 2-2-2
Portland Timbers 8 2-3-2
New England Revolution 8 1-1-5
Seattle Sounders 7 2-3-1
Vancouver Whitecaps 7 2-4-1
New York City FC 6 1-2-3
Chicago Fire 6 1-3-3
Houston Dynamo 5 1-3-2
Columbus Crew 6 1-3-2
New York Red Bulls 3 1-6-0
mlssoccer.com

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