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SANDY — An impressive return to Utah by former goalkeeper David Ochoa held Real Salt Lake to a 0-0 draw with D.C. United Saturday in the inaugural match under the stadium's new name: America First Field.
Ochoa finished with seven saves and spoiled an otherwise dominant performance from the home team, which put up 16 total shots and eight shots on goal.
"We talked about what we needed to do: putting shots on frame," head coach Pablo Mastroeni said after the game. "We've got to get one of those in the back of the net. Goals change games."
Both teams had shots go wide in the first two minutes in a foreshadowing of the scoreless draw to come. Christian Benteke got a shot off on the kickoff from Ochoa, and Andrew Brody and Jefferson Savarino nearly connected for a goal in the second minute.
A flurry of chances came for D.C. United in the 17th minute when Ola Kamara got the ball in the box, Zac MacMath saved it, and Jackson Hopkins' shot off the rebound was deflected out of bounds.
A pair of offside calls cut off RSL's chances around the 21st minute, first on a promising through ball from Savarino to Sergio Cordova, then a right-wing attempt from Pablo Ruiz to Maikel Chang.
Cordova won a free kick in the attacking third on a yellow-card offense by 15-year-old Matai Akinmboni in the 40th minute. Pablo Ruiz stepped up and forced Ochoa to make an impressive jumping save on a shot that looked to be heading into the upper 90.
Pretty incredible save here from Ochoa on a Ruiz free kick going top bins. #RSLpic.twitter.com/lCZJnx7i7y
— Caleb Turner (@calebturner23) September 11, 2022
Seven of RSL's eight first-half shots came in a deluge of chances between the 29th and 43rd minutes. Ochoa had four saves on the eight RSL shots during the first half of his return to Utah.
RSL got a corner kick during first-half stoppage time, but the official blew the halftime whistle almost immediately after it was taken, to the dismay of RSL players and Mastroeni.
The home team had a couple of chances from Savarino and Chang to start the second half, but Mastroeni elected to change things up a bit after the offense began to stall, bringing on a pair of attackers in Anderson Julio and Rubio Rubin in the 67th minute, along with newcomer Braian Ojeda, who was making his home debut.
Forward Danny Musovski also made his home debut soon after in the 77th minute, followed almost immediately by one of the best chances of the night for RSL when Julio had a header right in front of goal. Ochoa continued his stellar night in front of his former home fans by leaping to push the shot over the bar.
Another impressive leaping save from Ochoa. The former #RSL man is having a night with 7 saves against his old team. pic.twitter.com/S4UiIQwCDh
— Caleb Turner (@calebturner23) September 11, 2022
"You need structure. Attacking players aren't attacking if you don't have the ball," Mastroeni said of his second-half tactics. "And so the decision was Musovski: a second forward to put pressure on them. And you know, I think he had some good actions."
RSL faces a tough midweek challenge on the road in Austin on Wednesday as the playoff race out west continues.
