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SALT LAKE CITY — It was a moment straight out of a movie for Real Salt Lake's captain. Damir Kreilach returned from a season-ending back injury to score the game-winner on opening night against the Vancouver Whitecaps in his first MLS action since April 2022.
"It was great. I mean, it's not easy to play away and get 3 points," Kreilach said. "We didn't come into the game the way we wanted, but then we showed who we are. We showed the second half our DNA, our mentality, and we are so happy that we were able to come back."
The 33-year-old Croatian managed a shot on a header in the second minute of the game, but it wasn't until the 30th minute that RSL got its second goal of the night, succumbing to Vancouver's pressure on the road and going into the halftime break down 1-0 after the first 45 minutes of the season.
Star winger Jefferson Savarino got more involved in the second half and provided a pair of shots to begin turning the tide in favor of RSL around the 60th minute. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Maikel Chang launched a deep cross to the far post and the ball found the outstretched legs of Justen Glad to draw even with the Whitecaps in the 70th minute.
Savarino kept his foot on the pedal after the equalizer and made his way into the Vancouver box in search of a go-ahead goal. He laid the ball off to Kreilach, and the captain curved a shot away from the keeper and into the side netting to complete the comeback just three minutes after RSL's first goal.
"It was actually a great assist from Sava," Kreilach said. "I want to point out all the team effort. It was unbelievable, especially in the second half. You're gonna see the mistakes, in the first half and actually the whole game, and you try to improve next week to be ready for Seattle."
The kid is back baby pic.twitter.com/yQsvQOqFqz
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) February 26, 2023
According to MLS, Saturday's win marked the 14th-straight season-opening match without a defeat (2010-23) for RSL, setting a new league record. Of those 14 contests, 13 have been away from home.
The team stays on the road in the second week of the season to take on long-time rival Seattle Sounders on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. MST.
