Scoreless draw maintains unbeaten start, and other thoughts from RSL's tie with K.C.


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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — For the second-straight year, Real Salt Lake walked into Sporting Park and walked out with a 0-0 draw with Sporting Kansas City.

The result wasn’t always a picture-perfect game of soccer, but it gets the job done in a hostile environment referred to by its fans as “Blue Hell.”

RSL (2-0-3) earned its third shutout in 2015, and the 100th clean sheet in team history, as it walks away from the Midwest with a share of the spoils before next Saturday’s home match with Western Conference and Major League Soccer leader Vancouver at 7:30 p.m. MDT.

Here are three quick thoughts from RSL’s latest draw at Sporting Kansas City.

RSL gets the result it needed, if not the one it deserved ---------------------------------------------------------

Sporting KC came into this home match looking for the win, and it was all RSL could do at times to hold on. Dom Dwyer had a goal ruled null on an offside call early in the second half, and the hosts played a remarkably offensive match, outshooting RSL 12-4.

The result wasn’t just one lauded for a strong performance by goalkeeper Nick Rimando. In fact, the U.S. international goalkeeper made only one save in the match — and RSL benefitted from three blocked shots by its defense. Rimando's save on Sporting defender Jalil Anibaba's shot was the only save of the match for both sides.

RSL also showed a gritty attitude with four yellow cards to Sporting’s one, starting with Tony Beltran’s professional foul in the final minute of the first half and ramping up to bookings by Kyle Beckerman and Kenny Mansally in the 64th and 80th minutes, respectively.

RSL has depth in defense

Enoc Vasquez picked up the first start of his MLS career, replacing injured central defender Chris Schuler, who stayed behind in Salt Lake City to receive treatment for a knock he picked up a week ago at San Jose.

The 22-year-old Guatemalan international fared well alongside Colombian Jamison Olave, preserving the clean sheet and venturing forward as much as necessary — but always able to recover against Sporting’s dangerous front line.

When RSL lost Nat Borchers to Portland in the offseason, and after the sudden departure of Carlos Salcedo to Liga MX’s Chivas de Guadalajara, there was an understandable question mark at center back. But Vasquez stepped right into the lineup Saturday night, and what seemed like a mystery in the preseason may be a strength for RSL down the stretch, with Olave, Schuler and Vasquez fighting for starter’s minutes and young center backs Phanuel Kavita, Justen Glad and Aaron Maund seeing time with the reserve Monarchs in USL play.

RSL has held opponents to four goals in five matches in 2015 — and three of them came in a 3-3 tie with Philadelphia on March 14. A pair of scoreless draws in that five-game span doesn’t look pretty on offense, but RSL brought two points back from road trips to intra-conference foes Portland and Kansas City.

RSL’s most recent tie is the ninth scoreless draw in 2015, after only 17 in all of 2014 combined. RSL may not be taking as many risks early in the season, but that’s a trend across Major League Soccer.

Jordan Allen is a special talent

The second-year homegrown player from Rochester, New York, saw time in his fifth-straight game for RSL after missing 2014 with a knee injury. On Saturday, he came off the bench to play the final 25 minutes of the match, one week after making the first start of his MLS career, as he replaced Luis Gil a little after the hour mark as Salt Lake poured more attacking talent onto the field to try to keep up with Kansas City’s pace.

Allen didn’t put up a shot on goal against Sporting (neither did the rest of RSL, and Anibaba had the only attempt on frame of the night), but he fit into tight spaces well for the visitors and earned a foul late in the match to kill off the draw in the first of three matches between Salt Lake and Sporting KC in 2015.

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Sean Walker

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