COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Harry Kane, meet the Wall of the Wasatch.
The goalkeeper otherwise known as Nick Rimando was one of the most important players on the field for the MLS All-Stars on Wednesday night, helping them claim a 2-1 win behind three point-blank saves on the Tottenham Hotspur star striker over the course of the first half.
It’s a sight that Real Salt Lake and MLS fans are more than familiar with, and Rimando likely gained a few more admirers, including Kane himself, after his impressive 45-minute outing in the 2015 AT&T MLS All-Star Game.
Rimando’s first effort came in the ninth minute as Kane caught hold of a looping deflection, smashing it towards goal from eight yards out, forcing Rimando to get down at his near post to turn it around for a corner kick.
It was Rimando’s second save in the 22nd-minute that drew most of the plaudits, though. Kane streaked in at the back post, beating his man to meet an in-swinging cross from Nacer Chadli with full force from just four yards out. Rimando came up with a huge kick save to keep the All-Stars ahead 1-0 after Kaká’s penalty had opened the scoring, and just a minute before David Villa would double the MLS team’s advantage.
“I think I connected too well and it went right down the middle. Sometimes you’re better off scuffing them in and bobbling them in,” Kane told reporters after the game of that shot. “But the goalie was in the right position at the right time and good credit to him, he pulled off some good saves.”
Kane did manage to beat Rimando once, though only after the 36-year-old ‘keeper had made a third big save on him in the 34th minute. The English international took advantage of a slip from Matt Besler to go one-on-one with Omar Gonzalez before rifling home a right-footed shot from just outside the area that Rimando had no chance of stopping.
Nonetheless, Rimando more than won the respect of his colleagues and opponents for his performance on the night.
“After the game he [Kane] came up to me and applauded my performance,” Rimando told reporters after the game. “It’s nice for him to come up to me and recognize that.”
Rimando also drew high praise from a teammate who’s beaten his fair share of goalkeepers throughout the years.
“He was unbelievable. I think he saved the game,” said All-Star Game MVP Kaká. “Because the [22nd-minute] one was amazing. The second one was great as well. But the first one was amazing and it would’ve probably been the tie 1-1. We have to say thank you to him because in the end he saved the team.”
For all his heroics on the evening, it might be surprising to learn that Rimando almost didn’t even make the start. A contusion to his right MCL sustained while he was with the US national team had Rimando and All-Star head coach Pablo Mastroeni sweating his status for Wednesday’s game. Mastroeni told reporters that he left it up to Rimando to decide his availability for the match, and the rest is history.
“I wanted to play. I had some friends out here,” Rimando told reporters. “And I knew I had to be smart as well. If the game was on Tuesday I wouldn’t have played. So the extra day of rest definitely helped. But these games are fun.
“You want to be a part of these games. And some of these guys it’s special to step on the field with so I wasn’t going to waste that opportunity.”
Rimando says he’ll now have an “honest” discussion with RSL head coach Jeff Cassar about his status for Saturday’s upcoming clash at D.C. United, but was quick to praise the performance of backup Jeff Attinella in his absence for the Gold Cup.
For Mastroeni, seeing Rimando – a longtime friend and former Miami Fusion teammate – able to get up for the game and perform so well despite his injury was a moment of immense pride.
“I remember Nicky when he came into the league his eyes were big and he was so excited to be a part of it,” said Mastroeni. “To see his growth over the last 15-16 years has been tremendous. And he gets up for these games that are tight and that you have to stay in them.
“He’s not the same kid that came in 15 years ago, obviously evolved a great deal. [But] to put forth a performance like that, not being at 100 percent, speaks volumes.”
