Damir Kreilach's header in the 75th minute was the difference in Real Salt Lake's 1-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes, a match between two postseason contenders in the Western Conference.
Kreilach headed in a cross back into the box from Brooks Lennon, who'd tracked down a corner kick from the opposite side, and RSL picked up three important points.
Real Salt Lake won for the 11th time at home this season, tying LAFC for most home wins in the West, and leapfrogged three spots in the standings from fifth to second place heading into the weekend. San Jose had a short two-game winning streak snapped but remain in fifth place.
The Earthquakes didn't generate many quality chances, and needed goalkeeper Daniel Vega's five saves to stay close. Vega dived to his left to knock away a Sebastian Saucedo free kick from outside the box in the 68th minute.
Vega's best save was with his feet in the 35th minute, denying Kreilach's header toward the center of the goal. RSL's Nick Rimando had three saves in a clean sheet.
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Goals
- 75' - RSL - Damir Kreilach | WATCH
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: No one is going to catch LAFC in the West, but who saw RSL as a possible runner-up in the conference? They won without leading goal scorers Albert Rusnak and Sam Johnson (international duty) available, too. A big game looms on the road at Minnesota United this weekend, but on paper, that's the most difficult of their five remaining regular season matches. For San Jose, it's a more difficult road -- every one of their five remaining games is against a postseason contender, and it all starts with a trip all the way to New York for an early match on just two days' full rest.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: With Rimando hardly tested, Kreilach was a major threat on offense, and when he rose high over Anibal Godoy for his header that found the net, it was well deserved for the work he'd done earlier in the game.
If first you don't succeed, try, try, try, try, & try again!! pic.twitter.com/xdQVewmLVq
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) September 12, 2019 - MAN OF THE MATCH: Kreilach's three shots on goal including the winner get him the nod, with a tip of the cap to Saucedo for 26 quality minutes off the bench.
Up Next
- RSL: Sunday, Sept. 15 at Minnesota United FC (5:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in the US and on DAZN in Canada)
- SJ: Saturday, Sept. 14 at New York City FC (12:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in the US and on DAZN in Canada)
