Real Salt Lake got off a bit lucky this time.
The Claret-and-Cobalt clawed their way back to a 3-3 draw against the visiting Philadelphia Union after a series of uncharacteristic mistakes put them into a hole. An own goal and two defensive miscues threatened to spoil RSL’s home opener, but they were able to level the score in the 85th minute of the match, earning a point from the spot after midfielder Luke Mulholland was taken down in the box.
“Fitting end to a very wacky, weird game,” Mulholland said after the game. “Home openers aren’t meant to go that way."
Real Salt Lake hoped to start their season off on the right foot, with the full three points, but things didn’t exactly go according to plan.
In the 33rd minute midfielder Javier Morales had just scored on a fantastic free kick and it appeared like the match was playing out exactly as RSL had scripted it.
That’s when things went sideways.
Union forward Fernando Aristeguieta proceeded to pounce on two separate defensive miscues from the home side within four minutes of each other and put the visitors up 2-1.
“We definitely got caught,” RSL head coach Jeff Cassar said after the match. “I would say their goals, the first one, Demar [Phillips] kind of takes a touch negatively and gets it stolen, which is really odd. Then it’s a quick throw-in and then it’s a deflection. So there’s three really odd goals that I wouldn’t think are going to happen too often.”
In the 85th minute, with the home side down 3-2, redemption would come from 12 yards out after referee Alan Chapman blew his whistle and pointed to the spot. RSL forward Alvaro Saborio stepped up and blasted it past Philadelphia goalkeeper Rais Mbohli to seal the final score at 3-3.
“Was it a penalty?” mused Mulholland. “In my book, no. The defender caught me with a straight leg on my shin, knocked me off balance and I just tried to regain the ball again. Thought we won a corner or a throw-in or whatever, but the referee gave us a penalty. So, I’ll take that.”
And RSL will take the point.
“I thought our team showed a lot of resilience, in fighting back and sticking together and staying aggressive,” Cassar stressed. “But there’s things we need to work on.”
RSL will have plenty of time to smooth out the wrinkles with an off week ahead.
