Pablo Ruiz, Anderson Julio and Jefferson Savarino all scored their first goals of the season during a seven-minute onslaught to lift Real Salt Lake to a 3-1 victory over visiting Charlotte FC on Saturday night in Sandy, Utah.
Ruiz’s equalizer in the 56th minute snapped a run of 304 scoreless minutes for Salt Lake (2-4-0, 6 points), which had lost four in a row following a season-opening win at Vancouver.
Julio added the go-ahead goal in the 59th and Savarino followed in the 62nd as the Claret and Cobalt won at home for the first time since last year’s regular-season finale. Carlos Gomez contributed two assists.
Karol Swiderski scored his first goal of the campaign to give Charlotte (1-4-2, 5 points) a first-half lead. But this time the visitors gave up a lead, a week after coming from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw at Toronto FC.
George Marks made a career-best seven saves in defeat in his fifth professional start and fourth of the season.
Despite Charlotte’s early goal, Salt Lake controlled most of the match and finished the contest leading 18-13 in overall shots and 10-6 in efforts on target.
The home side swarmed toward the visitors’ goal in the early stages of the second half. Ruiz, Julio and Savarino all had quality looks at goal in the first 10 minutes after the break, and Gomez also struck the crossbar with an attempt.
The goals finally came beginning with an exceptional individual effort from Ruiz. Andrew Brody began the attack with a run down the right flank and a cross into the box that was only half-cleared. Ruiz reached it, collected himself and unleashed a ferocious shot from just beyond the 18 that smashed the underside of the crossbar and then bounded down across the goal line.
Salt Lake had the lead three minutes later on one of their best attacks of the night when Brody and Savarino combined to find Gomez down the right. Gomez curled in a skipping, out-swinging cross and Julio met it on the bounce, guiding a header past the stranded Marks.
Savarino completed the outburst with more crisp play through midfield. He initially took a pass from the left, made a darting diagonal run toward the penalty arc and then played a give-and-go with Gomez to put the game out of reach.
–Field Level Media
