Player Ratings: Plata the game-changer as RSL rolls out victorious

Nick Rimando - 7.5. Another shutout, another day. I thought he placed himself well positionally and make at least one key save. Rimando gets the "10" ranking for games like he had against Seattle last year in the playoffs or against L.A. in the 2009 MLS Cup. In other words, he has set the bar high for himself. Great show last night.

Tony Beltran - 6. I have seen better out of Beltran. Like I have mentioned with the other defenders, there were too many good chances for the Earthquakes for my liking.

Kwame Watson-Siriboe - 6. You have got to love his attitude and how he got right in Fucito's face without doing anything stupid to get him thrown out of the game. Olave and Espindola might not have been able to say the same thing if they found themselves in a heated situation like that. Not his best performance defensively with how many chances San Jose got, but not bad.

Chris Schuler - 6.5. A little shaky at times, and we were lucky that Wondo didn't put in some of his chances, but I am still a believer in Schuler as is the RSL coaching staff. They have made it clear that his potential is through the roof. I think he will only get better with more games under his belt.

Kenny Mansally - 5. His first half gave me a few ulcers. Wasn't his best performance but Kreis showed patience in not subbing him out and it paid off. The further the game went on, the more comfortable he became.

Kyle Beckerman - 7.5. Plenty of successful passes as per usual. Also had an assist. Can't ask for too much more from our captain.

Sebastian Velasquez - 6.5. Once again, showed his great footwork and embarrassed a couple of San Jose players. No doubt he is creative, hopefully he can continue to be effective.

Alvaro Saborio - 9. Really, really hard to argue that Sabo is not one of the best forwards in MLS at this point. Clinical finishing. The haters are starting to diminish and I think part of this might be due to Saborio opening up a bit more with the fans, particularly on social media outlets. He has been representing ReAL well wearing his RSL jacket when interviewed by Univision and other media outlets. Fans take note of these things and it has a positive effect on both sides. Either way, his performance was fantastic last night, especially in the face of the Wondo hype.

Robbie Findley - 6. Could have looked to sneak in a couple goals and really push the line more than he did, but not bad for his first game back at RSL.

Khari Stephenson - 6.5. Filled in very well for the recovering Morales. I was pretty impressed with his composure and tackling. In fact, he had a key tackle that started the sequence to the first goal.

Luis Gil - 7. Came back from his successful trip to Mexico with the U-20s brimming with confidence. Had some key passes and a great attempt on goal.

Substitutes

Devon Sandoval - 5.5. Good work in very little time on the field. Looks like he is impressing Kreis enough to play, and that is impressive given his lack of professional experience.

Yordany Alvarez - 5.5. Nothing to complain about, just didn't see much time on the field.

Joao Plata - 8.5. Kreis said it best. "He did a lot of things for us and contributed in some defensive ways as well. Really pleased with his addition." He was a game-changer offensively and fought for the ball when he lost it. I really like what I am seeing from Plata so far. It's only been one regular season game, but I really hope this performance is indicative of what he can do for us.