RSL Soapbox Awards: Best Moment of 2014 regular season

Kreg Asay

Moment of the year for me would be Alvaro Saborio coming back from injury after 3 months and scoring the winning goal vs Dallas literally 5 seconds after stepping on the field. To quote my son's reaction "That was epic!"

Trevor Brady

I'm going to trust my compatriots to mention what actually is the moment of the year, and I'm going to take this opportunity to call back to an early season memory, that is definitely worthy of mention. It was our season opener against the Gals in LA. Mulholland had just had his goal ruled out inexplicably for offside. LA supporters started chanting "you suck, go home" which wasn't even appropriate, because it was still 0-0 (but no one ever credited LA fans with being particularly clever or smart). Later on in the game, LA was awarded the softest of PKs late in the game which gave them an opportunity to equalize. Rimando did what Rimando does, and saved the PK, sealing a season opening win on the road. Naturally, us traveling fans were elated, and started mercilessly chanting "you suck, go home" to the LA fans slowly (and sadly) filling out of the stadium. Those are the moments you dream of as a traveling fan.

Weston Jenson

On a cloudy night in Kanas City in early April, Real Salt Lake had can what only be called a match to remember. Even without Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake was able to keep a clean-sheet. Jeff Attinella had a nine-save blinder of a game that was the first matchup between the teams since the 2013 MLS Cup Final. The moment that stood out above all others came in the 34th minute. As Sporting Kanas City drove the ball through the RSL midfield, Attinella positioned himself for a drive to the box. Even before the ball came anywhere close to the 18-yard box, Sporting Kanas City's midfield Benny Feilhaber let off a rocket from 30-yards out. What seemed like almost certainly a goal for the home-side was parried away by an outstretched Attinella. Attinella went on to make seven more incredible saves setting the tone for match which kept RSL in the running to tie the best season start in the league.

Matt Montgomery

Maybe it's cheating, but my favorite moment of the 2014 regular season was actually a combination of two discrete events. The first, Joao Plata scoring with his head against D.c. United. It was a fantastic occurrence, bested only by his headed goal against Seattle Sounders a week later. Joao Plata, two headed goals. I'm positively drooling right now. Who thought that was even possible? He is, after all, just a little guy.

Randal Serr

FC Dallas has been a thorn in our side from the inception of RSL in 2005. This season, RSL and FC Dallas have been neck and neck for much of the season, vying for the higher seed which could lead to a CONCACAF birth or a more favorable playoff schedule. When RSL faced FC Dallas in Salt Lake City for the second time, the two teams were knotted at one goal a piece when Alvaro Saborio came on after a four month absence due to injury. From a set piece taken by Javier Morales, Sabo's first touch on the ball after his long road back resulted in a goal headed perfectly to the far post which ended up sealing the much needed win for Salt Lake. It was an improbable, incredible moment for Saborio and the fans.