New England vs. RSL: Jefferson Savarino, Man of the Match

Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. Jefferson Savarino did not save the game for RSL against New England. He didn’t get on the stat sheet. Hell, he didn’t really get much time on the field for that matter.

What he did do against New England, however, was make us turn our heads ever so slightly with a glimpse of hope. Savarino came on for Joao Plata with about 25 minutes left in the game. He got off two shots on goal in that short amount of time, and his free kick was a beauty even if it didn’t end up in the net.

So, yeah, Real Salt Lake set a low bar for Man of the Match on Saturday. But Jefferson Savarino’s body language was noticeably different from the rest of his teammates. He didn’t look defeated. That, if anything, earns him the Man of the Match award.