RSL downed by Javi-less FC Dallas, 3-0

Real Salt Lake fell to FC Dallas for their third consecutive loss in MLS, losing 3-0, and the suspected storylines never came into play as Javier Morales sat on the bench for the entire 90 minutes.

Real Salt Lake went down 1-0 only three minutes in after Dallas was awarded a penalty of dubious quality for a handball. Maxi Urruti finished well past Matt VanOekel. The penalty came after Demar Phillips was adjudged to have handled after going down in the box with a tackle.going down in the box with a tackle.

FC Dallas doubled their lead in the 68th minute, with Matt Hedges scoring a powerful header on a lofted corner kick.

Of course, that says nothing about the positive goalkeeping display from VanOekel, who made a spectacular save before the corner.

Dallas rounded it out with a stoppage time goal, with Urruti netting his secind of the game after beating VanOekel, who was given very little help from his defense.

Absent from the match were two of Morales’s longest-running teammates, Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando. Both players were absent through injury.

Chris Schuler missed the match through retroactive suspension after a non-carded tackle against Atlanta United. He was replaced by a returning Aaron Maund.

Joao Plata wasn't involved from the outset after arriving late to training this week, prompting a public rebuke from RSL coach Mike Petke. Sebastian Saucedo started in his stead.

Starting lineup and bench

VanOekel; Wingert, Maund, Schmidt, Phillips; Sunny, Mulholland, Rusnak; Lennon, Movsisyan, Saucedo

Bench: Fernandez, Dunk, Acosta, Holness, Hernandez, Silva, Plata