Breaking: RSL Acquires Veteran GK Zac MacMath

After some brief rumors this morning on the Twitter, Vancouver has confirmed via their team website that Real Salt Lake has exchanged $50k in TAM for veteran goalkeeper Zac MacMath.

This appears to be a very savvy move by new GM Elliot Fall given the price tag. For context, Brooks Lennon was sold to Atlanta only a few weeks ago for a much higher price tag of $300k in GAM/TAM.

Zac MacMath will bring a veteran presence to a young goalkeeping corps of Andrew Putna and David Ochoa. Both are promising keepers but lack minutes at the senior level. This seems to be a move designed to allow Putna and Ochoa to continue to develop while relieving them of some of the pressure of being a week in and week out starter at the MLS level.

MacMath has been in the top flight of US Soccer for 8 years, beginning his career with the Philadelphia Union in 2011. He has also spent time with the Colorado Rapids (we’ll forgive him) as well as most recently with Vancouver. He has featured in 144 matches, starting 142 of them with a total of 12,893 minutes played. He has good size at 6’2” and is in the prime years of his career at the age of 28.

Interesting to note, the last time he played against RSL was on 4/21/2018 where he subbed on for a red-carded Tim Howard in the 22nd minute of that match after Howard handled the ball outside of the box.

With this signing it seems that RSL has filled out their roster at the goalkeeper position. Barring any sudden changes we can count on seeing a steady dose of Zac MacMath between the pipes next year. No small task considering the shoes he’ll be asked to fill.