RSL vs. Houston Player of the Match: The Team is the Star

With the 2022 MLS season officially underway it is time to name our first player of the match. Let’s just say we cannot name the player of the match as the last kick of Pablo Ruiz... although he was the highest rated player for Real Salt Lake.

This match the team really deserves the tag. Let’s break down what went well (and yes, we can all agree that there were not a lot of fireworks on the field.) First, the team played with really good width, and that kept Houston from really being able to break them down. There were no obvious weaknesses in the game plan.

With David Ochoa out, Zac MacMath did a great job in between the posts, and the back three did a good job shutting down Houston’s offense. So, the defense did well.

The midfield was not flashy at all, and they also strung together some pretty good play. While we didn’t have Everton Luiz, we did hold our own in the middle of the field. Even though Houston had the majority of the possession, it was largely not possession with purpose.

So, what about the offense? Bobby Wood looked dangerous and I was excited to see him get the start. Justin Meram also did well working up front, and overall some chances were created. I would have loved to see Sergio Cordova and Maikel Chang more time together as that pairing looked dangerous.

So, let’s give the nod to the team — including a solid game plan from the technical staff. It was good to see them playing as a team, and it was good to pick up a point. Will we need some players to stand out and more to step up this coming Saturday? Absolutely.

Welcome, 2022, and let’s keep moving forward with the team as the star! Go Real!