clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

RSL shakes San Jose, wins 2-0 on defensive strength, Savarino skill

Savarino scored an incredible goal (video inside), while Marcelo Silva opened the scoring

By Matt Montgomery
/ new
Lucas Muller | RSL Soapbox

  • Jefferson Savarino starts for the first time since his return; Pablo Ruiz is absent after returning late from a trip to see his family and mourn his father’s passing — it sounds like it’s not anything that has hurt his standing with the team.
  • The first 15 minutes have been — uh — windy. That’s dominated a lot of how I’ve thought about the game. A few promising moments, including a couple very nice crosses from Jefferson Savarino that were left without true effect.
  • 17’ Bobby Wood goes down injured, sitting on the grass. He gets up and leaves on his own weight, but he immediately goes to the bench and sits down. Rubio Rubin enters in his stead.
  • 18’ Jeremy Ebobisse gets a free shot at the top of the box, but it’s gone wayward — far too high, especially for being unmarked in a good position. Good for us, though.
  • GOAL, RSL 1-0 SJE | 22’ Marcelo Silva on a corner kick! But it’s not with his head — it’s a well-placed strike along the ground, with Tate Schmitt getting the preceding touch. It might have been deflected or it might have been intentionally placed. Jefferson Savarino took the corner. This was a really lovely goal that was defended very poorly, and I’m all about that. Unless RSL is the one being bad. I hope that doesn’t happen. Anyway, that goal is Silva’s second on the year. One more until he’s tied for top scorer.
  • 30’ Sergio Cordova plays in Rubio Rubin, but JT Marcinkowski blocks his shot from inside the box. Marcinkowski did well to come out quickly, but one does suspect Rubin should have been sharper on the play.
  • 31’ Tate Schmitt is shown a yellow card for a bit of a revenge tackle, feeling he was fouled on an earlier play in the box.
  • 45’ Savarino gets free, scores a really lovely goal, wags his finger at the assistant referee when he’s flagged offside. A fun moment that the crowd decided means booing at halftime because the referee “got one wrong?” I don’t know about this “playing in front of real people” sometimes.
  • 48’ Justin Meram releases Jefferson Savarino on the right side, who sends a perfect cross to Rubio Rubin. Rubin drops to his knees and heads it at the goalkeeper, whose rebound goes right to Sergio Cordova mere feet from the goal. He puts it right into Marcinkowski’s arms. Anywhere else, and that’s a goal. Definitely not a good finisher, that one.
  • 62’ RSL has been looking pretty poor in this second half, and it’s getting progressively worse. Everyone’s all over the place. I’m not feeling great about what’s on offer here.
  • 72’ More of the same, but San Jose is bad enough that they haven’t managed to score.
  • 75’ Everton Luiz and Nick Besler enter for Jasper Löffelsend and Scott Caldwell. So, uh, we’ve just swapped out our central midfield? That seems weird. What do I know, though?
  • GOAL, RSL 2-0 SJ | 82’ Well, if we’re going to play somewhat mediocre soccer in the midfield, at least we can cap it with one of the greatest goals I’ve seen in this stadium. Incredible. Just completely and utterly incredible. Jefferson Savarino gets his foot on a looping header from Sergio Cordova, bursting past his defender. He pops the ball up in the air with his first touch, and with his second touch, he smacks the ball off the ground with a half volley, hitting it in off the far post.
  • 83’ Just like they drew it up. Jefferson Savarino comes off celebrating, replaced by Maikel Chang. Sergio Cordova comes off and is replaced by Anderson Julio.
  • 89’ San Jose thumped the crossbar with a strong header on a corner kick. Everton Luiz bicycle kicked the clearance away.

More From RSL Soapbox

Loading comments...