Robin Lod scored the go-ahead goal and also had an assist to lead Minnesota United to a 3-1 victory over Real Salt Lake on Saturday night in Sandy, Utah.
Joaquin Pereyra also scored for Minnesota (14-6-8, 50 points) which also tallied an own-goal from RSL defender Brayan Vera. Dayne St. Clair made five saves for the Loons, who won their second straight match and closed to within two points of first-place San Diego FC in the Western Conference.
Victor Olatunji, acquired from Sparta Prague of the Czech League on Aug. 6, scored his first goal for Real Salt Lake (9-14-4, 31 points), which suffered its third straight defeat and lost for the fourth time in the last five matches. Rafael finished with one save for RSL which played without suspended star midfielder Diego Luna.
Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute when Pereyra’s deflected corner caromed into the middle of net off the left hip of Vera.
Real Salt Lake tied it, 1-1, in the 15th minute on Olatunji’s first goal. Samuel Junqua set up the score with a cross from the left side of the box that Olatunji, driving toward the goal, chipped inside the far right post with his right foot.
RSL nearly took the lead in the 27th minute on a free kick above the box by Noel Caliskan that a leaping St. Clair deflected off the crossbar.
Minnesota took a 2-1 lead nine minutes later on Lod’s fourth goal of the season, a left-footed shot from the left side of the box off a spinning Nicolas Romero pass that scooted inside the far right post.
The Loons extended the lead to 3-1 in the 51st minute on Pereyra’s fourth goal, a left-footed shot from the middle of the box into the right side of the net off a Lod setup.
–Field Level Media
