Tani Oluwaseyi recorded a brace to help Minnesota United notch a 2-0 victory over Real Salt Lake on Saturday night at Saint Paul, Minn.
Dayne St. Clair made three saves for his third shutout of the season for Minnesota United, who thrived despite playing in heavy rain throughout the entire contest.
It was the second two-goal effort of the season for Oluwaseyi, while Minnesota United (3-1-2, 11 points) improved its unbeaten stretch to five straight matches (3-0-2).
Rafael Cabral made five saves for Real Salt Lake (2-4-0, 6 points), which was shut out for the second straight match.
Minnesota United played without Hassani Dotson, who underwent right knee surgery on Wednesday to repair meniscus damage.
Minnesota United scored in the 30th minute when Jefferson Diaz sent a pass to Oluwaseyi, who headed the ball into the right corner of the net.
Oluwaseyi scored again in the 55th minute as he ran down a long pass from Joaquin Pereyra and then sent a left-footed shot over the reeling Cabral.
Minnesota had a 15-14 edge in shots and placed seven on target to RSL’s three.
St. Clair made all three of his saves in five minutes before the midway point of the second half. He caught Brayan Vera’s slow close-range header in the 62nd minute, and stopped left-footed shots by Jesus Barea in the 64th and 66th minutes.
Barea sent a close-range header wide of the net in the 80th minute.
In the 87th minute, Vera’s left-footed shot was off the mark.
Minnesota had a 9-4 edge in shots in the first half and had a 4-0 edge in shots on target.
Oluwaseyi had two close-range shots with his left-foot in the 17th minute with one being saved by Cabral and the other missing to the left.
Minnesota United eliminated Real Salt Lake in the first round of last season’s playoffs.
–Field Level Media
