VANCOUVER — Real Salt Lake had just one regular starter in the starting lineup in Vancouver, but they still pulled out a 1-0 win against the Whitecaps to move back into first place in the Western Conference Standing.
RSL is now tied with New York for the most points in Major League Soccer at 51, with three league matches to play in the regular season.
RSL scored the only goal of the match in the ninth minute, when Devon Sandoval headed in a cross from Lovel Palmer. RSL held on the rest of the way to end a two-game losing streak.
This match comes just three days before RSL will host the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final on Tuesday against D.C. United. RSL head coach Jason Kreis said the Open Cup final was the biggest match, so he rested his top players to keep them fresh and healthy for a chance to raise a trophy at Rio Tinto Stadium.
That gamble paid off, as the reserves stepped in and earned RSL’s first-ever win in Vancouver.
