RSL tops FC Tucson 3-1 in second Desert Diamond Cup outing

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Real Salt Lake improved to 2-0 in the 2015 Desert Diamond Cup Saturday night in Tucson, Ariz., as the club defeated host FC Tucson 3-1. Two goals from striker Alvaro Saborio and another from Devon Sandoval pushed RSL to its second-straight win in Tucson after defeating the New England Revolution 1-0 on Feb. 18.

Following along the theme of this preseason, RSL played the entire match in a 4-3-3 formation, starting its strongest lineup before making wholesale changes in the 62nd minute in the second half.

Saborio, RSL's all-time leading scorer, put his side up 1-0 in the 41st minute. He cleaned up a loose ball in the box after a cross found forward Olmes Garcia, who headed it back toward the face of goal where midfielder Javier Morales snapped a header on goal. FC Tucson's keeper saved it, but Saborio was there to tap it in.

Tucson pulled even in the 48th minute, but 10 minutes later Saborio once again gave RSL the lead. He finished off a cross from striker Sebastian Jaime in the 58th minute by trapping the ball near the six-yard box and firing a one-time shot into the upper corner of the far post.

RSL head coach Jeff Cassar changed his side's look in the 62nd minute by taking off the majority of his starting XI, leaving only goalkeeper Nick Rimando in for the entire 90 minutes. Sandoval, who was part of the shift change up top, added his second penalty-kick goal of the tournament when Jordan Allen was fouled and taken down in the box. Sandoval beat the FC Tucson keeper to make it 3-1.

New left back Demar Phillips was taken off in the 40th minute with a right hamstring strain and remains day-to-day ahead of RSL's next Desert Diamond Cup match on Wednesday, Feb. 25, against Sporting Kansas City at Kino Stadium in Tucson.

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RSL's starting XI vs. FC Tucson Saturday night: Nick Rimando, Tony Beltran (Jordan Allen, 62), Jamison Olave (Phanuel Kavita, 62), Chris Schuler (Elias Vasquez, 62), Demar Phillips (Abdoulie Mansally 40, Boyd Okwuonu, 77), Kyle Beckerman (Lucas Baldin, 62), Luis Gil (Luke Mulholland, 62), Javier Morales (Fito Ovalle, 62), Sebastian Jaime (Emery Welshman, 62), Alvaro Saborio (Devon Sandoval, 62), Olmes Garcia (Sebastian Saucedo 62, Ricardo Velasco, 82).