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Sandy • His Real Salt Lake teammates waited through yet another flight delay home at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after yet another loss last Saturday night, but Tony Beltran was back in his familiar grove, flying up and down the right side at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Obviously there was something different. The 29-year-old defensive stalwart was in an unfamiliar jersey in unfamiliar colors playing in a stadium he's used to seeing a little closer to maximum capacity.
But for 45 minutes, RSL's defender now in his 10th season with the club passed a major test in overcoming what has been a frustrating start to the season. For 45 minutes on a one-game loan to RSL's USL affiliate, Real Monarchs, Beltran showed the RSL coaching staff that he's ready — at last — to return.
"This is cemented the fact and I've thought it before and I know it now — Being injured is the hardest thing we deal with in this game," Beltran said this week. "That's my personal opinion. There's so much mental torture that goes into it."
A lot has happened since Beltran last suited up for RSL, including a coaching change and a rash of injury that he eventually became a part of. The longtime right back has missed the last 10 matches due to back and calf injuries that kept him sidelined for the longest period in his soccer career. Now having worked through the irritation of more than two months of physical rehabilitation, Beltran's ready to get back to it.
Saturday's home match against the Philadelphia Union likely will be the first time he starts for RSL coach Mike Petke, hired a week or so after the pesky back injury that hampers Beltran at least once a year again resurfaced. And Petke said Beltran's potential inclusion won't change the way RSL plans to play.
"Strategically, it doesn't do anything," Petke said, "but perhaps leadership-wise, energy, a new guy coming back in with his experience can definitely calm some nerves and look to bolster it a little bit. But we're not going to play any differently with him coming back in."
Beltran's ability to defend in 1-on-1 situations has been missed. Ditto for his passing abilities in and out of tight spaces along the sideline, which has notoriously helped RSL midfielders and attackers turn and go to goal with more ease. RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando said Beltran returning would serve as a calming influence for a back line that has conceded 24 goals — the second-highest total in MLS.
"You feel comfortable with the guys that you've played with and have a good relationship on the field with," Rimando said. "To have him back obviously will be a boost for the team."
Beltran, a two-time MLS All-Star, has started at least 24 games since 2013. His steadiness on the back line has added perspective in that he's one of just 11 active field players to log 2,200 minutes played in each year going back to 2012.
"You don't recover the way you once did and also your thought process is also different," Beltran said. "When you're young, you think you're invincible and you'll be back no matter what. As you get older, you have a little bit more of a grounded opinion on everything."
That reality set in more after he was close to overcoming the back injury. As the back issue faded, a calf injury was picked up in training.
"The back is what it is," Beltran said. "I deal with it, but I've never had a muscle injury like that, and I think maybe I made a mistake of pushing myself a little bit too hard, too fast and wanting to come back after the back injury, so it happened."
Doctors informed Beltran of just how tedious a calf injury can be. And it proved to be so. The RSL veteran was kept out another month-plus. The slow going continued on. Beltran, a notorious bookworm, said he read seven novel series from a single author during his hiatus. Passing the time without soccer at full speed was his biggest obstacle.
"I feel great now," Beltran said, "I don't even think about that."
Twitter: @chriskamrani —
Philadelphia Union at Real Salt Lake
At Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy
Kickoff • 6 p.m. Saturday
TV • KMYU
Radio • 700 AM
Records • RSL 3-8-2, Philadelphia 4-4-4
Last meeting • RSL won 2-1 (July 31, 2016 at Philadelphia)
About Philadelphia • After starting 0-4-2, the Union are riding a six-game unbeaten streak with four wins and two draws. … The Union are outscoring opponents 14-4 in their six-game unbeaten stretch. … Forward CJ Sapong has eight goals in 2017, which leads the team. … Midfielder Chris Pontius has six assists, which ranks second overall in MLS. … The Union have yet to beat RSL since entering MLS in 2010. … Philadelphia has earned draws in its last two visits to Rio Tinto Stadium.
About RSL • RSL has lost five of its last six matches after the 1-0 loss in Seattle last weekend. … The 11 goals scored by RSL is tied for the second-lowest output in MLS. … The 24 goals conceded by RSL is tied for the second-highest output in MLS. … Captain Kyle Beckerman will be suspended for the match stemming from a tackle on Clint Dempsey last weekend. … RSL hits the road again next week taking on Houston on Wednesday and FC Dallas on Saturday.