Vancouver, British Columbia • Real Salt Lake coach Jeff Cassar made an early exit from Saturday's Major League Soccer game against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Cassar was ejected in the 29th minute after disputing a foul against his squad. After an initial exchange with Cassar along the sidelines, referee Chris Penso turned and walked away to set up a free kick. But Cassar continued to argue, so the official turned back and gave him the heave-ho sign.
Cassar stood momentarily on the sideline, making little effort to go, but was then escorted off the pitch by another official.
RSL assistants coached the rest of the game by committee. Cassar was automatically suspended from RSL's next league game, at home next weekend against Portland. But Cassar will be allowed on the pitch for Wednesday's U.S. Open Cup game in Kansas City.
Rimando gets another rest
Nick Rimando's return to the pitch did not last long.
One game after earning a clean sheet in a CONCACAF Champions League game, the Real Salt Lake goalkeeper was rested Saturday. Jeff Attinella made his sixth consecutive MLS start in place of Rimando, who has battled a sore knee in recent weeks.
Lalo Fernandez served as Attinella's backup while Rimando stayed home after backstopping RSL to a 1-0 victory over CSD Municipal in Guatemala City. According to a team spokesman, Rimando is expected to play Wednesday when RSL visits Sporting Kansas City for a U.S. Open Cup semifinal game. He has not played an MLS regular-season game since June 27 against Columbus, but helped the MLS All-Stars beat England's Tottenham Hotspur.
RSL emphasizes tourney games
As a general rule, coaches put MLS games at the top of their priority list when balancing league, national and international competition within the same season. But Cassar, whose team is fighting for an MLS playoff spot, opted for a different approach in Saturday's league game.
Cassar used only two players from the lineup that shut out CSD Municipal in CONCACAF Champions League play in Guatemala on Tuesday. Four other regulars – leading scorer Javier Morales, midfielder Joao Plata, who has scored four goals in his past four games, midfielder Kyle Beckerman, and defender Tony Beltran — also stayed home.
Real Salt Lake head coach Jeff Cassar, right, leaves the field after being ejected by referee Chris Penso during the first half of an MLS soccer game against the Vancouver Whitecaps in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Real Salt Lake's Luis Silva (20) fights off Vancouver Whitecaps' Matias Laba, right, of Argentina, as he moves the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Real Salt Lake head coach Jeff Cassar, center, leaves the field after being ejected by referee Chris Penso during the first half of an MLS soccer game against the Vancouver Whitecaps in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Vancouver Whitecaps' Nicolas Mezquida, of Uruguay, Octavio Rivero, of Uruguay, and Gershon Koffie, of Ghana, from left, celebrate Rivero's penalty-kick goal against Real Salt Lake during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Pa-Modou Kah, of Norway, celebrates his goal against Real Salt Lake during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Steven Beitashour (33) and Real Salt Lake's Sebastian Saucedo, back, vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Real Salt Lake's Olmes Garcia, left, of Colombia, and Vancouver Whitecaps' Matias Laba, of Argentina, vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Real Salt Lake's Olmes Garcia, left, of Colombia, and Vancouver Whitecaps' Matias Laba, of Argentina, vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Vancouver Whitecaps' Pa-Modou Kah, of Norway, celebrates his goal against Real Salt Lake during the first half of an MLS soccer game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Vancouver Whitecaps' Kekuta Manneh, right, of Gambia, passes the ball over Real Salt Lake's Justen Glad during the first half of an MLS soccer game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Real Salt Lake's Devon Sandoval, right, looks to the official for a call after colliding with Vancouver Whitecaps' Jordan Harvey during the first half of an MLS soccer game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Vancouver Whitecaps' Octavio Rivero, left, of Uruguay, and Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Jeff Attinella collide during the second half of an MLS soccer game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT
Vancouver Whitecaps' Nicolas Mezquida, left, of Uruguay, and Cristian Techara, top, of Uruguay, celebrate Techara's goal as he's lifted up by Pa-Modou Kah (44), of Norway, during the second half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver Whitecaps' Pa-Modou Kah (44), of Norway, Cristian Techara, top, of Uruguay, and Nicolas Mezquida (9), of Uruguay, celebrate Techara's goal against Real Salt Lake during the second half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
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