3 takeaways from Real Salt Lake’s 4-0 win over Philadelphia
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Real Salt Lake celebrates Real Salt Lake midfielder Damir KreilachÕs (8) goal. Real Salt Lake defeated Philadephia Union 4-0 in MLS Soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Sat, July 13, 2019.
Here are three takeaways from Real Salt Lake’s resounding 4-0 win Saturday over the Philadelphia Union.
1. Sam Johnson will miss significant time
Coach Mike Petke revealed after the game that the club’s Liberian designated player will miss “six to eight weeks” with a quad injury he suffered two weeks ago. You don’t have to be a doctor to recognize that timeline does not bode well for RSL.
Before Johnson’s injury, he had scored three goals in his last 112 minutes. He was — and still is — the team’s leading scorer with eight goals. It seemed that after a somewhat rocky start, he was finally starting to get into a groove.
Going into Saturday against the Union, Johnson had scored four of Salt Lake’s five goals in the past six games. The only other RSL player to score during that stretch was Albert Rusnák, and that was on a penalty kick. So there was a question as to how the team would fare with him absent, especially when it failed to score against San Jose.
Real performed beautifully against Philadelphia, notching four goals from three players. But with Johnson out for the better part of two months, and the Western Conference standings so tight around the playoff line, missing the top scorer is huge going forward.
2. So many yellow cards
Like, so many. Five to be exact, and four of them were given to RSL. In the span of just 11 minutes in the first half, Sebastian Saucedo, Damir Kreilach and Kyle Beckerman all picked up yellows. One was given to Philadelphia’s Brenden Aaronson before Aaron Herrera earned one of his own in the second half.
Four of the five yellows were handed out for unsporting behavior, while Saucedo’s was for something called “not retreating.” It’s unclear what exactly that means.
But now Saucedo is one yellow card away from a one-game suspension due to accumulation, and Herrera is ineligible for the next game for the same reason. Not long ago, Beckerman had to miss a game due to suspension.
There’s no problem with physical play, and yellow cards are part of the game. But RSL is without Johnson and Onuoha, and Donny Toia missed Saturday’s game due to a right hamstring injury with no set timetable for return. It’s just not a great time to have key players missing games because of yellow cards.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Real Salt Lake forward Jefferson Savarino (7) celebrates his first half goal with the team. Real Salt Lake hosts Philadelphia Union in MLS Soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Sat, July 13, 2019.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Real Salt Lake midfielder Damir Kreilach (8) hits the pitch. Real Salt Lake hosts Philadelphia Union in MLS Soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Sat, July 13, 2019.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Real Salt Lake forward Jefferson Savarino (7) fires a goal past Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake (18). Real Salt Lake hosts Philadephia Union in MLS Soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Sat, July 13, 2019.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Real Salt Lake forward Jefferson Savarino (7) celebrates his first half goal with the fans. Real Salt Lake hosts Philadelphia Union in MLS Soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Sat, July 13, 2019.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Real Salt Lake forward Brooks Lennon (12) and Philadelphia Union forward Fafa Picault (9) take a header. Real Salt Lake hosts Philadelphia Union in MLS Soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Sat, July 13, 2019.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Nick Rimando, his wife Randi Peterson, daughter Benny and son Jet were celebrated on the home pitch Sat, July 13, 2019 at Rio Tinto Stadium for completing his 500th MLS regular-season game last week against the San Jose Earthquakes in San Jose. Rimando is the all-time MLS leader in wins, shutouts, games played and saves more than any other MLS goalkeeper. Tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Union will be Rimando’s 501st.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Nick Rimando, his wife Randi Peterson, daughter Benny and son Jet were celebrated on the home pitch Sat, July 13, 2019 at Rio Tinto Stadium for completing his 500th MLS regular-season game last week against the San Jose Earthquakes in San Jose. Rimando is the all-time MLS leader in wins, shutouts, games played and saves more than any other MLS goalkeeper. Tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Union will be Rimando’s 501st. At right is, Andy Carroll, business manager of RSL.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Nick Rimando, his wife Randi Peterson, daughter Benny and son Jet were celebrated on the home pitch Sat, July 13, 2019 at Rio Tinto Stadium for completing his 500th MLS regular-season game last week against the San Jose Earthquakes in San Jose. Rimando is the all-time MLS leader in wins, shutouts, games played and saves more than any other MLS goalkeeper. Tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Union will be Rimando’s 501st.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Real Salt Lake forward Jefferson Savarino (7) celebrates his second goal. Real Salt Lake defeated Philadelphia Union 4-0 in MLS Soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Sat, July 13, 2019.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Real Salt Lake forward Jefferson Savarino (7) celebrates his second goal with the team. Real Salt Lake defeated Philadelphia Union 4-0 in MLS Soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Sat, July 13, 2019.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Real Salt Lake midfielder Albert Rusnak (11) is mobbed after scoring in the second half. Real Salt Lake defeated Philadelphia Union 4-0 in MLS Soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Sat, July 13, 2019.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) The team celebrates the win. Real Salt Lake defeated Philadelphia Union 4-0 in MLS Soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Sat, July 13, 2019.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Real Salt Lake celebrates Real Salt Lake midfielder Damir Kreilach's (8) goal. Real Salt Lake defeated PhiladelphiaUnion 4-0 in MLS Soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Sat, July 13, 2019.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando (18) takes his son Jett out with a slide tackle after the win. Real Salt Lake defeated Philadelphia Union 4-0 in MLS Soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Sat, July 13, 2019.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Real Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman (5) walks around the field celebrating the win with his son Constantine. Real Salt Lake defeated Philadelphia Union 4-0 in MLS Soccer at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Sat, July 13, 2019.
3. VAR is good!
Well, if it goes in your favor, that is. Salt Lake was the beneficiary of three — yes, three — calls made by the video-assisted referee. The first game on Kreilach’s yellow card, which was reviewed to potentially upgrade it to a red. But no further punishment was given after the review.
Then, Philadelphia scored a goal, but only after the ball appeared to bounce out of bounds a few seconds beforehand. The referee looked at it and pulled back the goal.
Lastly, Kreilach’s goal in the 89th minute was initially called back because he was called offside. On replay, it appeared one of his arms was offside, but the rest of his body was onside. After further review, the goal stood.
VAR frequently draws ire from players and fans alike, and it was the subject of much controversy during the Women’s World Cup. But it worked for RSL on Saturday. In fact, on the second review, the crowd of more than 18,000 chanted “VAR, VAR” to get the Union’s goal overturned. It’s all about perspective.