Real Salt Lake topped Seattle Sounders FC 1-0 on a snowy Saturday evening at Rio Tinto Stadium, courtesy of a second-half game-winner from Bobby Wood in a match that featured a lengthy weather delay.
With the score still tied at 0-0, the match was interrupted in the 43rd minute due to lightning in the area, delaying the contest for over two hours before the sides re-took the field and played out the final two minutes of the first half.
Following an abbreviated five-minute halftime intermission, RSL struck virtually immediately following the second-half restart. It was Wood who found the opener, cashing home his own rebound past Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei after a feed from Maikel Chang left him with a clean look from close range.
That turned out to be the only goal of the match, as Seattle had a couple of good looks at an equalizer from Fredy Montero and Reed Baker-Whiting that were each denied by RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath.
Goals
- 46' - RSL - Bobby Wood | WATCH
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: The weather conditions and first-half delay made for tough sledding for both teams, so it was a job well done by the hosts to find the goal they needed to secure all three points. RSL continued a dominant stretch against Seattle on their home turf, extending their unbeaten streak against the Sounders at Rio Tinto to 11 matches dating back to 2013. Seattle were dealt some difficult circumstances between the delay and fielding a rotated lineup as they juggle Concacaf Champions League obligations. But two straight defeats to start their league campaign is still not how the Rave Green expected to start 2022.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: It's Wood's game-winner, which delivered RSL the only goal of an all-around bizarre match.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Maikel Chang was RSL's most consistently dangerous player throughout the night, and he provided the feed that led to the decisive goal.
Next Up
- RSL: Saturday, March 12 at New England Revolution | 7:30 pm ET (MLS LIVE on ESPN+)
- SEA: Tuesday, March 8 vs. Club León | 10 pm ET (TUDN, FS2, OneSoccer) | Concacaf Champions League Quarterfinals
