REAL snaps out of losing streak with win over Whitecaps
SANDY – Jean Alexandre only started one match for Real Salt Lake prior to lacing up his boots with the starting 11 Saturday night. What he lacked in experience however, he made up for with scoring ability.
Alexandre scored his first goal and made his first assist in his Major League Soccer career, helping RSL to a 2-0 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps.
In a goal described by teammate Fabian Espindola as “golazo,” Alexandre received a pass from RSL captain Kyle Beckerman and managed to keep the ball at his feet while dribbling around his man to get a shot past Vancouver keeper Joe Cannon and into the net.
Alexandre said he had been dreaming about his first goal.
“It feels great,” Alexandre said. “In my mind it’s always been a scrappy goal that hits my head and goes in the net, but actually it was a decent goal, so I’m happy for that.”
The 5-foot-11 Haitian started in place of forwards Paulo Junior who is out with a left hamstring strain and Alvaro Saborio who is on national team duty with his native El Salvador for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Seven RSL players in all were absent from the lineup due to injuries, suspensions, and national team duty.
Espindola scored the second RSL goal on a 79th minute breakaway assisted by a through pass from Alexandre.
“It was nice to be able to score and help the team,” Espindola said.
With the goal, his second of the season, Espindola moved into third place on RSL’s career goal-scoring record, breaking a tie with forward Javier Morales and current head coach Jason Kreis at 17.
“To see him get that goal is really, really pleasing,” Kreis said. “He’s been really good spirited lately. I think he’s enjoying the challenge a little bit. This situation has probably been the first time where he knows he’s going to play and I think he’s enjoyed that.”
Before Saturday, RSL has not won a game since losing to Monterrey of Mexico in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League final, including a loss to Seattle on May 28 which ended an MLS record 29-game home unbeaten streak at Rio Tinto Stadium.
“We’ve worked really hard for a couple years to get that winning mentality here,” Beckerman said. “It’s been a while since we’ve been through a rough patch with all these injuries and Gold Cups, so tonight was big just to get back on the winning column.”
“It’s a step in the right direction,” Kreis said of the win. “Still room for improvement, still a couple of steps forward to be made.”
— Tavin Stucki, Sports Editor, Utah Statesman