Wasatch Soccer Sentinel
Zac MacMath, sweeper keeper
Real Salt Lake took an intentional risk in the second half, down 2-1: They pushed everyone further forward. Austin FC sent repeated forays toward the final third, but MacMath was a reliable figure, and once RSL took that risk, he was generally up for the challenge — and there were challenges aplenty with which to contend.
Of course, there are also the two goals conceded to contend with, but they were both excellent shots from distance that should have been dealt with well before they got to MacMath. Which …
The incredible collapsing midfield
It is hard to overstate this: Jasper Löffelsend and Braian Ojeda were very poor as a midfield pair during defending phases of play. The two goals show it, especially the second. Let's rewatch it together.
Pause that video at seven seconds. What do you see?
If the answer is "absolutely nothing," then you're absolutely right — if you're talking about Real Salt Lake's midfield organization. Jasper Löffelsend is the second-highest player on the field, and while he's "marking" one option, he's left another altogether criminally open.
