Cabral — 6.5: Didn’t do much wrong with the goal, and while he looked a tiny bit shaky a couple of times, it’s easy to put that down to opening day rust.
Yedlin — 6: I still don’t quite get his role when RSL plays in a three-man back line, and this match didn’t disabuse me of my uncertainty. I don’t think he did too much wrong, but he was almost entirely a non-factor in the attack.
Glad — 6.5: Reasonable performance — nothing to write home about, which is, I suppose, a good thing.
Junqua — 6: Did well enough in the wide center back role, but he earned an unnecessary yellow card.
Gozo — 6: An early, unnecessary yellow card didn’t help, but Gozo didn’t contribute strongly in the attack or defense. He looked like a player being played in the wrong position.
Moisa (off 72’) — 8: A hugely impressive for the 17-year-old in the middle of the park. I was skeptical, but he put my concerns to bed early. Was heavily involved from the outset and didn’t shy away from challenges. Absolutely something to build on.
Caliskan — 7.5: A solid performance from Caliskan helped the match from getting out of control, and he certainly deserves credit for his partnership with Moisa being a positive one.
Katranis — 6: Alongside looking increasingly frustrated as the match wore on, Katranis wasn’t his usual attacking self. It was a bit odd for a formation that one would expect more attacking thrust from him.
Booth (off 59’) — 6: Struggled to make an impact on the match, but he did make three tackles on the wing and was involved defensively.
Piol — 5: A poor performance from Piol, who doesn’t look at the required level. On a night when we brought in an 18-year-old and a 17-year-old for their first MLS starts, it’s disappointing that Piol, in his second year at the club, looks the one least likely to have an impact. A particularly poor moment when he ought to have passed for a clear goalscoring opportunity stands out.
Hezarkhani (off 72’) — 6.5: The 18-year-old was really impressive for the first 15 minutes of the match, and he played a big role in an excellent press and some good attacking opportunities. He faded a bit after that, but he deserves a ton of credit for that good start.
Substitutes
Solans (on 59’) — 5.5: Didn’t have much of an impact on the match, struggling to get involved at all. After a reportedly good offseason, his first MLS match was largely a bit of a thud.
Ruiz (on 72’) — 5.5: I don’t think Ruiz still has the physical ability to perform regularly at an MLS level. He did contribute more passes than two starters, but a poor passing success rate meant he wasn't having much of a positive impact — and his passes tended to be short, so that put RSL on the back foot repeatedly.
Marczuk (on 72’) — 5.5: Did not have an impact on the match
Barea (on 84’) — Not on long enough for a rating
Quinton (on 84’) — Not on long enough for a rating
Wasatch Soccer Sentinel
