Real Salt Lake’s first preseason match may have been a rust-shod affair, but in giving us our first glimpse of the team in 2017, we also got to see our first win, and we can thank Ricardo Velazco and Jordan Allen for it.
Allen opened the scoring late in the second half with a headed goal, finishing a Velazco cross with aplomb. Velazco capitalized on poor possession from New York, breaking down the left side before sending a perfectly weighted cross for Allen, whose run through the middle saw him free from defenders.
Early in the second half, New York found a tremendous opening down their left side, but Lalo Fernandez came off his line and prevented a clear-cut chance from trickling into the net.