Remember those pre-match jitters, the worries that Colorado was an in-form side, the worries that we'd struggle to break sides down some days. Yeah, those. Throw 'em out the window. That 2-0 win over the Rapids should prove it.
The thing is, though, that even with our 2-0 win, it could and should have been more. Of course, it wasn't, and T. Boone Pickens had a not inconsiderable match in goal for the Rapids. Four shots on target, seven off target, two blocked shots — it's not a bad start for our side, is it? We've only really just got Saborio back to full fitness, and what a difference that's already making.
And while Saborio's goal was a thing of true beauty and style — the perfectly chipped pass, the weighted first touch, the poise to fire past Pickens — it was only half the story. Saborio, at any given moment, could be found tracking back and doing defensive work, clearing the ball out of the sky, pressuring attackers — these are things that, if you were to describe Alvaro Saborio, we'd probably all miss. His work rate is at the top, top level, and he repeatedly broke up play in our half of the pitch.
But why spend our time talking about Saborio and his beautiful goal when we've got something bigger picture to talk about? Fabian Espindola, man of a thousand stern but excited faces, scored with a bit of controversy, a bit of luck, and a bit of skill. It involved everything you'd use to describe our Argentine striker. The ball came in high, and he did look to have brought it down with a hand (or arm, as the case may be — it's all part of the hand in a handball) but as there was no call, there was no reason why he shouldn't put it in the back of the net. He just got a toe to it, but a toe is all it takes to score.
With that goal, Espindola stabs his tally in the MLS regular season to 29, drawing him level with former RSL striker Robbie Findley for the top spot in goals scored. It speaks volumes about Fabian: His goal return rate may not be the highest in the league, and sometimes, he might be a little frustrating, but he's unpredictable and, more importantly, he scores. Next time somebody slags him off for not shooting, just keep that statistic in mind. He's now in a two-way tie for most goals scored at this club, and we're lucky to have him.
Of course, Saborio is right behind him, having just scored his 25th Real Salt Lake goal. I suspect there'll be a very friendly rivalry developing between the two as they both repeatedly break the record this season — but don't expect that to affect their play much. They're both willing to lay the ball off for a better-positioned player, and they're both willing to track back into the defense when needed. Perhaps soon I will write more about their partnership, but for now, let's just marvel in it, shall we?
A quick word, too, for Tony Beltran's pass in to Saborio for that first goal: What vision this kid has. I'm a big fan of his, and that's a big part of it. He spotted the opening and took the pass with skill, breaking down that defensive line with a 30 or 40-yard pass.
Other players to have performed at the top of their game include Sebastian Velasquez — how about that kid, too! Three starts, then he misses out entirely for two matches, and then he starts again. The confidence he must have to not be affected by that shows in his play. I remember one specific moment when, three Rapids players closing in on him, he pirouetted around them all, got clear into space, and played a simple pass. Unlike many players with great technical ability, his tricks come out as a tool for keeping safe possession, not as a way to go and do it all himself.
It's why he fits so beautifully into our side: He's not a selfish player, but he's got some tools some very selfish (but very good) players have. I'll admit, at the start of the season I was skeptical that he'd work in the box-to-box spot, but he's taken those doubts, emptied them, crushed them, and sent them off for recycling.
How important was it to have the Borlave factor on our side again? I love Chris Schuler, and he's coming along quite well indeed, but the understanding between the two halves of one whole (without the cheesy romance connotations) is indisputable. Our back line was solid and, as a result, Colorado never really looked like scoring.
But while two individual performances (with, of course, help from the rest of the team) only punctuate the match: The whole of it was written as a team, and we won as a team. There's not much more you can ask for than that.
More tomorrow, but that's all for now — there's a reserves match in an hour and I've got to be there for that. Expect a short piece on that today.
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