Real Salt Lake's highest-paid player finally had that elusive breakout game everyone's been waiting for.

Since he showed up at training camp fit and healthy back in February, expectations have been sky-high for Argentine midfielder Javier Morales — the team's highest-paid player. In five games prior to Saturday night, however, he'd only delivered two assists and hadn't quite lived up to the hype.

That all changed against the L.A. Galaxy. Morales assisted on RSL's two goals, a sixth-minute strike by Fabian Espindola and an 18th-minute header by Kenny Deuchar. The first goal was the result of a fantastic over-the-top diagonal ball to Espindola, whereas the second was a perfectly lofted pass toward Deuchar near the far post.

"I felt really great, but I would've liked it more if we'd won," said Morales through a translator.

Morales' two assists raised his season total to four, tied for the league lead with L.A.'s David Beckham and Columbus' Guillermo Barros Schelotto.

GIVEN A CHANCE: New Real Salt Lake defender Ian Joy has struggled this year, with his aggressive approach being more of a hindrance than an asset. It hasn't helped either that he's been dealing with bone spurs in his left ankle.

The combination of his struggles and injury, along with Tony Beltran's solid performance in Wednesday's U.S. Open Cup qualifying match, opened the door for the coaching staff to make a change.

Beltran, the third overall pick in the 2008 SuperDraft, made his MLS starting debut against the L.A. Galaxy as Joy's streak of five straight starts came to a close.

Beltran played well outside of the mistake that led to L.A.'s first goal.

"He looked like a young player to me, he had some very bright moments and then he had one mistake," said RSL coach Jason Kreis. "Apart from that one mistake I thought he was fantastic."

Beltran had a chance to clear the ball just before the Galaxy's first goal, but he opted to pass it out of the back instead, which ended up being intercepted, leading to Beckham's goal.

RECORD BREAKER: Saturday's attendance of 25,500 was the third largest crowd in RSL history, and the largest crowd not involving an exhibition game or double-header.

Both the Real Madrid match and the U.S. National Team match featured crowds over 40,000, whereas the franchise opener against the Colorado Rapids back in April of 2005 featured a crowd of 25,287.

TALLEY A LATE SCRATCH: For the first time this season, midfielder Carey Talley wasn't included in the 18-man game day roster. It had nothing to do with performance, however.

At the end of practice on Friday Talley tweaked his quadriceps muscle while taking a shot, and when he woke up Saturday morning the knee that had been bothering him since the collision at D.C. United last weekend was swollen.

Talley believes he'll be fine for next weekend's home match against FC Dallas.