RSL rookies stumble against L.A. veterans

CARSON, Calif. — Real Salt Lake's Reserves may have dropped a 4-2 result to the Galaxy Reserves on Sunday morning, but it was hardly a disappointing result for RSL.

One of the reasons Major League Soccer created a reserve league this year was to help younger players gain practical experience. No team needs that experience more than expansion Salt Lake.

Salt Lake started eight rookies Sunday, while the Galaxy Reserves started several MLS veterans and four players with experience with their respective national teams.

That experience paid off in the final 11 minutes.

With the score level at 2-2, L.A.'s Joseph Ngwenya, a Zimbabwe international, put his team in front for good by pouncing on a rebounded save by Salt Lake keeper Jay Nolly. Ten minutes later, Herculez Gomez wrapped the Galaxy scoring.

"If you look at the game in the first 20 minutes, we basically, I thought, dominated," said RSL assistant coach Peter Mellor. "I guess that's when a lot of the senior players for L.A. got over their anger for not being in the starting lineup last night. They settled down, and their experience came through."

Real Salt Lake opened the scoring in the 10th minute, when Jordan Cila chipped a 35-yard shot into an empty net. Jamie Watson's speed up the middle created the goal as L.A.'s keeper was forced to come and save Watson's breakaway attempt, but the ball deflected right to Cila.

Los Angeles went in front thanks to goals in the 22nd and 47th minute. RSL eventually equalized as Watson tracked down a bad back pass, dribbled around the Galaxy keeper and slotted it into the open net.

Overall, the play of rookie goalie Nolly and defender Brian Dunseth impressed Mellor the most.

"I thought Jay Nolly did exceptionally well," said Mellor. "Even though D.J. (Countess) is playing well for us, it's nice to know you have a young goalkeeper that can come in. He kept us very much alive in the second half."

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