Real Salt Lake: Alvaro Saborio scores twice as RSL tops Whitecaps

SANDY, Utah (AP) — Alvaro Saborio scored in both halves to help Real Salt Lake beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 on Friday night in Major League Soccer.

Salt Lake improved to 13-7-3 with its third straight home victory to move within a point of Western Conference rival San Jose for the best record in the league.

Darren Mattocks scored for Vancouver (9-7-7).

Saborio opened the scoring the 34th minute on a penalty kick that he slotted inside the left post. The penalty kick came after Jay DeMerit committed a hard foul on Kyle Beckerman in the box in the 32nd minute and was shown a yellow card.

Mattocks tied it in the 52nd minute. Camilo put a ball behind the RSL defenders and Mattocks beat them to it. Goalkeeper Rimando came off his line to stop Mattocks on the right side of the area, but the Vancouver player slipped around Rimando and fired the ball inside the left post.

Barry Robson nearly put Vancouver ahead a minute later, but his shot ricocheted off the post.

Saborio struck again in the 58th minute. Javier Morales sent a cross from the right flank to Saborio at the upper left corner of the 6-yard box, and he jumped and headed the ball home.

Vancouver goalkeeper Joe Cannon was shown a red card when he committed a handball infraction outside the area in the 76th minute. Cannon will miss the Whitecaps' next game as a result.