Real Salt Lake coach Pablo Mastroeni appreciated the willingness.
Missing a number of key players heading into the team’s first-round matchup against the Houston Dynamo, the RSL boss was forced to get creative.
“These guys are playing in positions that they’ve never played in,” Mastroeni said. “It’s one thing to come into Houston with everyone available. It’s another thing to ask players to play outside their comfort zone. It really is a testament to the mindset of this group and the belief they have in one another to be able to adjust on the fly and to … stay in the game for 80-plus minutes away from home with all these different variables.”
But belief and willingness alone weren’t enough to get the job done on Sunday night. RSL lost the first game of its best-of-three opening-round series 2-1.
But as the series comes to Utah for the second game on Monday, Mastroeni might be able to add an injection of talent.
“We should have reinforcements heading into Game 2,” he said.
Chicho Arango
RSL’s star striker has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury Oct. 7. But Arango has a chance to play in Game 2, Mastroeni said.
“You just need to pass the protocol stop get back to the group,” the coach said. “Chicho trained with us on Thursday and we did a walkthrough on Friday. The expectation is he’ll get some training [this] week and we’ll see where he’s at from a fitness perspective.”
Justen Glad
Mastroeni had hoped to get the veteran center back into the lineup Sunday.
“We feel optimistic” that Glad will be available for Game 2, Mastroeni said. “But he was feeling a bit of pain [Saturday] so it just depends on how he recovers.”
Marcelo Silva
RSL’s other starting center back has been away from the team as he deals with a family matter. He is expected to rejoin the squad Tuesday and resume training.
