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SANDY — Real Salt Lake almost went three halves without scoring a goal, but Anderson Julio ended the drought just short with a game-winner in first-half stoppage time against the New England Revolution Saturday at America First Field.
Real Salt Lake came away with a 2-0 win.
Julio started in place of the injured MLS Golden Boot leader Chicho Arango, who left last week's match with a "hamstring tweak" and was unavailable for Saturday's match after earning a "questionable" tag on the injury report.
The pressure built to a near boil after a 2-0 loss to San Jose last time out and six shots on target in the opening 40 minutes on Saturday without a goal to show for it. Julio took matters into his own feet by intercepting a back pass to the goalkeeper and sending home his seventh goal of the season for RSL.
Anderson Julio! Right place, right time. ⚡️
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 1, 2024
RSL take the lead just before half. Watch with #MLSSeasonPass: https://t.co/5NgnCqcVAJpic.twitter.com/bBg6EgoUGV
Philip Quinton opened up his RSL scoring account with a goal in the 56th minute to add some cushion and the team held on to earn its first clean sheet since June 15. Goalkeeper Gavin Beavers had a pair of saves to assist in the shutout in his eighth start of the season for RSL.
"It feels great. You know, obviously, there's still a lot of work to be done (this year)," Beavers said. "So I think just taking it one game at a time and continuing to do what you're doing in training."
RSL has a week off before traveling to Houston on Sept. 14, where it looks to get its first win since 2018 in the Space City.
