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Sandy • Brooks Lennon and Sebastian Saucedo managed their sink-or-swim moments with ease. So much so that the two Real Salt Lake homegrown attacking players will be hard to extract from the RSL starting lineup.
The offensive struggles continue — RSL has one goal in four matches — but Lennon (19 years old) and Saucedo (20) have established themselves as example of depth players seizing a moment.
"The biggest thing they've done is they've made the guys coming from injury have to work now because everyone has to earn their spot on the team," RSL interim coach Daryl Shore said. "There's no set people that can say, 'I'm a starter on this team right now.' Everybody has to compete every day in training, and those guys definitely deserve another look."
Lennon and Saucedo replaced Joao Plata and Jordan Allen after the incumbents went down with injuries in back-to-back weeks. Both Plata and Allen returned to training Tuesday and appear on track to be available for RSL's inaugural match against expansion franchise Minnesota United on the road Saturday.
Should Plata and Allen be available, Shore said, the staff has "some tough decisions moving onto the weekend." Lennon, on loan from Liverpool FC this year, and Saucedo, who grew up in Park City, have provided RSL with more width in their attack and provided more scoring opportunities for center forward Yura Movsisyan.
Lennon admitted it's been a test facing players 10 years his senior, but that he's driven to maintain his starting spot.
"The mentality doesn't change," he said. "Every time I step on the pitch, whether it's practice or in a game, I work as hard as I possibly can and do everything I can to keep that position and stake my claim as my position."
Saucedo added: "Just got to take advantage every time we get out on the field."
Bad news for Barrett
RSL was dealt its first significant injury news of a season already filled with bumps and bruises. Backup striker Chad Barrett tweeted Tuesday his leg injury will require surgery that will force him to miss most of the 2017 season.
The 31-year-old was signed this offseason to provide a scoring punch for RSL off the bench. Barrett appeared as a sub in the first three games of the season but leaves a hole in RSL's attacking depth.
Center back David Horst (knee) and right back Tony Beltran (back) ran laps at training Tuesday. Shore said Horst likely is out for Minnesota, while Beltran remains day-to-day.
Playmaker Albert Rusnák returned from international duty after appeared as a late substitute in Slovakia's 3-1 World Cup qualifying win Sunday at Malta. The 22-year-old will get back into the swing of things Wednesday and be ready to go Saturday, Shore said.
Leaky Loons
Minnesota's defense has reached historic levels four games into its first year in MLS — the wrong end of history. The Loons have conceded 18 goals so far this season.
"Minnesota is not a bad team," Shore said, "so people can't think that just because they've given up 18 goals in their first four games that they're just going to lay over. They've also scored some goals."
Minnesota has six goals in four games, compared to RSL's one goal in 360 minutes of play.
Twitter: @chriskamrani —
Real Salt Lake at Minnesota United
P At TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minn.
Tipoff • 6 p.m. MT Sat.
TV • Ch. 12