Silva, RSL hope to rebound from 3-game losing streak


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SANDY — When Real Salt Lake acquired midfielder Luis Silva from D.C. United in a trade that sent Alvaro Saborio to the nation's capital, Silva was hoping to fit in well and quickly with his new teammates.

Less than a month in, he's showing that quality.

Silva has played in three games, starting two, for RSL since the blockbuster trade, and the winger option who arrived with a minor groin injury expects to play a major role as RSL (7-10-8, 29 points) tries to rebound from a three-game losing streak across all competitions Saturday against a resurgent Seattle Sounders (11-12-2, 35 points). Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Rio Tinto Stadium.

"The team is good; I feel like I am fitting in with the guys and the style of football the coach wants to play," Silva said. "I'll just keep adding on, keep improving and keep learning."

The young player in the final year of his current contract saw time attacking midfield against Vancouver and at forward against Portland, both losses, but both with flashes of the technical ability he brings to the team.

His versatility was appreciated by RSL coach Jeff Cassar, and both positions are strong options for Silva.

"I think wherever coach needs me, I'll give my 100 percent in that position," Silva said. "I'm happy with getting a lot of minutes, and that helps my confidence as well."

Even when the head coach placed him up top, Silva linked up well with the midfield and brought his entire team — down to the back line — into the attack.

(Photo: Stacie Scott, Deseret News)
(Photo: Stacie Scott, Deseret News)

"He came into the midfield and combined well," Cassar said of Silva. "That's what you want every time he tucks in, it allows our outside backs to get forward. I thought he did a great job."

Of course, playing with team veteran Javier Morales made combing with the midfield easy, Silva admitted.

"I think it's easy when you have a guy like that on your team," Silva said of Morales. "He's a very good soccer player, and he's always looking for me. I try to find him, try to combine, and it was still our first game together, I think. If we just keep improving, we'll be good."

Silva has also jelled well with the locker room, though that's something former Toronto FC teammate and current RSL center back Aaron Maund expected.

"I think he works really well with the group," Maund said. "He's a possession-type of player, he wants to win, and he has that drive. That's something we look for here."

Maund will be put to the test with Seattle and Obafemi Martins, one of Major League Soccer's more dynamic strikers who has appeared to recover from an injury, made clear by last week's goal for the Sounders.

The Nigerian international brings a special movement on and off the ball, Cassar said, and his ability to find space in different spots on the field puts every defender on notice.

In other words, you have to constantly keep an eye on him, Maund said.

"He has a really good ability to keep plays alive," Maund said of Martins. "He's extremely athletic, knows where to be, and it looks like he just shows up in the right spot. That takes knowing where to be, reading the game, and he's really good at that. It's something we'll have to take care of through communication, with our defensive mids and back four. But it's not something we haven't seen before, so we'll be ready."

RSL also got a boost at center back last week when Jamison Olave returned to the field following a quad contusion that kept him out several weeks. Cassar said the defender is feeling better than ever, having trained at full strength several times this week, and the coach also expects Joao Plata and Jordan Allen to be available for the match-day roster.

"I think everyone's starting to get back," Cassar said. "Everyone's doing good."

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