Sounders shut out

Robbie Findley scored his eighth goal of the season and became Real Salt Lake’s career scoring leader in its 1-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night in Sandy, Utah.

Findley’s goal, his 20th with Real Salt Lake (7-8-5) and 22nd in his three-year career, came in the 62nd minute off an assist from goalkeeper Nick Rimando. Rimando quickly took a goal kick, catching the Sounders (7-5-8) off guard, and sent it past the midfield line for a running Findley, who controlled the ball and beat Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller from just outside the penalty box.

Rimando, who made one save to record his fifth shutout of the season and 56th of his career, notched the third assist in his 10-year career.

Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis served the final game of his two-match suspension for confronting officials in a 4-2 victory over Dallas on July 24.

Seattle, which has lost consecutive matches, had a good chance to tie the game in the 90th minute when Sanna Nyassi broke through RSL’s defense. Rimando, though, smothered the ball before he could get a shot off to preserve the win.

Keller made a fantastic save in the 47th minute on a shot from Findley at the 6-yard box. Findley also nearly scored in the 16th minute, but his sliding effort to finish a cross from RSL defender Tony Beltran in front of the Seattle goal was a split-second too late.

Osvaldo Alonso had Seattle’s lone shot on goal, but it came from long range in the first half, and Rimando easily made the save. The Sounders outshot RSL 7-6, and Real Salt Lake placed three of its shots on goal.

Whirlwind week

Leonardo Gonzalez hasn’t been in Seattle a week, but Saturday the defender from Costa Rica already played his second match for his new team.

Talk about making adjustments.

For starters, Gonzalez had to get himself, his wife and child settled in a foreign country. Then there were two days of practice before he made his debut Wednesday in the Sounders’ friendly against the world’s best team, FC Barcelona. In that game, he had to defend the amazing Lionel Messi.

Then there were a couple of more practices, and his first trip with the team, to Sandy, Utah, where he and the Sounders played Real Salt Lake.

Gonzalez, 29, is in Seattle to solidify Sounders FC’s left fullback position. He’s got a group of Spanish-speaking teammates to help him fit in, but learning some English will be key.

“For him, it’s a matter of learning some key English phrases that are important for him as he is talking to whoever is playing in front of him or talking to the center backs in the middle,” Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid said.

Gonzalez was signed last month but played with Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup before arriving in Seattle for good.

Versatility is Gonzalez’s game. He can play inside and outside on defense and even slide up to midfielder. Observations from the Barcelona game indicate Schmid might like to use Gonzalez as a defender who can push forward and be used to help with the team’s attack, the same role defender James Riley plays at right fullback.

“Here, the league has a better infrastructure, better fields and stadiums,” Gonzalez said. “In Costa Rica the conditions for a player aren’t optimal. The soccer here is very intense … it’s more dynamic, faster and up-tempo.”

Gonzalez has found Seattle and its fans to be quite hospitable.

“It makes you want to work harder to win home games,” Gonzalez said. “I’ve been all over the U.S. to play, and I’m very glad to be here.”