Real Salt Lake drops slow-starting Sounders

SANDY, Utah – Robbie Findley and Luis Gil each scored first-half goals and Real Salt Lake claimed its first home victory of the 2013 season with a 2-1 win over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night.

Brad Evans scored for the Sounders (0-3-1) in the 57th minute, who remain winless a month into the 2013 season.

RSL (2-2-1) played without leading scorer Alvaro Saborio, who injured his knee while playing for Costa Rica this week.

Findley made up for Saborio’s absence with a big first-half goal. He collected a cleared ball and drilled a left footer from the right side of the box to put RSL up 1-0 in the eighth minute.

Gil added to the RSL tally in spectacular style in the 35th minute. Sebastian Velasquez sent a low corner kick in to Ned Grabavoy, who flicked the ball up to an onrushing Gil on the right side of the box. Gil finished off the training-ground piece by heading the ball home to make it 2-0.

Salt Lake had nine shots on goal before halftime, while limiting the Sounders to just two shots in the half.