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Jefferson Savarino scored one goal and assisted another to lead Real Salt Lake to a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes in Sandy, Utah on Saturday night. Salt Lake (8-4-4, 28 points) won for the sixth time in seven home matches and moved into second place in the Western Conference behind Los Angeles FC. RSL is unbeaten at home this season, going 6-0-1 in their home stadium, and is off to the best start in club history through 16 matches. San Jose (3-7-6, 15 points) lost for the sixth time in eight road matches this season. The Earthquakes are winless away from home. Zac MacMath earned his sixth clean sheet of the season for Salt Lake. RSL had a 16-7 advantage in total shots and a 6-1 edge in shots on goal. Savarino made his first start in his second stint with Salt Lake. He previously played with the Utah club from 2017 to 2019, tallying 21 goals over three seasons. Marcelo Silva put RSL on the board after scoring off a corner kick in the 22nd minute. Silva latched onto a cross from Savarino served into the middle of the box and blasted it straight down the middle. A second goal, this time from Savarino, was waved off in the final minute before halftime after he was flagged for being offsides. San Jose generated just a pair of shots in the first 45 minutes. None were on frame. RSL held a 9-2 advantage in total shots while putting two balls on frame. Savarino finally got his first goal of the season in the 81st minute when he sent a side volley to the back post. He cut inside against Marcos Lopez to get a takeaway and popped the ball up to himself to set up his goal moments later. Nathan Cardoso came closest to getting San Jose on the board when his header in the 89th minute hit the bar following a corner kick by Cristian Espinoza. --Field Level Media
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