Sporting KC's playoff hopes take a hit with 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Corey Baird had his first multi-goal game to help Real Salt Lake beat Sporting Kansas City 2-1 on Saturday night for its third road victory of the season.

Baird, a 23-year-old homegrown, side-netted a low left-footer in the 70th minute to give Real Salt Lake a 2-1 lead. After a Sporting KC turnover near midfield, Jefferson Savarino lobbed a long pass from the right side to Baird on the left side of the area for the finish.

Real Salt Lake (11-9-4) is unbeaten in its last five games and has just one loss since June 1.

The fact that he scored a goal in #SportingKC's loss to #RSL is no consolation for Johnny Russell: "Obviously it's good to score goals, but if it's not contributing to winning games, it doesn't really mean anything at the end of the day." #SKCvRSL pic.twitter.com/sjitXJjFwH

— FOX Sports Kansas City (@FSKansasCity) August 11, 2019

Johnny Russell bent a free kick just inside the post to give Sporting (7-10-7) a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute, but Baird answered in the 38th. Albert Rusnák banged a free kick off the post and Baird tapped in the rebound from point-blank range.

Dániel Sallói, who came on in the sixth minute, was shown a straight red card in the 84th minute for a serious foul. He came on in the sixth minute, replacing Gerso Fernandes, who left due to an ankle injury.