Costa Rican striker Alvaro Saborio’s tenure with Real Salt Lake came to an abrupt end Thursday when Technical Director Craig Waibel announced that the club had traded him to D.C. United in exchange for midfielder Luis Silva.
Waibel told members of the press Thursday that he pulled the trigger on the trade in order to continue the youth movement that RSL has been forced into enacting with the departure of numerous experienced players in recent years. Still, the trade came as a shock to many current RSL players who are used to having the club’s all-time leading scorer around.
All in all, Saborio’s career in Salt Lake City was eventful and successful from the time he joined RSL on loan from FC Sion (Switzerland) in March, 2010 until 2015. He holds club records for most MLS goals in team history (63), most goals across all competitions in team history (79), most hat tricks in team history (3), most CONCACAF Champions League goals in team history (10), most MLS Cup playoff goals in team history (4), most game winning goals in team history (21) and most single season goals in team history (17 in 2012).
So to send off Sabo the right way, let’s take a look at some of his greatest moments while wearing the claret and cobalt.
Sabo’s first RSL goal vs. Seattle (2010) (no video)
Saborio opened up his MLS account in dramatic fashion on April 10, 2010 in RSL’s home opener against the Seattle Sounders. In the 94th minute Saborio got his head onto a Nelson Gonzalez corner kick which he slotted past Seattle GK Casey Keller to level the score at 2-2 in the final minute of stoppage time. It wasn’t one of his many game winners, but rest assured, the Salt Lake crowd definitely knew the name Saborio after that match.
Sabo’s brace vs. Colorado (2010)
Saborio had more heroics in store late in the 2010 season. In the final match of the season, RSL faced the Colorado Rapids in Denver to see who would take home the Rocky Mountain Cup. With a 2-0 lead for the home team in the 90th minute, things looked bleak for the defending MLS Cup champs to take home the valued trophy once again. But then Saborio came out of nowhere to deflect a Matt Pickens clearance, which deflected again off of the crossbar to a waiting Saborio who blasted the ball into the goal with Pickens trying desperately to untangle himself out of the net. All of a sudden it was 2-1 Rapids with stoppage time remaining for RSL to steal the cup back. Then, in the 93rd minute, a penalty was called on Colorado for bringing down Jamison Olave inside the box on a Javier Morales free kick. Saborio calmly slotted home the PK as RSL retained the Rocky Mountain Cup as the previous year’s winner.
Sabo’s CCL goal vs. Saprissa (2011)
In the 2011 CONCACAF Champions League Semi-Final, RSL was matched up with renowned Costa Rican powerhouse Saprissa which was also where Saborio spent the first years of his pro career from 2001 to 2006. When he learned of the matchup, Saborio told the press that, in respect to his former club, he would not celebrate if he were to score a goal against Saprissa. It turned out that his statement was indeed tested as he scored in the 9th minute of RSL’s home leg of the aggregate series. Saborio’s goal helped RSL to win the series 3-1 on aggregate as RSL became the first American team to advance to the CCL final.
Sabo’s MLS Cup goal vs. Kansas City (2013)
On December 7, 2013 RSL was once again on Major League Soccer’s biggest stage when they took on Sporting Kansas City in (a half frozen) Sporting Park for MLS Cup 2013. Neither teams could get much going offensively thanks to the frigid conditions in the air and on the field, but in the 52nd minute RSL broke through. Off of a great feed from Kyle Beckerman, Saborio took a touch off of his shoulder and set up a half-volley that slipped past SKC keeper Jimmy Nielson for the game’s opening goal. While RSL went on to lose the final in heartbreaking fashion on PK’s, Saborio’s goal is still one of the most exciting moments in club history.
Sabo’s immaculate return vs. Dallas (2014)
The 2014 season was a difficult one for Saborio. Like teammates Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando, Saborio had spent the beginning of the MLS season preparing for the 2014 World Cup held in Brazil that summer. Unfortunately, soon after joining the Costa Rican national team, Saborio went down with a broken fifth metatarsal in his foot that required surgery and an end to his World Cup dreams. After spending four long months rehabbing, Saborio made his return to RSL as a substitute against FC Dallas in the 77th minute. Saborio took the field and immediately made his way toward the FC Dallas penalty area for the impending Javier Morales corner kick. After four months of no playing time, Saborio took about 30 seconds to get back to his scoring ways as he flicked in a header off of the Morales corner to send the crowd at Rio Tinto Stadium into a frenzy.
So here’s to you Saborio, goodbye and good luck in D.C.!
