Real Salt Lake's Kreilach scored a brace to lead his team to a 4-0 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday evening. Despite the fact that the match was played at RSL's home stadium, the Whitecaps were the official home team, with the Canadian side remaining located in the United States due to COVID-19 restrictions in Canada.

RSL started the game in a spectacular way, scoring in under a minute through attacking midfielder Kreilach. Thomas Hasal, the goalkeeper for the Whitecaps, was beaten by a left-footed strike from the Croatian, who got the 21-year-old out of position for the chipped finish.

Deiber Caicedo had a golden chance to equalize for the Whitecaps early in the second half, but his drive went wide of the net. The Whitecaps would come to regret the opportunity, as Kreilach extended RSL's lead minutes later. On the six-yard line, Justin Meram served a fantastic ball into the box, and Kreilach's forehead met it perfectly.

However, in the 72nd minute, defender Javain Brown knocked down Justin Meram in the area, breaking the Whitecaps' spirits. RSL was awarded a penalty, and forward Albert Rusnak cleanly tucked the ball away in the top left corner of the net. Anderson Julio's late goal in the last minutes of the match was the icing on the cake, as the winger scored his second of the season and added to his tally for the night.

RSL has had a difficult few weeks, but this is their second win over the Whitecaps this season, and the second time they've beaten them by three goals. They'll face an in-form LAFC side in their next encounter, but with Damir Kreilach putting up MVP-like numbers, it'd be foolish to write them off. They're looking like a legitimate Western Conference dark horse right now, and if they can keep putting up performances like this home Rio Tinto Stadium, the road results should follow. Vancouver's troubles are still ongoing. They haven't won in their previous eight games, and their defense is still porous.

[Photography by ICONIC photographer Abram Iman]