In attacking sequences, "We're still working on the final ball, the final product," Cassar said. "Obviously, putting the ball in the back of the net is the most difficult part. … You could see where the potential is, and that's exciting."
That viewpoint requires some faith, at this point. Thanks to Major League Soccer's lengthy calendar, RSL has nearly eight months to figure out this stuff, as playmaking newcomer Albert Rusnak blends in with Yura Movsisyan, Plata and other capable scorers. But it is not unreasonable for fans to demand some production, and soon.
The attendance of 19,519 was slightly short of a sellout in the earliest home opener in RSL history, a rare case of the team launching a season at Rio Tinto Stadium.