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Real Salt Lake Match Preview at San Jose Earthquakes

July 13, 2012 - Major League Soccer (MLS) Real Salt Lake

SANDY, Utah (Friday, July 13, 2012) - League and conference dominance are on the line yet again, as Real Salt Lake (11-6-3, 36 pts.; 2nd in West) travels to the Bay Area to battle the San Jose Earthquakes (11-4-4, 37 pts.; 1st in West) for first place in MLS for the third time this season. RSL currently trails San Jose by only one point, but has dropped both previous 2012 meetings, with the Quakes knocking the Claret-and-Cobalt off the No. 1 spot each time. RSL seeks vengeance in Saturday's Western Conference brawl, with the club hoping to turn the tables by reclaiming the top of the table from the Earthquakes.

Saturday's kickoff from Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., is set for 8:30 p.m. MT, with television coverage of the "Best in the West" showdown on ABC4 preceded by a 30-minute pregame show beginning at 8:00 p.m. Fans will also be able to listen to the action live via the team's official radio partners: ESPN 700/ESPN700Sports.com and La Gran D 102.3 FM.

RSL concluded their four-game winless streak Saturday against the Portland Timbers, with FW �lvaro SaborÃ-o recording the second MLS hat trick in RSL history to defeat the Timbers 3-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium. SaborÃ-o now leads RSL with 10 goals this season, placing him in 3rd in the league in goals scored, just two spots behind San Jose striker Chris Wondolowski who leads MLS with 14 goals.

On the subject of strikers, the Claret-and-Cobalt's offense recently gained the support of FW Justin Braun, a Salt Lake City native who was acquired in a trade with Montreal on Wednesday. Braun - who will be available for selection on Saturday - has a successful history against the Quakes, scoring four goals in eight career games against San Jose.

How to Follow Real Salt Lake @ San Jose Earthquakes

Kickoff : 8:30 p.m. MT from Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. TV : LIVE on ABC4 with Rob Stone & Brian Dunseth (RAM Trucks pre-game coverage at 8:00 p.m. MT) English Radio : ESPN700/ESPN700Sports.com (pre-game coverage at 7:30 p.m.) Spanish Radio : La Gran D 102.3 FM/ Juan 1600 AM with Nelson Moran & Fernando Hortal Online : Live updates via the @RealSaltLake Twitter Feed and MLSsoccer.com MatchCenter

RSL History v. 'Quakes

RSL has lost twice this year to San Jose, first falling 1-3 on April 21 at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. RSL FW Fabian EspÃ-ndola and DF Jamison Olave both receive red cards in that match, with Espindola getting ejected in the first half before Olave was sent off in the second. Nine-man RSL was unable to make Captain Kyle Beckerman's short-handed equalizer stand up, dropping all three points after giving up a pair of second half stoppage-time goals. The sides' second encounter on June 23 saw San Jose emerge victorious at Rio Tinto Stadium; withstanding a scintillating free kick goal by RSL MF Javier Morales as well as an onslaught of RSL attacks before emerging 2-1 winners on goals by Alan Gordon and Chris Wondolowski.

Real Salt Lake enters Saturday's match with a 5-5-5 all-time record against San Jose (15 meetings), and a 3-2-0 all-time mark at Buck Shaw Stadium.

Last year, RSL posted two wins versus San Jose. The first came on March 19 on the campus of Santa Clara University, with the Utah side using a Kyle Beckerman goal and a heroic effort by goalkeeper Nick Rimando in monsoon-like conditions to post a 1-0 triumph. RSL also emerged victorious from last year's home leg on July 23, riding an �lvaro SaborÃ-o brace to a 4-0 win, with all four tallies in the annual Pioneer Day celebration game coming in the second half.

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