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MLS Real Salt Lake

Pregame Facts and Info - RSL at Philadelphia

August 24, 2012 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


Friday's game in Philadelphia is Real Salt Lake's third in the last six days. RSL played the first two games of this busy stretch at Rio Tinto Stadium, losing to FC Dallas 2-1 last Saturday and beating Panamanian team Tauro FC 2-0 in CONCACAF Champions League action on Tuesday night.

Friday's match will see RSL start the game in a radically different shape than usual. The Claret-and-Cobalt will eschew their usual 4-1-2-1-2 setup for a 4-1-4-1, with FW Alvaro Saborio playing as a lone striker and MF's Javier Morales and Luis Gil playing in front of fellow MF's Will Johnson and Ned Grabavoy. Captain Kyle Beckerman will inhabit his usual defensive midfielder role, with DF's Chris Wingert, Nat Borchers, Kwame Watson-Siriboe and Tony Beltran slotting in ahead of GK Nick Rimando.

Though the team beat Tauro on Tuesday to end a four-game losing streak across all competitions, RSL is still on a bit of losing skid in MLS play, losing its last three league matches dating back to Aug. 4 at Colorado. RSL's last MLS win came on July 27 at home against Vancouver.

RSL's MLS road record currently sits at 4-6-2. The Claret-and-Cobalt hasn't won on the road since beating Chivas USA 3-0 at the Home Depot Center on June 16 - a span of four games. RSL opened the 2008 season with five consecutive road losses, the longest road drought in the Jason Kreis era.

FW Fabian Espindola is not on Friday's gameday roster. Espindola, who didn't start Tuesday's match against Tauro, is being rested due to both a dip in form - 13 games across all comps without a goal - and heavy minutes this year.

DF Chris Schuler is in Friday's 18 - his first time on the game day roster since 70 minutes off the bench at left back in RSL's 1-0 win at Seattle on May 12. Schuler, who returned to practice last week, had been out with a bone stress response in his left foot.

Saborio is on a terrific run lately, scoring seven goals in his last seven games across all competitions. He'll look to continue his fine form on Friday night against the Union, which has actually been rather stingy in defense this year, giving up just 28 goals in 22 MLS games.

RSL is 28-5-5 all-time when Saborio scores. The Costa Rican's last road goal for RSL came on a PK this season to open the scoring in a 3-2 win at Portland on March 31; with 49 goals in 88 games across all comps, Saborio's last road goal in the run of play came in last year's West Final at LA, a 1-3 RSL loss.

DF Jamison Olave is still out with a hamstring injury. RSL has really struggled in MLS games when Olave doesn't start; going 1-8-2 in the last 11 league games Olave has missed, according to Peter Hirdt at the Elias Sports Bureau (1-5-2 this year). The last time RSL won on the road without Olave was on April 9, 2011 in a 2-0 win at NE.

Philadelphia will be without starting DF Sheanon Williams on Friday. Williams was red carded in Philly's 1-1 tie at D.C. on Sunday and is suspended for Friday's match.

RSL's next game is on Sept. 1, when the Claret-and-Cobalt will take on D.C. United at Rio Tinto Stadium.

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