MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Faces 2020 Expansion Side Nashville SC for First Time in Club History

Published on May 14, 2021 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


HERRIMAN, Utah - Real Salt Lake will finish its three-game home stretch at Rio Tinto Stadium against Nashville SC on Saturday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m. MT for the club's fourth-annual PRIDE night.

The match will be broadcast live on KUTV and can be accessed via stream on the KSL TV app. ESPN 700 will carry the English radio Broadcast and Spanish-speaking fans can tune in on KBMG Latino 106.3, La Gran D 102.3 and KTUB 1600.

Tickets for the match are available at RSL.com or by calling 844-REAL-TIX.

Real Salt Lake vs. Nashville SC

Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah

Saturday, May 15, 2021; 7:30 p.m. MT

Records: Real Salt Lake 2-1-0, (6 points, 7th in West); Nashville SC (1-0-3, 6 points, 5th in East)

Head-to-Head: Saturday's match will be the first time the two sides have faced one another since Nashville SC joined the league as an expansion side in 2020.

Nashville is led by Head Coach Gary Smith, who RSL fans may recognize from his time as manager with the Colorado Rapids from 2008-11.

Stories to Watch:

Fourth Annual Pride

The match against Nashville SC will mark the fourth-annual PRIDE night, honoring and celebrating members of the LGBTQ+ community in Utah. The team will be wearing tie-dye designed warm up tops with the colors of the "Pride" flag. The club will also welcome members of Encircle, an LGBTQ+ Youth and Family resource organization, to Saturday's match.

Four for Four?

In just three games this season Real Salt Lake forward Rubio Rubin has scored three goals and added two assists, including a stunning bicycle kick that trended worldwide this past weekend that won AT&T MLS Goal of the Week honors and may be an early contender for MLS Goal of the Year. The first-year RSL forward has a goal or an assist in each of his first three matches.

Welcome to the RioT

Nashville SC has yet to lose a game this season earning a record of 1-0-3. However, all four of Nashville's games were played at their home of Nissan Stadium, making Saturday's game their first on the road this year. Meanwhile, Real Salt Lake is 135-50-69 all-time at home, earning a result in 80% percent of the matches played on their home turf.

Connections: Neither team has a player that has represented both sides, however Real Salt Lake Assistant Coach Pablo Mastroeni previously coached Nashville's Dominique Badji and Eric Miller during his time as the Head Coach of Colorado Rapids. Additionally, as a player with the Rapids, Mastroeni was coached by Nashville Head Coach Gary Smith.

Real Salt Lake players Maikel Chang and Justin Portillo previously played with Brian Anunga in the USL Championship with the Charleston Battery.

Check out the Real Salt Lake Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from May 14, 2021


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