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MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Looks to Get Back to Winning Ways on Saturday Night

July 6, 2012 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


SANDY, Utah (Friday, June 21, 2012) - Sitting in second place in both the overall MLS and Western Conference tables, Real Salt Lake (10-6-3, 33 points, #2 in West) hosts the eighth-place Portland Timbers (5-7-4, 19 points, #8 in West) at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday.

RSL - which snapped its season-high three-game losing streak with Wednesday's scoreless draw against Seattle - seeks its second win of the season against the Timbers, having beat the Cascadia side 3-2 in a wild, back-and-forth match at JELD-WEN Field on March 31. Kyle Beckerman and Jonny Steele were the heroes for the Claret-and-Cobalt in the teams' first meeting, with Steele equalizing in the 89th minute before Beckerman volleyed home the winner in second half stoppage time.

This weekend's showdown is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. MT kickoff, televised live on CW30 with Bill Riley and Brian Dunseth on the call (post-game coverage will air starting at 9:00 p.m.). Fans can also follow the action via the team's official radio partners: ESPN 700/ ESPN700Sports.com and La Gran D 102.3 FM, and live on Twitter ( Twitter.com/RealSaltLake ) with match updates. As always, fans can enjoy pre-game activities in Sandy at Carnival Real at 5:00 p.m. on the stadium's East Lawn.

Tickets remain available for Saturday's matchup. Please visit www.RealSaltLake.com/tickets for seating locations and pricing options for the game, as well as the remainder of the team's 2012 MLS slate.

Though they've won two of their last three matches, Portland is still mired near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, with their 19 points putting them ahead of only ninth-place FC Dallas in the conference table. RSL will move into a tie for first in both the league and the West with both a win and a San Jose loss to Dallas. Additionally, a win for the Claret-and-Cobalt would give Goalkeeper Nick Rimando 131 career wins, tying him with GK Zach Thornton for second place all-time in the MLS career record book.

How to Follow Real Salt Lake v. Portland Timbers

- Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, UT

- TV: CW30 w/ Bill Riley & Brian Dunseth (post-game coverage at 9:00 p.m.)

- English Radio: ESPN700 (Pre/post game with James Rust & Brian Kamler)

- Spanish Radio: 102.3 FM "La Gran D" / 1600 AM w/ Nelson Moran & Fernando Hortal

Game Guide Highlights

- RSL is looking to end a four-game winless slide

- Real is seeking to pick up its first home win against Portland, having tied the Timbers 1-1 last October in the teams' lone meeting at Rio Tinto Stadium

- Claret-and-Cobalt forward Fabian Espindola is suspended for Saturday's match due to yellow card accumulation

- A RSL win would give GK Nick Rimando 131 career wins, tying him with GK Zach Thornton for second place all-time in the MLS career record book

RSL History v. Timbers

Real Salt Lake enters Saturday's match with a 1-1-1 all-time record against Portland, with a 0-0-1 record in matches played at Rio Tinto Stadium. RSL pulled off a dramatic, stoppage time 3-2 comeback victory in their last meeting against the Timbers, getting late goals from Jonny Steele and Kyle Beckerman to cancel out Portland winger Darlington Nagbe's second half brace on March 31, 2012.

On an individual note, Alvaro Saborio has two career goals against Portland, while Fabian Espindola has a pair of assists against the Timbers.

In last year's home leg on October 22, RSL saw a 1-0 lead evaporate late, with Portland defender Futty Danso scoring in second half stoppage time to cancel out Alvaro Saborio's first half strike to give the Timbers a 1-1 draw.

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Major League Soccer Stories from July 6, 2012


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