MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Match Preview: RSL at Seattle Sounders FC

Published on November 1, 2011 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


SANDY, Utah (Tuesday, November 1, 2011) - After posting a thorough 3-0 home result last Saturday in Sandy, Real Salt Lake will look to punch its ticket to the 2011 Western Conference Finals tomorrow, Wednesday, November 2, when it travels to the Pacific Northwest to take on Seattle Sounders FC in the second leg of their Western Conference Semifinal Series. Kickoff for Wednesday's playoff tilt at CenturyLink Field in Seattle is slated for 8:00 p.m. MT, and will be nationally televised on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, while live radio coverage can be heard on ESPN 700/ESPN700Sports.com (English) and Juan 1600-AM (Spanish).

In addition, RSL fanatics are invited to join up to view the decisive Leg Two showdown at any of the Official ESPN 700 Watch Parties for Real Salt Lake, taking place at all six ‚¬ËœBout Time Pub & Grub locations across the Salt Lake valley.

How to Follow Real Salt Lake @ Seattle

- TV: ESPN2/ESPN Deportes

- Radio:ESPN 700/ESPN700Sports.com (America First Credit Union Pre-game Show starts at 7:00 p.m.) (English) and Juan 1600-AM (Spanish)

- Online: Live updates via Official RSL Twitter Feed (@RealSaltLake) and MLS MatchCenter on RealSaltLake.com

RSL "Game Note" of the Match: First Leg Forays Bode Well for RSL:

Real Salt Lake is now a perfect 4-0-0 when hosting the first leg of an 180-minute, aggregate goal series in either the MLS Cup Playoffs or in CONCACAF Champions League ... Wednesday's game will determine if RSL can maintain its perfect mark of winning such series ... The list:

Year Opponent 1st Leg 2nd Leg Series

2008 Chivas USA (MLS) W, 1-0 T, 2-2 W, 3-2

2009 Columbus (MLS) W, 1-0 W, 3-2 W, 4-2

2011 Saprissa (CCL) W, 2-0 L, 1-2 W, 3-2

2011 Seattle (MLS) W, 3-0 ''' '''

Of the four series, RSL did trail on aggregate briefly in 2009 at Columbus, against the Supporters' Shield-winning Crew, as two first-half Guillermo Barros Schelotto goals turned the tables ... But RSL resumed the series lead with scores from Javier Morales and Robbie Findley just before halftime of the 2nd leg, and Andy Williams iced the series with a seeing-eye blast to win 4-2 ...

Earlier this year at Saprissa, a 64' goal by Jamison Olave knotted the 2nd leg at 1-1 and gave RSL the critical away goals tiebreaker (active only in CCL play, not in MLS), putting the Costa Rican power on its heels and enabling RSL to escape "El Monstruo Morado" with a 3-2 aggregate series victory ... Like Saprissa, Chivas USA in 2008 trailed 3-1 to RSL on aggregate, but were able to pull a late goal back for the final series margin ...

RSL History vs. Sounders FC

Thanks to the dominating performance showcased by the Claret-and-Cobalt in Saturday's 3-0 win in leg one of the Western Conference Semifinals, RSL now holds a slight edge in its all-time record against Sounders FC, posting a 3-2-2 record against Seattle in MLS regular season and postseason play (Seattle's 4-1 U.S. Open Cup win over RSL in June 2009 would bring the ledger in all competitions back to square) ... Real Salt Lake and Seattle Sounders FC completed a rarity in Major League Soccer these days by trading away victories this regular season, each claiming 2-1 triumphs on the opposition's home field ... On May 28, the Washington side spoiled RSL's MLS record 29-game home undefeated streak by going up 2-0 and holding on for the win to become just the second MLS side to win a regular season game at the Rio Tinto "fortress" since its opening in October 2008 ... However, Real Salt Lake returned the favor in the return match at CenturyLink Field on Sept. 10, using an opening own goal from Kasey Keller and a second-half strike by FW Álvaro Saborío to post a thrilling away result ending Seattle's nine-match unbeaten streak in all competitions ... The win marked RSL's third on an artificial surface in its last five tries, the run starting with a 2-1 victory at New England in Oct. 2010.

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