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Real Salt Lake Match Preview: RSL V. Chivas USA

October 22, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


Real Salt Lake (15-10-8, West #2) will finish off the 2013 MLS regular season on Wednesday, hosting Chivas USA (6-18-8, West #9) in its home finale at 7:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium. Wednesday's match will be broadcast live on CW30, ESPN700 and 102.3 La Gran D FM/1600 AM. CW30 will air the 30-minute Ford Postgame Show immediately after the match; ESPN700 will air an hour-long pregame show before the game and will broadcast an hour-long postgame following the contest.

Real Salt Lake enters Wednesday's match coming off a hard-fought 0-0 draw with the Portland Timbers on Saturday which saw the Claret-and-Cobalt clinch its sixth-consecutive MLS Cup Playoff berth. The Claret-and-Cobalt's six-year run of postseason qualification is the longest active streak in the league and tied for the second-longest such streak in MLS history with the New York Red Bulls (2003-2008), trailing only the New England Revolution's eight-year run (2002-2009).

Wednesday's home finale against Chivas USA holds big implications as to where the Claret-and-Cobalt will finish in the Western Conference and Supporters' Shield race. Currently sitting in second-place in the Western Conference, RSL has the opportunity to secure a top-two position with a win against the Goats and clinch at least third-place with a draw.

A win on Wednesday is necessary in order for RSL to sustain the possibility of winning the Supporters' Shield. Sitting in fourth-place with a total of 53 points, RSL trails the New York Red Bulls who lead the Shield race with 56 points, followed by Sporting Kansas City with 55 points and Portland Timbers with 54 points.

Real Salt Lake has played Chivas USA twice this year, posting a 2-0-0 record. The Claret-and-Cobalt claimed a 1-0 win at Rio Tinto Stadium on April 20, with RSL MF Javier Morales scoring the lone goal of the game - a header off of an Alvaro Saborio cross in the 53rd minute. RSL travelled to the then Home Depot Center on May 19 and routed the Goats 4-1, with RSL MF Ned Grabavoy netting a brace and FW's Joao Plata and Robbie Findley both finding the back of the net.

RSL is 11-10-4 in regular season play against Chivas USA since both teams' inaugural season of 2005. The Claret-and-Cobalt has dominated the Southern California side over the past few years, posting an 8-2-1 MLS record against the Goats since upsetting them in the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs. Real Salt Lake has outscored Chivas USA 21-5 in that same span.

Chivas USA enters Wednesday's match riding a three-game losing streak, including shutouts in its last two matches - a 1-0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes on Sept. 29 and a 5-0 loss to the LA Galaxy (its worst ever to its city rival) on Oct. 6. The Goats have had a disappointing 2013 MLS season, resigned to the bottom of the Western Conference table with a 6-18-8 record and total of 26 points.

Real Salt Lake will welcome back the services of MF Javier Morales, who missed the Claret-and-Cobalt's last match at Portland due to yellow card accumulation.

A limited amount of tickets are still available for Wednesday's RSL-Chivas USA contest and can be purchased at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.

How to Follow Real Salt Lake v. Chivas USA

Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah TV: CW30 English Radio: ESPN700 AM (Pregame begins at 6:00 p.m. MT) Spanish Radio: La Gran D 102.3 FM & Juan 1600 AM Online: The @RealSaltLake Twitter Feed will provide live match updates

RSL History v. Chivas USA

Real Salt Lake is 11-10-4 in regular season play against Chivas USA. The Claret-and-Cobalt has absolutely dominated its 2005 expansion partner over the last several years, posting an 8-2-1 MLS record against the Goats since upsetting them in the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Wednesday's contest will be the third meeting across all competitions between RSL and Chivas USA this year. The Claret-and-Cobalt is 2-0-0 in its two matches against the Goats, beating the Goats 1-0 on April 20 at Rio Tinto Stadium and crushing the Southern California side 4-1 at the Home Depot Center (now StubHub Center) on May 19.

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