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Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Returns Home for Back-To-Back Matches this Week

September 19, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


HERRIMAN, Utah - Real Salt Lake (11-10-7, 40 pts., 6th West) resumes its 2023 season, RSL's 19th in Major League Soccer, with back-to-back home contests this Wednesday and Saturday against Western Conference foes FC Dallas and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Kickoff for each game is at 7:30p MT (Apple TV+ / MLS Season Pass / KSL Radio).

With 40 points accumulated through 28 games of the 2023 MLS campaign, Real Salt Lake is part of a 10-team glut from 2nd to 11th place in the Western Conference separated by just eight points in the race for the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs (top nine teams), RSL seeking its first home postseason match since 2019.

RSL Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni's side enters the final six games of the season tied on 40 points with both Houston and San Jose, three points shy of second-place LAFC (43 points) and able to surpass Seattle (42 pts) and Vancouver (41 pts) with one result. The Utah side is three points ahead of Minnesota (37 pts), four points up on Portland (36 pts) and five points ahead of Kansas City and Dallas (35 points).

DALLAS HISTORY: RSL has earned points in 17 of 25 all-time Dallas visits to Utah, winning 12 and drawing 5 games against 8 all-time losses to the visitors from North Texas. One of those Dallas wins came last year on Pioneer Day Weekend, the 1-0 Dallas win snapping a run of 10 consecutive home games without a loss. The teams met previously this year at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, with FC Dallas winning a 2-1 decision back on April 15.

LAST TIME OUT: RSL fell Saturday at San Jose, 1-2, unable to overcome a rough start that saw the home Earthquakes take an early 2-0 lead after 15 minutes. RSL was able to halve the deficit just before halftime when FW Chicho Arango scored his fourth MLS goal in the last two months with RSL. Arango's goal was his sixth overall for the Claret-and-Cobalt, and the 97th of his illustrious professional career.

Despite Arango's efforts, RSL has dropped five of its last six and six of its last eight across all competitions, with only the Sept. 2 Rocky Mountain Cup win over Colorado - by a 2-0 scoreline at home - stemming the tide. Those goals from Arango and fellow Colombian Brayan Vera on either side of halftime supported a Zac MacMath clean sheet to capture the Club's 12th Rocky Mountain Cup in the last 15 seasons, the fan-created rivalry staying on the Wasatch Front for a fourth consecutive year, including the disputed 2020 season.

Wednesday's kickoff against Dallas starts at 7:30p MT on Apple TV+ / MLS Season Pass w/ Max Bretos and Brian Dunseth (ENG) and Rodolfo Landeros and Martin Zuniga (SPN). For local coverage, tune in at 6:30p MT for KSL Radio pre-game w/ David James & Jay Nolly via www.KSLSports.com / 1280 AM / 97.5 FM and www.KSLNewsRadio.com / 1160 AM).

Real Salt Lake v FC Dallas - MLS Matchday 33

America First Field - Sandy, Utah

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023 - 7:30p MT

2023 Records: Real Salt Lake (11-10-7, 40 pts, 6th West); FC Dallas (9-10-8, 35 pts., 11th West)

ROTATIONAL DEPTH: Throughout 2023, Mastroeni and staff have utilized 29 players across three competitions, advancing to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinal and the Leagues Cup Round of 16. This week, RSL hosts both Dallas and Vancouver, with home matches on Wed., Sept. 20 and Sat., Sept. 23 at America First Field (kickoffs at 7:30 p.m. MT), with the Club's final reg. season home game against Kansas City on Sat., Oct. 7. Tickets for the final trio of league matches this year can be purchased at www.RSL.com/tickets, while 2023 RSL Season Ticket Members and 2024 renewals will have first choice at their seats for any potential upcoming Audi MLS Cup Playoff home matches.

DECISION DAY DRAMA: Real Salt Lake has finished each of the last two seasons in dramatic fashion, booking its place in the MLS Cup Playoffs on Decision Day with scintillating wins in both 2021 (1-0 at Kansas City) and 2022 (3-1 against Portland), advancing to the postseason in 12 of the last 15 campaigns.

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