MLS Real Salt Lake

Surging RSL Back Home Saturday against LAFC

Published on May 12, 2023 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


SANDY, Utah - Real Salt Lake (3-5-2, 11 pts., 11th West) concludes a three-game week by welcoming defending MLS Cup champions LAFC this weekend for MLS Matchday 12, with America First Field hosting on Saturday (7:30p MT kickoff on the Apple MLS Season Pass w/ Max Bretos and Brian Dunseth (ENG) / Rodolfo Landeros and Martin Zuniga (SPN); 7:00p MT radio pre-game w/ David James & Jay Nolly via www.KSLSports.com / 1280 AM / 97.5 FM and www.KSLNewsRadio.com / 1160 AM). LAFC has advanced as the MLS representative in this year's CONCACAF Champions League Final, facing Liga MX contender Leon in late May / early June.

Real Salt Lake v LAFC

America First Field - Sandy, UT

Saturday, May 13, 2023 - 7:30p MT

2023 Records: Real Salt Lake (3-5-2, 11 pts, 11th West); LAFC (5-1-3, 18 pts, 3rd West)

Saturday's contest is the sixth of what could be a 15-game, 48-day stretch that sees Real Salt Lake manage multiple competitions, with several potential U.S. Open Cup and MLS three-game weeks played consecutively. Real Salt Lake returns home from last weekend's scoreless draw in Houston and Wednesday's dramatic Open Cup win at Portland unbeaten in five consecutive games and in six of its last seven matches overall, carrying a 221-minute defensive shutout streak in MLS play.

Each of the last two MLS matchdays have seen RSL register its first two clean sheets of 2023, as GK Zac MacMath and the RSL rearguard denied Seattle two weeks ago at home prior to last week's scoreless draw at Houston. Last Saturday's 0-0 at Houston - RSL's first road shutout since last April in Portland - extended RSL's unbeaten run over the Dynamo to 11 consecutive games dating back to 2017, the Claret-and-Cobalt's longest such streak against a single opponent. The back-to-back clean sheets overall are RSL's first since last June 18/25, both coming at what is now America First Field, with RSL's active shutout streak going into the LAFC contest at 221 minutes.

RSL was disappointed last August in LAFC's 4-1 win on Utah soil, a game which extended the now-Defending MLS Cup champions' win streak in Sandy to three games overall, as the Black-and-Gold have won in five of its six all-time visits, outscoring RSL 15-6. LAFC handed RSL its worst-ever home loss back on opening day 2018, and has won 10 of the 12 all-time meetings between the sides, with RSL's lone win coming via a 3-0 home decision late in 2020 ... All-time, LAFC has won 10 of 11 reg. season meetings, outscoring RSL 26-10, HOWEVER RSL did win the lone postseason matchup between the two, a dramatic 3-2 victory in 2018 remembered for RSL Captain Damir Kreilach's "karate kick" to end the expansion sides' playoff hopes.

RSL continued to advance in this year's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament with a Fourth-Round road victory at Portland Wednesday, a 4-3 result that saw RSL climb back from 0-1 and 2-3 deficits. It was a Maikel Chang brace that quickly reversed RSL's 2-3 hole into a 4-3 advantage 15 minutes into the second half, while both Andrés Gómez and Danny Musovski each provided a goal and an assist to lead the RSL attack. 18-year-old GK Gavin Beavers made several saves to keep RSL afloat, while veterans DF Justen Glad and Captain Damir Kreilach - with 300+ MLS starts between them - each played the full 90 minutes to lead RSL.

RSL's first two all-time Open Cup road wins at Vegas and Portland in recent weeks now open up the opportunity for extreme schedule congestion, as Salt Lake's next #USOC2023 window will be Wednesday, May 24 at Rocky Mountain Cup rival Colorado Rapids; the winner of that Round of 16 match would then host either LA Galaxy or LAFC on June 6/7. Familiarity could breed contempt as RSL hosts LAFC May 13, travels to Colorado for an MLS contest on May 20 and welcomes the Galaxy to Utah on May 31 in previously-scheduled MLS action.

Regarding the schedule congestion caused by the July/August Leagues Cup window, RSL's pair of Open Cup victories create the possibility of 15 games in 48 days to severely test Club depth ... Starting with the April 22 win against San Jose, the current stretch which could also include 10 in 34 days from the May 6 Houston trip to the June 10 NYCFC visit to Utah for a total of five arduous three-game weeks from May 6 - June 10.

RSL already has MLS reg. season midweek home contests slated for this Wednesday, May 17 (Portland) and at the end of the month on May 31 (LA Galaxy), meaning that the May 10 (at Portland), May 24 (at Colorado) and possible June 7 Open Cup midweek matches will test entire RSL roster, as it recovers from April's injury crisis and looks to overcome the loss of MF Diego Luna to the USA U-20 roster for the FIFA Youth World Cup, which starts May 20 in Argentina.

RSL is back home again on Wednesday, looking for a repeat victory over Portland. Tickets for the expected sellout - which could be the Club's 22nd in its last 26 matches - are available at www.RSL.com/tickets.

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