REAL SALT LAKE HOSTS SPORTING KANSAS CITY IN THE AUDI 2018 MLS CUP PLAYOFFS
Western Conference Semifinal Leg One Kicks Off at 8:00 p.m. MT on Sunday from Rio Tinto Stadium; Watch LIVE on FS1; Tune In to ESPN 700 AM for Pre-Game at 7:00 p.m MT
SANDY, Utah (Saturday, November 3, 2018) – Real Salt Lake is hosting its first MLS Cup Playoffs match since 2014, as Sporting Kansas City visits for Leg One of the Western Conference Semifinals on Sunday at 8 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium. RSL entered the postseason as the No. 6 seed with a 14-13-7 record (49 points), but advanced through the Knockout Round on Thursday by topping No. 3 LAFC 3-2 on the strength of two goals from MF Damir Kreilach. GK Nick Rimando made six saves on the night to hold on for the victory. With the win, RSL advanced to face Sporting Kansas City, who finished with the best record in the Western Conference at 18-8-8 (62 points). The second leg of the aggregate-goal series will take place on November 11 (Time TBD) at Children’s Mercy Park.
Sunday’s match will be televised live nationally on FS1, with local radio coverage on ESPN 700 starting at 7:00 p.m. MT.
Head Coach Mike Petke’s squad features a balanced attack that saw six players score five goals or more, led by club MVP and Golden Boot winner MF Damir Kreilach’s 12 goals to go with eight assists in his first MLS season. MF Albert Rusnák finished the season with 10 goals and seven assists while FW Joao Plata had eight goals and eight assists and FW Jefferson Savarino notched seven goals and a team-leading 11 assists. AT&T MLS Rookie of the Year finalist FW Corey Baird leads a dynamic crop of Homegrown talent from the Real Salt Lake Academy, scoring eight goals with five assists in his debut professional season. Other regular contributors in that group of young and rising talent are DF Justen Glad, DF Aaron Herrera, FW Sebastian Saucedo and the club’s Defensive Player of the Year, DF Brooks Lennon, who finished the season with five assists. FW Luis Silva rounds out the top scorers with five goals, three of which came in a substitute role. Meanwhile, club legends MF Kyle Beckerman and GK Nick Rimando led a young group to the postseason for the ninth time in RSL’s 14 seasons in Major League Soccer.
This will be the fourth meeting of the season between the two clubs, with RSL winning 4-2 at home on July 4 at Rio Tinto Stadium and playing to a 1-1 draw at Children’s Mercy Park on September 30. In the third meeting, RSL fell 2-0 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Tickets for Sunday’s match are available at RSL.com/Tickets and by calling 844-REAL-TIX.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake vs. Sporting Kansas City – Audi MLS Cup Playoffs
- Coverage Begins: 8:00 p.m. MT on SUNDAY
- National TV: FS1 – JP Dellacamera and Alexi Lalas with Danielle Slaton
- English Radio: ESPN700 AM and Sirius XM FC Ch. 157 (7:00 p.m. MT) – Bill Riley and Brian Dunseth with Spencer Warne, Jay Nolly and Tom Hackett (pre-/post-game)
- Spanish Radio: 104.7 / 107.1 FM – Fernando Hortal, German Hortal and Carlos Artiles
Game Guide for Thursday’s RSL vs. SKC Matchup Available Online
The link to the Adobe PDF version of the Game Guide in advance of Sunday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and Sporting Kansas City will be available by clicking HERE. If you have any problems obtaining the document, would prefer to receive it as an attachment, or are seeking more information on the match, please contact RSL Director of PR Matt Gaschk in the RSL Communications Department via email at mgaschk@RSL.com.
