SANDY, Utah (Monday, June 27, 2016) – Real Salt Lake hosts Seattle Sounders FC Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. MT in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Fifth Round action, with 14 MLS clubs comprising the remaining 16 teams still standing in the 103rd edition of U.S. Soccer’s longest ongoing tourney.
RSL continues its “Summer of Soccer” in Sandy, Head Coach Jeff Cassar’s team (8-5-3, 27 points, 3rd-best in MLS w/ a 1.69 points-per-game average) resuming action at its vaunted Rio Tinto Stadium home, where RSL is unbeaten in eight games all competitions this season (5-0-3 in MLS, CCL and Open Cup), with Tuesday the fourth out of eight home games in 10 overall from mid-June to the end of July following the recent install of a new natural grass surface.
RSL FW Juan Manuel "Burrito" Martinez (4 goals in his last 5 starts) and FW Yura Movsisyan (5 goals in his last 7 starts) are in red-hot form, while Plata, Javier Morales, Jordan Allen and the rest of the RSL attack have combined for a blistering 15 goals in their last six games overall.
RSL boasts an all-time 6-2-2 home mark against Seattle, outscoring the Sounders 15-7 across all competitions (reg. season and playoff) on Utah soil. RSL has won five consecutive games at Rio Tinto Stadium against Seattle, last losing here to the “Rave Green” in May, 2011. In the clubs’ last contest at Rio Tinto Stadium, a late Jamison Olave game-winning goal off a set piece gave RSL a 2-1, come-from-behind victory, as FW Joao Plata – the Etihad MLS Player of the Month for March – assisted on that and the Sunday “Sunny” Stephen equalizer just before halftime, cancelling out the early Seattle goal from Osvaldo Alonso.
Back on June 14, RSL reopened Rio Tinto Stadium with a scintillating advancement on penalty kicks over the visiting USL Wilmington Hammerheads, digging out of an 0-2 deficit on goals from FW Joao Plata and FW Juan Manuel Martinez. After extra time finished 2-2, heroics in the shootout were provided by GK Jeff Attinella, while the clinching attempt was coolly slotted home by DF Chris Wingert, allowing RSL to survive and advance.
Since the beginning of 2008, RSL now boasts a 103-22-42 mark in its last 167 home games (all comps) in that span, during which it has outscored opponents by 173 goals (295-122), with an 82-17-37 reg. season mark (240/99), the 8-1-2 CCL record (21/7), 5-2-2 playoffs (11/4), as well as an 8-2-1 Open Cup mark (23/12).
The match can be heard via RSL outlets ESPN700 AM (English, Bill Riley, Jay Nolly, Spencer Warne & Jon LaFollette) & 102.3 FM / 1600 AM (Spanish, Fernando Hortal & Nelson Moran). Pre-game coverage airs live locally on ESPN700 AM at 7:00 p.m. MT.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake v. Seattle Sounders FC – Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup 5th Round
- Coverage Begins: 8:00 p.m. MT
- TV: none
- English Radio: ESPN700 AM (7:00 p.m. MT) – Bill Riley, Jay Nolly, Spencer Warne & Jon LaFollette
- Spanish Radio: 102.3 La Gran D FM / 1600 AM – Nelson Moran & Fernando Hortal
- Online: The @RealSaltLake Twitter feed provides updates
Game Guide for Tuesday’s RSL v. Sounders Matchup Available Online
The link to the Adobe PDF version of the Game Guide in advance of Tuesday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and Seattle are available by clicking HERE.
2016 REAL SALT LAKE NOTES –
RSL v. SEATTLE SOUNDERS – Tues., June 28, 2016 – 8:00 p.m. MT
SCHEDULE CONGESTION DICTATES LINEUP CHANGES: RSL boss Jeff Cassar made 10 lineup changes from Wednesday’s 2-1 win vs. New York Red Bulls in advance of Saturday’s 0-2 loss at Dallas, with only MF Luke Mulholland reprising his role … MF Javier Morales, FW Juan Manuel Martinez, MF Sunday Stephen and DF Aaron Maund did not travel, while GK Nick Rimando, DF Tony Beltran, DF Demar Phillips, DF Justen Glad, FW Yura Movsisyan and FW Joao Plata were each on the bench at Dallas … Nine of Saturday’s starters combined for just 193 career MLS selections, fewer than each of the other two starters, DF Chris Wingert (271) and DF Jamison Olave (202) …
YOUTH REIGNS SUPREME AT DALLAS: RSL rookie MF Omar Holness made his full RSL debut in MLS action after logging just 3 minutes 11 days prior in Open Cup action, while DF Boyd Okwuonu made his 2nd career start (1-3 L at Colorado on July 11, 2015) … DF Phanuel Kavita, an SLC Highland High School product, made his 3rd career MLS start at Dallas (2-2 T at Columbus 6/27/15 and 0-4 L at Vancouver last August) … MF Luke Mulholland led the valiant Metroplex effort with his 60th career start, followed by FW Olmes Garcia (36), FW Devon Sandoval (36), GK Jeff Attinella (27), MF Jordan Allen (19) and MF John Stertzer (18) … Garcia’s start Saturday was his first of the season, while Sandoval made just his second …
RED-HOT FW TRIO ROUNDING INTO FORM: RSL FW Juan Manuel "Burrito" Martinez (4 goals in his last 5 starts) and FW Yura Movsisyan (5 goals in his last 7 starts) are in red-hot form, while FW Joao Plata, Javier Morales, Jordan Allen and the rest of the RSL attack have combined for a blistering 15 goals in their last six games overall …
Movsisyan’s equalizer last Wednesday against the Red Bulls was his 21st in an RSL uniform (reg. season only), pushing him past Jeff Cunningham and into sole possession of 7th place all-time in the Claret/Cobalt Golden Boot race … Yura trails Saborio, Morales, Findley, Espindola, Plata and Beckerman as he continues to rise up the ranks …
Plata boasts 7 goals and 7 assists across all competitions this season (the only RSL player to have scored in CCL, MLS and Open Cup this season), accounting for nearly 55% of the club’s goals … The Ecuadoran’s 5 goals and 6 assists give RSL the unique distinction of being the lone MLS club this season with three players that each have 5 or more MLS goals thus far …
SUMMER GETAWAY AT THE RIOT IN SANDY: Following the field renovation and the league-wide Copa America break in early June, RSL now is in the midst of playing six of seven and eight of 10 matches at home, leading into the annual MLS All-Star Break in late July … Rio Tinto Stadium also hosted a Liga MX friendly on Friday, June 24 between Mexican powers Xolos de Tijuana and Santos Laguna, while RSL faces its first-ever European club at the RioT on either Tues/Wed, July 19/20, as legendary side Inter Milan arrives in Utah (confirmed date dependent on RSL’s Open Cup fate on June 28) … Included in those 10 home games over a five-week period are a pair of 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup contests, as RSL advanced from Tuesday’s contest against Wilmington via PK shootout, the club now hosting Seattle Sounders FC in a #USOC2016 match on Tuesday …
RSL will also enjoy another late-season stretch at home, playing six out of eight at Rio Tinto Stadium from late August to late October, prior to the season finale at Seattle on Oct. 23 …
RSL SEEKS TO RESTORE ROAR AT RIOT FORTRESS: While the 2-2 draw last Saturday against Portland provided the first blemish for RSL in its 5-0-1 MLS home record (and 0-0-2 in CCL/Open Cup) this season, the club ended its disappointing 2015 campaign with a 12-4-6 record at home across all competitions (just a 7-4-6 RioT mark in MLS play), with the pair of late-season 0-1 losses to Portland & Dallas just the club’s 4th & 5th home shutouts suffered in its last 49 home games overall, dating back to the 2013 Open Cup Final ... The six draws at home last year equaled the club’s all-time season high, set in 2006 and 2008 ...
Last year’s ignominy snapped a 7-year run that had seen RSL average 2.00 points per game or more at home each MLS season from 2008-14, as well as a 5-year streak of 10 or more home wins in league play … With recent 1-goal home wins over Seattle, Vancouver, Colorado, Houston and Red Bulls, RSL is an unbeaten 5-0-1 (2.67 points-per-game) this season …
Since the beginning of 2008, RSL now boasts a 103-22-42 mark in its last 167 home games (all comps) in that span, during which it has outscored opponents by 173 goals (295-122), with an 82-17-37 reg. season mark (238/98), the 8-1-2 CCL record (21/7), 5-2-2 playoffs (11/4), as well as an 8-2-1 Open Cup mark (23/12) ...
EARLY PACING STILL BODES WELL FOR RSL: Despite the 0-2 loss at Dallas on Saturday, RSL’s 8-5-3 mark gives the club 27 points from 15 games, the Claret-and-Cobalt one of Major League Soccer’s top three teams with a 1.69 points-per-game average (RSL trails only Colorado [2.00 ppg] and Dallas [1.77]) … RSL remains on a club-record pace for 58 points in 2016, pacing which could (should?) improve as the club continues its Rio Tinto Stadium homestand, where six of RSL’s eight MLS games between mid-June and late July will occur …
ORIGINAL RIOT PITCH REPLACEMENT: Random facts and figures for the original Rio Tinto Stadium pitch, from Oct. 9, 2008 through April 30, 2016:
YEAR RECORD OVERALL
2008: 2-1-1
2009: 10-1-5 (12- 2- 6)
2010: 14-0-5 (26- 2-11)
2011: 14-4-4 (40- 6-15)
2012: 12-6-3 (52-12-18)
2013: 16-4-4 (68-16-22)
2014: 11-1-6 (79-17-28)
2015: 12-4-6 (91-21-34)
2016: 4-0-1 (95-21-35)
MLS Regular Season: 74-16-31 (2.09 PPG)
CONCACAF Champions League: 8-1-2 (2.36 PPG)
MLS Cup Playoffs: 5-2-2 (1.89 PPG)
U.S. Open Cup: 8-2-0 (2.40 PPG)
Largest Crowd: 21,004 – 9/19/15 (3-0 W over LA Galaxy)
Smallest Crowd: 7,620 – 6/28/11 [2-0 W over Wilmington (USOC)]
First Win: Oct. 18, 2008; 3-1 v FC Dallas
First Goal: Jamison Olave, 42’ equalizer, 10/9/08 v NYRB
First Shutout: Nick Rimando, 11/1/08 v Chivas USA
First Playoff Win/Shutout: Nov. 1, 2008; 1-0 v Chivas USA
First Playoff Goal: Yura Movsisyan, game-winner, 11/1/08 v Chivas
First CCL Win: Aug. 18, 2010; 2-1 v Arabe Unido (PAN)
First CCL Goal: Alvaro Saborio, 8/18/10 v Arabe Unido (PAN)
First CCL Shutout: Nick Rimando, 3/15/11 v Saprissa (CRC)
151st Game: April 30, 2016; 2-1 W v Houston Dynamo (95-21-35 overall mark)
Last Goal: Yura Movsisyan, 70’ game-winner, 4/30/16 v Houston
Last Shutout: Nick Rimando, 4/16/16 v Vancouver
