SANDY, Utah (Saturday, June 20, 2015) – Real Salt Lake resumes Major League Soccer action in the final game of the weekend Sunday night at Rio Tinto Stadium, hosting rival Sporting Kansas City in a nationally-televised match kicking off at 8:00 p.m. MT on Fox Sports 1, with the game also carried on ESPN700 (7:00 p.m. MT pre-game) and La Gran D 102.3 FM / 1600 AM. Former RSL DF and current analyst Brian Dunseth – the author of the first home goal in club history, April 16, 2005 against Colorado – will call the match, alongside play-by-play man Mark Rogondino.
Real Salt Lake (4-5-6, 18 points, West 9) has shut out Kansas City in the clubs’ two regular-season meetings in Kansas – both scoreless draws – since that fateful and frigid Dec. 7, 2013 shootout in Kansas that awarded Sporting KC MLS Cup 2013. Peter Vermes’ team ultimately earned the right to host that match after winning at Rio Tinto Stadium in controversial fashion on July 20, 2013. DF Ike Opara headed home a corner kick in the 97th minute for the 2-1 win, following antics that extended the allotted stoppage time.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake v. Sporting Kansas City
• Coverage Begins: 8:00 p.m. MT
• TV: Fox Sports 1 – Mark Rogondino & Brian Dunseth
• English Radio: ESPN700 AM (7:00 p.m. MT) – Bill Riley & Brian Kamler
• Spanish Radio: 102.3 La Gran D FM / 1600 AM – Nelson Moran & Fernando Hortal
• Online: The @RealSaltLake Twitter Feed will provide match updates
Game Guide for Sunday’s RSL v. SKC Match Now Available Online
Following is the link to the Adobe PDF version of the MLS Game Guide in advance of Sunday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and Sporting Kansas City.
Click here to download the PDF version of the MLS Game Guide for Sunday’s RSL v. Kansas City matchup
June/July Slate Dictates Home Cooking for RSL; Open Cup / CCL Paths Determined
Following Tuesday’s 2-1 home victory over Sounders 2 in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play, RSL improved to 3-1-4 across all competitions at home this season, as Rio Tinto Stadium prepares to host six of the club’s next eight MLS matches, along with the Wednesday, July 1 Round of 16 match against Portland Timbers in the club’s next Open Cup contest.
Three weeks ago, RSL discovered its 2015/16 Champions League Group, as the club will face Santa Tecla FC (El Salvador) and Municipal (Guatemala) with two home games and two away scheduled during six possible matchdates in August/September/October. RSL and the remaining 23 clubs will ascertain dates and times in the coming weeks.
RSL’s 2-0 victory over NYCFC back on May 23 kicked off a run that sees RSL play 10 games in 44 days from Memorial Day to Fourth of July (eight MLS reg. season matches plus two U.S. Open Cup contest).
Schedule Congestion Catalyst for Squad Rotation
As a result of the schedule congestion described above, RSL boss Jeff Cassar has distributed minutes all over the roster in anticipation of quick turnarounds and key absences due to international duty, suspension, injury and fatigue, as 21 different players have earned starts for the Claret-and-Cobalt in 2015’s first 14 games, while 25 players – all but GK Lalo Fernandez, DF Phanuel Kavita and DF Boyd Okwuonu – have logged MLS minutes in 2015. Kavita and Okwuonu did make their RSL debuts in Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over S2 in the Open Cup.
When MF John Stertzer scored his first career goal in the May 23rd 2-0 home win over NYCFC, he became the 58th player of the 124 that have worn the RSL crest in MLS play to find the back of the net, while 18-year old DF Justen Glad – who made his MLS debut May 30 in Vancouver – became the 124th player to appear on club’s behalf.
