SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake will close its three-game road trip on Sunday, when it will take on Western Conference foe Chivas USA at the Home Depot Center.
Sunday’s match will kickoff at 8:30 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live on CW30, ESPN700 AM and 102.3 La Gran D FM/1600 AM. CW30 will air its 30-minute Ford Postgame Show immediately following the match; ESPN 700 will begin its pregame coverage at 7:30 p.m. MT and will air an hour-long postgame show immediately following the final whistle.
Real Salt Lake will look to close its three-game road trip – its longest such trip of 2013 – with a win at Chivas USA. The Claret-and-Cobalt is 1-1-0 in its first two games of the trip, getting a pair of late goals to beat the New England Revolution 2-1 at Gillette Stadium on May 8 before giving up a pair of late goals to fall 3-2 at the Montreal Impact at Stade Saputo last Saturday, May 11.
RSL has played Chivas USA once this year, beating the Southern California side 1-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium on April 20. Claret-and-Cobalt MF Javier Morales scored the match’s lone goal, picking up a loose ball near midfield and making a long run into the box to head a FW Alvaro Saborio cross into the back of the net in the 53rd minute. RSL GK and recent U.S. Men’s National Team call up Nick Rimando saved MF Edgar Mejia’s first half penalty kick to keep the game scoreless.
Real Salt Lake is 10-10-4 in regular season play against Chivas USA. The Claret-and-Cobalt has absolutely dominated its 2005 expansion partner over the last several years, posting a 7-2-1 MLS record against the Goats since upsetting them in the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs.
RSL has been very successful at the Home Depot Center, with 10 of the club’s 27 all-time road victories coming at the suburban Los Angeles facility. Five of those 10 victories have come against Chivas USA, with the Claret-and-Cobalt holding a strong 5-7-1 record at the Rojiblancos. RSL won both of its matches at Chivas USA last year, beating the Goats 3-0 at the Home Depot Center on June 16 and getting a Saborio hat trick to down the Southern California side 4-0 in Carson on Sept. 29.
Saborio (R quad tear) may get the chance to repeat that hat trick feat this weekend, as he is questionable for Sunday’s game after missing RSL’s last four matches due to injury. FW Robbie Findley (L knee hyperextension) is also questionable for Sunday’s match after also missing the last four games due to injury. Unfortunately, the news isn’t as good for RSL DF Rich Balchan (L shoulder surgery), MF Cole Grossman (concussion) or DF Kwame Watson-Siriboe (One-game suspension), all of whom will miss Sunday’s game due to injury or suspension.
Chivas USA has come back down to earth following its surprisingly strong start, losing four of its last five matches to drop to last place in the Western Conference. The Goats lost 3-0 at Portland last Sunday, May 12 and are now winless in their last five games. The Rojiblancos have been shutout four times in that span, getting outscored 11-2 during their winless streak.
The Real Salt Lake Reserves will take on the Chivas USA Reserves in MLS Reserve League action on Monday at 12:00 p.m. MT at the Home Depot Center.
RSL will return to Utah following the Reserve League match, where it will begin preparations for its Saturday, May 25 home match against the Chicago Fire at Rio Tinto Stadium. The Claret-and-Cobalt will have a quick turnaround following the Chicago match, hosting either the NASL Atlanta Silverbacks or NPSL Georgia Revolution in a third-round Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matchup on Tuesday, May 28 at Rio Tinto Stadium. Tickets for both matches are available for purchase at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake at Chivas USA
- Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. MT at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
- TV: CW30 (Ford Postgame Show to immediately follow final whistle)
- English Radio: ESPN700 AM (Pregame begins at 7:30 p.m. MT)
- Spanish Radio: La Gran D 102.3 FM & Juan 1600 AM
- Online: The @RealSaltLake Twitter Feed will provide live match updates
Click here to download the PDF version of the MLS Game Guide for Sunday’s RSL-CHV matchup
RSL History v. Chivas USA
Real Salt Lake is 10-10-4 in regular season play against Chivas USA. The Claret-and-Cobalt has absolutely dominated its 2005 expansion partner over the last several years, posting a 7-2-1 MLS record against the Goats since upsetting them in the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs.
RSL has already beaten Chivas USA once this year, getting a MF Javier Morales goal and a penalty kick save from GK Nick Rimando to defeat the Goats 1-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium on April 20. The Claret-and-Cobalt won its last match at Chivas USA, getting a hat trick from FW Alvaro Saborio to beat the Southern California side 4-0 at the Home Depot Center on Sept. 29, 2012.
