SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake will continue its California road trip this Saturday, when it will face Western Conference foe San Jose Earthquakes at 8:30 p.m. MT at Buck Shaw Stadium.
Saturday’s match will be broadcast live on ABC 4 and ESPN 700 AM. ABC 4’s broadcast of the match will be immediately followed by the 30-minute Ford Postgame Show, which will feature live interviews with RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar and notable Claret-and-Cobalt players. ESPN700 will begin its pregame coverage at 7:30 p.m. MT and will air an hour-long postgame show starting immediately following the final whistle.
RSL got its 2014 season started off on the right foot, defeating LA Galaxy 1-0 in its season opener at StubHub Center. The win was newly appointed RSL Head Coach’s Jeff Cassar’s first official MLS game in charge. Real Salt Lake FW Joao Plata scored for the Claret-and-Cobalt in the 80th minute, while veteran GK Nick Rimando made a miraculous penalty kick save in second half stoppage time to preserve the win. The season opener marked Rimando’s 109th regular season shutout, which puts him three away from tying the all-time MLS record which is currently held by retired GK Kevin Hartman with 112.
Real Salt Lake and San Jose Earthquakes met three times in 2013, with the Claret-and-Cobalt recording a 2-1-0 record against the Bay Area side. RSL defeated the Earthquakes 2-0 in the 2013 MLS season opener at Buck Shaw Stadium on March 3. Costa Rican international FW Alvaro Saborio notched a brace with assists coming from Plata, Captain Kyle Beckerman and MF Luis Gil. The sides met again on June 1 at Rio Tinto Stadium, where Real Salt Lake routed the Earthquakes 3-0 with goals from MF Javier Morales, MF Ned Grabavoy and FW Robbie Findley. San Jose was able to enact some form of revenge when RSL was unable to comeback against the Earthquakes in a 2-1 loss in their final meeting of 2013 at Rio Tinto Stadium on Sept. 21.
RSL’s 2013 season opening win at San Jose was the last game that the Quakes dropped at home. San Jose has gone on a 20-game home unbeaten run in all competitions since RSL’s 2-0 win at Buck Shaw Stadium last March, most recently tying Mexican side Toluca 1-1 at Buck Shaw Stadium on Tuesday in the first leg of the Quakes’ CONACACAF Champions League Quarterfinal series against the Guadalajara-based club.
Real Salt Lake is dealing with several injuries headed into Saturday’s contest, with Findley and FW Devon Sandoval set to miss the game while recovering from offseason injuries and Morales, MF Sebastian Velasquez and DF Chris Schuler all in question for the match due to injuries of their own.
Real Salt Lake has an even history against the San Jose Earthquakes, posting a 7-7-5 all-time regular season record against the California side. RSL has a 4-4-1 all-time regular season road record at the Earthquakes.
The Claret-and-Cobalt will have its home opener on March 22 when RSL will face LA Galaxy again at Rio Tinto Stadium at 2:00 p.m. MT. Tickets to the home opener, 2014 RSL Season Tickets and 2014 single-game tickets are all now on sale at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, over the phone at 801-727-2700 or online.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake at San Jose Earthquakes
- Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. MT at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
- TV: ABC 4 (30-minute Ford Postgame Show to follow match)
- English Radio: ESPN700 AM (Pregame begins at 7:30 p.m. MT)
- Online: The @RealSaltLake Twitter Feed will provide match updates
Game Guide for Saturday’s RSL at SJ Match Now Available Online
Click here to download the PDF version of the MLS Game Guide for Saturday’s RSL-SJ matchup
RSL History at San Jose Earthquakes
Real Salt Lake has an even history against the San Jose Earthquakes, posting a 7-7-5 all-time regular season record against the California side. RSL has a 4-4-1 all-time regular season road record at the Earthquakes.
