SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake will begin a three-game home stand on Saturday, when it will host Western Conference foe Chivas USA at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Saturday’s match will kickoff at 7:00 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live on CW30, ESPN700 AM and 102.3 La Gran D/1600 AM. CW30 will air its 30-minute Ford Postgame Show immediately following the match; ESPN 700 will begin its pregame coverage at 6:00 p.m. MT and will air an hour-long postgame show immediately following the final whistle.
RSL – which tied 1-1 at Vancouver Whitecaps FC last Saturday – is again dealing with injuries as it heads into Saturday’s match. MF Cole Grossman (Concussion) remains out, while Captain Kyle Beckerman (Rib dislocation), FW Robbie Findley (L adductor strain) and MF Sebastian Velasquez (R hand fracture) are all questionable for the game.
It’s not all bad news, however, as a number of Real Salt Lake players have been taken off the injury report for Saturday’s game. FW Alvaro Saborio (R knee swelling), FW Joao Plata (R hamstring strain), MF Javier Morales (R knee menisectomy), MF David Viana (R quad strain), MF Khari Stephenson (L knee sprain), DF Chris Wingert (R foot fracture), DF Rich Balchan (L groin strain) and DF Carlos Salcedo (concussion) are all healthy and available for selection on Saturday after being listed as questionable last weekend.
Real Salt Lake went 2-1-0 against Chivas USA last year, falling to the Southern California side 1-0 at home on March 24 before beating them at the Home Depot Center 3-0 on June 16 and 4-0 on Sept. 29. Saborio starred in the Sept. 29 victory, notching a hat trick – his second of 2012 – in just 74 minutes of action in the 4-0 win.
Widely predicted to struggle this season, Chivas has surprised many with its solid 3-2-1 start under first-year coach Jose Luis Sanchez Sola. Sanchez Sola – more commonly known as “Chelis” – and his Chivas USA charges lost their last match, falling 1-0 at home to the Colorado Rapids last Saturday.
Real Salt Lake will host USL Pro side Phoenix FC at Rio Tinto Stadium in MLS Reserve League action on Monday, April 22. Fans can buy tickets for that match – part of this year’s groundbreaking partnership between MLS and USL Pro – at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at http://www.riotintostadium.com/events/rsl-v-phoenixfc.php or over the phone at 801-727-2700.
RSL will return to league action next Saturday, April 27, when it will host Western Conference rival L.A. Galaxy at 7:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium. Tickets for that match can be bought at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.
Click here to download the PDF version of the MLS Game Guide for Saturday’s RSL-CHV matchup
How to Follow Real Salt Lake v. Chivas USA
- Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah
- TV: CW30 (Ford Postgame Show to immediately follow final whistle)
- English Radio: ESPN700 AM (Pregame begins at 6:00 p.m. MT)
- Spanish Radio: La Gran D 102.3 FM & Juan 1600 AM
- Online: The @RealSaltLake Twitter Feed will provide live match updates
RSL History v. Chivas USA
Real Salt Lake is 9-10-4 in regular season play against its 2005 expansion partner Chivas USA. The Claret-and-Cobalt is 4-3-3 against the Goats in MLS action at home.
RSL was 2-1-0 against Chivas USA in the 2012 regular season, falling to the Southern California side 1-0 at home on March 24 before beating them at the Home Depot Center 3-0 on June 16 and 4-0 on Sept. 29.
