SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake will return home this Saturday, when it will host Rocky Mountain Cup rival Colorado Rapids at Rio Tinto Stadium at 7:30 p.m. MT. Saturday’s match will be broadcast live on CW30, ESPN 700 and 102.3 La Gran D FM. A limited number of tickets are available to Saturday’s contest and can be purchased at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.
Real Salt Lake enters Saturday’s match looking to continue its unbeaten start to the 2014 season. The Claret-and-Cobalt earned the club’s first ever win in Houston last weekend, defeating the Dynamo 5-2 at BBVA Compass Stadium to remain undefeated in 2014. The high-scoring affair saw a hat trick from RSL MF Javier Morales, goals from FW Alvaro Saborio and MF Luke Mulholland and a penalty kick save from GK Nick Rimando. With the win, RSL improved its record to 5-0-5 and currently sits second in the Western Conference with a total of 20 points, two points behind Seattle Sounders FC, which has a game in hand on RSL.
Saturday’s meeting between RSL and Colorado will be their first of the year, kicking off the quest for the 2014 Rocky Mountain Cup. Real Salt Lake lost the Rocky Mountain Cup last year for the first time since 2006. The Claret-and-Cobalt finished the 2013 season 0-1-2 against the Rapids, tying the Western Conference foe 2-2 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on August 4, 2013, drawing 1-1 at Rio Tinto Stadium on March 16, 2013 and falling 1-0 at Colorado on April 6, 2013.
Saturday’s tilt will be Real Salt Lake’s first MLS match since international players Captain Kyle Beckerman, GK Nick Rimando and FW Alvaro Saborio departed for pre-World Cup training camps on Wednesday. Beckerman and Rimando were named to U.S. Manager Jugen Klinsmann’s 30-man preliminary World Cup roster this week and are currently in U.S. training camp in Palo Alto, Calif. Saborio was named to Costa Rica’s preliminary roster this week as well and is with the national team for camp in San Jose, Costa Rica. If Beckerman, Rimando and Saborio are named to the their country’s final World Cup roster, they will miss a minimum of six RSL regular season matches and at least one – and potentially up to three – Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches.
With the absence of three RSL starters, Saturday’s match will be an opportunity to showcase the depth of the 2014 squad. RSL backup ‘keeper Jeff Attinella will likely start in net for the Claret-and-Cobalt. Attinella has filled in for Rimando – who suffered a knee injury in April – twice already this season, earning a shutout in Real Salt Lake’s 0-0 draw with Sporting Kansas City on April 5 and starting in RSL’s 2-2 draw with Philadelphia Union on April 12. RSL MF Cole Grossman is expected to replace Beckerman at the bottom of the Claret-and-Cobalt’s diamond midfield. Grossman has made three appearances for RSL this year, most recently subbing on in the 74th minute last Sunday in Houston.
RSL will hope FW Joao Plata can continue his hot start to the season despite the absence of Saborio. Real Salt Lake Head Coach Jeff Cassar will have FW Devon Sandoval and FW Olmes Garcia to choose from to pair up top with the speedy Ecuadorian. Sandoval has appeared five times this year, all off the bench for RSL, while Garcia has seven appearances, four of which were starts. Both forwards are looking to record their first goal of the 2014 season.
Real Salt Lake is nearly even against Colorado Rapids in regular season matchups, posting a 9-10-9 all-time record against the Rocky Mountain rival. RSL has fared well at home against Colorado, posting a 7-3-4 all-time regular season record in Utah against the Rapids.
Real Salt Lake will continue its home schedule after Saturday’s match, hosting Western Conference foe FC Dallas at 7:30 p.m. at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday, May 24. Tickets to the RSL-Dallas contest can be purchased 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 v. Colorado Rapids
- Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. MT v. Colorado Rapids
- TV: CW30
- English Radio: ESPN700 AM (Pregame begins at 6:30 p.m. MT)
- Spanish Radio: 102.3 La Gran D FM
- Online: The @RealSaltLake Twitter Feed will provide match updates
Game Guide for Saturday’s RSL-COL Match Now Available Online
Click here to download the PDF version of the MLS Game Guide for Saturday’s RSL-COL matchup
RSL History v. Colorado Rapids
Saturday’s meeting between RSL and Colorado will be their first of the year, kicking off the quest for the 2014 Rocky Mountain Cup. Real Salt Lake lost the Rocky Mountain Cup last year for the first time since 2006. The Claret-and-Cobalt finished the 2013 season 0-1-2 against the Rapids, tying the Western Conference foe 2-2 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on August 4, 2013, drawing 1-1 at Rio Tinto Stadium on March 16, 2013 and falling 1-0 at Colorado on April 6, 2013.
Real Salt Lake is nearly even against Colorado Rapids in regular season matchups, posting a 9-10-9 all-time record against the Rocky Mountain rival. RSL has fared well at home against Colorado, posting a 7-3-4 all-time regular season record in Utah against the Rapids.
