SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake hits the road for the second consecutive weekend, taking its unbeaten 2015 campaign to Kansas City’s Sporting Park, site of the club’s heartbreaking MLS Cup 2013 loss. Head Coach Jeff Cassar’s team visits Sporting Kansas City Saturday evening, with TVcoverage kicking off locally at 6:00 p.m. MT on KMYU (air 2.2 / satellite 12 / Comcast 643). Saturday’s match will also be broadcast locally on ESPN 700 AM (pre-game at 5:30p MT / post-game at 8:30p MT) and 102.3 La Gran D FM / 1600 AM.
Real Salt Lake (2-0-2, 8 points, t-3 West) is seeking a third consecutive victory after last week’s 1-0 win at San Jose, with MF Javier Morales providing the MLS Week 5 ATT Goal of the Week by burying his own rebound of a 27-yard free kick just before halftime. GK Nick Rimando extended his all-time league record of 117 career shutouts as he moved into sole possession of 2nd place in the all-time games played list (373), while notching his 99th career RSL win (club has only 122) and his 81st clean sheet for the Claret-and-Cobalt (club has only 99).
RSL has earned points in 17 of the last 22 road trips it has taken across all competitions (reg. season & playoffs) with Rimando and Captain Kyle Beckerman available for selection. The iconic RSL / U.S. Men’s National Team / MLS duo rank 1-2 among active MLS leaders in minutes (NR: 33,733 / KB: 29,433), games played (NR: 373 / KB: 357) and games started (NR: 373 / KB: 328).
How to Follow Real Salt Lake @ Sporting Kansas City
• Coverage Begins: 6:00 p.m. MT
• TV: KMYU – David James & Brian Dunseth
• English Radio: ESPN700 AM (5:30 p.m. MT) – Bill Riley, Jeremy Horton & Brian Kamler
• Spanish Radio: 102.3 La Gran D FM / 1600 AM – Nelson Moran
• Online: The @RealSaltLake Twitter Feed will provide match updates
Game Guide for Saturday’s RSL-KC 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 San Jose Earthquakes.
Click here to download the PDF version of the MLS Game Guide for Saturday’s RSL-KC matchup
RSL History v. Sporting Kansas City
This weekend marks RSL’s second trip back to Sporting Park since dropping a historic 20-round PK shootout decision on Dec. 7, 2013, as GK Jeff Attinella made 8 saves on April 5 last year to deny the home side of the full 3 points in a 0-0 draw. That game marked only the 5th match since October, 2007, in which RSL did not have one of the following three defensive veterans available – GK Nick Rimando, DF Tony Beltran or DF Chris Wingert.
RSL owns a 6-8-5 record across all competitions (5-8-4 in MLS reg. season play) against Kansas City, with only a 1-5-4 at Sporting, the lone victory a 1-0 decision over the then-Wizards on Aug. 29, 2009, at Community America Ballpark. That win came via an early Pablo Campos goal (set up by current asst. coach Andy Williams) in a game that saw MF Ned Grabavoy ejected just before halftime.
Earlier that same year, KC was the first visitor to win a regular-season match at Rio Tinto Stadium, riding two Josh Wolff goals in a May victory that was RSL’s last loss prior to a 37-game unbeaten home streak (4/27/11, 0-1 to Monterrey).
Three of Four April Games on the Road for RSL
RSL hits the road once more this month after Saturday, heading to Foxborough, Mass., on Sat., April 25 seeking to extend the club’s 12-game unbeaten run against Eastern foes. RSL has enjoyed a perfect 2014/15 against East teams, with a 7-0-5 overall mark, outscoring the East 28-14, including a 5-0-1 home mark with a 14/4 goal differential. RSL’s last loss to an East team? July 20, 2013 against Sporting Kansas City, now in the West.
Rio Tinto Stadium Busy as Monarchs, RSL Juggle Slates
While RSL’s lone home match of April occurs on Saturday the 18th against Vancouver Whitecaps (7:30 p.m MT / KMYU), Rio Tinto Stadium hosts four USL matches this month, including the expansion Monarchs’ second-ever Home Game this Saturday, April 11, against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks (4:30 p.m. MT). The Monarchs – bridging the gap between RSL’s Arizona academy and the first team – continue at home on Sat., April 25 against LA Galaxy II and on Wed., April 29 against Sacramento Republic FC, the defending USL champions. Please visit www.RealMonarchs.com for more info on tickets – starting at just $8 – and Head Coach Freddy Juarez’ team, which includes Utah’s own Garrett Losee and professionals from around the world.
