HERRIMAN, Utah (Thursday, July 6, 2023) – Real Salt Lake (8-7-6, 30 pts., 4th West) rides extended momentum following yet another Major League Soccer road win ahead of a momentous weekend at home against Orlando City (9-5-7, 34 pts., 6th East) Saturday during MLS Matchday 24. Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s side remains unbeaten in seven games during June & July – five wins, two draws, with 13 RSL goals scored by eight different players. Dating back to April 8, RSL is unbeaten in 17 of its last 20 (11 wins, six draws), a run which includes a Club-record 10 consecutive road results, including a NEW Club-record four straight wins away – as well as a seven-game overall unbeaten run across both MLS and U.S. Open Cup play, including advancement to the late August Open Cup Semifinal in Houston.
Saturday’s home kickoff between RSL and Orlando City – another expected sellout, featuring the debut of new Designated Player Chicho Arango and possibly that of U-22 MF Nelson Palacio before closing out with post-game fireworks – begins at 7:30p MT on the Apple MLS Season Pass w/ Max Bretos and Brian Dunseth (ENG) & Sergio Ruiz and Miguel Gallardo (SPN); for local coverage, tune in at 6:30p MT for KSL Radio pre-game w/ David James & Jay Nolly via www.KSLSports.com / 1280 AM / 97.5 FM and www.KSLNewsRadio.com / 1160 AM).
For just the third time since May 6, RSL will not play a midweek match ahead of the weekend, which sees RSL look to recapture the home “fortress” form in Sandy, where a historic 2.00 points-per-game average and a nearly .700 winning percentage has not been attained in 2023, which has seen RSL win just twice and capture four draws against four losses during its League campaign.
FINALLY! – ‘CHICHO’ DEBUT SATURDAY
With the arrival of RSL Designated Player FW ‘Chicho’ Arango, who is expected to start in Claret-and-Cobalt for the first time Saturday at home against Orlando City, several players – including former LAFC teammate Danny Musovski, along with FW Jefferson Savarino, MF Diego Luna, Captain Damir Kreilach, FW Andrés Gómez and FW Rubio Rubin, as well as others – all figure to see their attacking space, time, quality and opportunity increase. Arango, the former LAFC striker – was named the 2021 MLS Newcomer of the Year and part of the 2022 MLS Cup and Supporters Shield championship runs in LA – returns to MLS after six months at Pachuca in Liga MX. Arango – with two caps for the Colombian national team – boasts 32 goals in 58 all-time appearances with LAFC, and has been training with RSL since his June 10 arrival in Utah.
PALACIO ARRIVED, WILL APPEAR SOON
Last Thursday morning, RSL officially welcomed U22 MF Nelson Palacio, a Colombian international permanently transferred from Atlético Nacional. Palacio becomes the fourth Cafetero – all acquired in the last six months – as Palacio and Arango join Andrés Gómez and Brayan Vera on the RSL roster. Only Portland Timbers (five) boast more Colombians on their current MLS roster, as Palacio joins Arango in being eligible on July 8. Due to the length and intensity of Palacio’s recent Colombian season and playoff run, his home debut will likely be next Saturday, July 15, against Red Bull New York.
