REAL SALT LAKE CLOSES 2020 SEASON SUNDAY AGAINST SPORTING KANSAS CITY
Kickoff set for 4:30 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium
SANDY, Utah – (Saturday, November 7, 2020) – Real Salt Lake will play its final match of the 2020 Major League Soccer season on Sunday, November 8 when it hosts Sporting Kansas City at Rio Tinto Stadium. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live on KMYU, the KSL TV app and ESPN700 radio.
For all the details on how the club is keeping fans, players, staff and media safe at Rio Tinto Stadium, click here.
RSL enters Sunday’s Decision Day contest having already been eliminated from playoff contention after falling 2-1 at the LA Galaxy last Sunday. Against the Galaxy, RSL’s comeback effort fell narrowly short despite Douglas Martinez’s second goal of the season.
RSL’s will look to finish its home slate on the front foot and build upon its 4-4-4 home record during the abbreviated 2020 season.
Sunday’s match will be the 32nd meeting between RSL and Sporting Kansas City all-time with RSL looking to expand its 13-10-8 record against the visitors since 2005. The two clubs have met once already in 2020 with RSL dropping a 2-0 result in the final match of the MLS is Back Tournament Group Stage in Orlando, Florida.
Sporting enter Sunday’s match sitting atop the Western Conference based on points per game total, carrying a 1.80 ppg total into Decision Day.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake vs. Sporting Kansas City – Sunday, November 8, 2020
·Coverage Begins: 4:00 p.m. MT
·Local TV: KMYU w/ David James (play-by-play) & Brian Dunseth (color) with Samantha Yarock (sideline)
·Digital Streaming: KSL TV app
·English Radio: ESPN700
·Spanish TV: N/A
Game Notes for Sunday’s RSL vs. SKC game Available Online
Those seeking the Adobe PDF version of the Game Guide in advance of Sunday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and Sporting Kansas City can be found here. Media members looking to receive the document as an attachment or have further questions are asked to please contact Taran Meyer in the RSL Communications Department via email at tmeyer@rsl.com.
Through 21 regular season matches in the 2020 regular season, RSL holds a 5-9-7 record (22 points) in the abbreviated season. After two draws to open the season before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, RSL finished 1-1-1 in the group stage of the MLS is Back Tournament in July before falling to the San Jose Earthquakes in the Round of 16.
RSL re-entered the regular season in home markets on August 22 with a 4-1 victory at the Colorado Rapids and has gone 4-8-4 in the MLS return to play.
RSL has seen 22 different players start matches in 2020 with 11 of those players earning at least 10 starts in that span. Goals have been scored by 10 different players for RSL in 2020 while eight players have registered assists this season.
The club has been led in scoring by Kreilach who has scored eight goals in 2020 – tied for fifth in MLS – followed by Justin Meram and Albert Rusnák with three goals apiece. On defense, RSL has seen a rotation of players at the centerback position with Justen Glad, Nedum Onuoha, Marcelo Silva and Erik Holt all seeing minutes on the backline. Aaron Herrera and Donny Toia have been mainstays at the outside back position and in midfield the club has seen a breakout season from Pablo Ruiz and Maikel Chang who is tied for 20th in MLS with five assists to complement Kyle Beckerman, Everton Luiz and Nick Besler in the middle of the field.
In goal, Andrew Putna has seen the majority of the minutes for RSL, starting 15 of the club’s 21 matches to earn three shutouts and a 4-7-4 record between the pipes.
