REAL SALT LAKE CONTINUES 2020 REGULAR SEASON SATURDAY AT COLORADO
RSL Faces the Rapids for Second Time in 2020; Match Marks First in Phase One of Continuation of Play
SANDY, Utah – (Friday, August 21, 2020) – Real Salt Lake continues regular season play on Saturday, August 22 when it visits Rocky Mountain rival Colorado Rapids at 7:00p MT. The match will signify the first for both clubs in phase one of Major League Soccer’s continuation of play. The match will be broadcast live locally on KMYU, the KSL TV app and ESPN700 radio.
After concluding the MLS is Back Tournament at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida in July, RSL returns to regular season play in home markets having appeared in the knockout stages of the tournament. During group play, the Utah club earned a 1-1-1 (4 points) record that counted toward the regular season standings before bowing out in the Round of 16. RSL currently sits 9th in the Western Conference at 1-1-3 (6 points) ahead of Saturday’s contest.
In the first match of the MLS is Back Tournament, RSL topped the Rapids 2-0 with a dominant display to claim its first win of the 2020 season. Goals from Albert Rusnák and Damir Kreilach solidified the victory while a staunch performance from Zac MacMath in goal preserved the shutout.
Saturday will be the 47th all-time regular season meeting between the two clubs as RSL holds a convincing 22-13-11 record over the Rapids. At Dick’s Sporting Goods Park RSL has claimed victory seven times, including a dramatic 3-2 victory in its last visit to Colorado in May 2019.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake @ Colorado Rapids – Saturday, August 22, 2020
·Coverage Begins: 7:00 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 Saturday’s RSL @ COL game Available Online
Those seeking the Adobe PDF version of the Game Guide in advance of Saturday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and the Rapids 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.
RSL finished the 2019 regular season seeing 12 different players notch goals for the club. The team was led in scoring by MF Albert Rusnák with 10 goals, followed closely by FW Sam Johnson with nine goals while Rusnák added an additional five assists. 2018 RSL Golden Boot winner MF Damir Kreilach remained a steady presence in multiple roles for RSL in 2019, providing six goals and five assists in 32 starts this season.
On the backline, defender Nedum Onuoha returns in 2020 after becoming a mainstay at centerback in his first full season with the club, featuring in 27 of the club’s 34 matches. The former Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers defender was been paired alongside fellow returners Justen Glad, Marcelo Silva and Erik Holt and Nick Besler. On both sides of the backline, Homegrown defenders Aaron Herrera and Donny Toia return as the club welcomes MLS veteran Ashtone Morgan and MLS debutant Alvin Jones. Herrera led the team in matches played and minutes in 2019 having featured in 32 of RSL’s 34 matches for 2,768 minutes played.
In goal, David Ochoa and Andrew Putna return to the goalkeeping core and welcome veteran Zac MacMath to the team for the 2020 season. Putna saw action in goal for RSL and Real Monarchs last season, starting five of RSL’s 34 matches while earning two shutouts on the year in RSL’s dominant 3-0 victory over 2019 expansion side FC Cincinnati on April 19 and a scoreless draw against New England on September 21.
