REAL SALT LAKE FACES PORTLAND ON SATURDAY
RSL Returns to Play Following Postponement of Midweek Clash with LAFC
SANDY, Utah – (Friday, August 28, 2020) – Real Salt Lake is set to travel to Portland, Oregon to face Portland Timbers FC on Saturday, August 29 in its second match of the club’s continuation of play. The match will kick off at 8:30 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live on KMYU and the KSL TV app and on the radio on ESPN700.
After claiming a dominant 4-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids in Colorado last Saturday, RSL now returns to action after the postponement of Wednesday’s home contest against LAFC with both RSL and LAFC electing to not play in solidarity to social justice. Against Colorado, RSL notched four unanswered goals from Damir Kreilach, Maikel Chang, Corey Baird and Justin Meram in the second half to secure the victory.
Wednesday will be the 23rd all-time meeting in the regular season between RSL and the Timbers who claimed the crown as the MLS is Back Tournament champions. Adding a layer of intrigue to the contest will be RSL continuing a run of good form against the Timbers after RSL ended Portland’s playoff hopes in 2019 with a late 2-1 victory at Rio Tinto Stadium in the Knockout Round.
The Timbers enter the match after falling 3-0 to Cascadia rival Seattle Sounders FC last Saturday in Portland.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake @ Portland Timbers FC – Saturday, August 29, 2020
·Coverage Begins: 8:00 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 @ POR game Available Online
Those seeking the Adobe PDF version of the Game Guide in advance of Saturday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and Portland 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.
