SANDY, Utah (Friday, May 10, 2019) – Real Salt Lake is set to face Rocky Mountain rival Colorado Rapids on Saturday, May 11 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Kickoff from Commerce City is set for 7:00p MT and will be broadcast live locally on KMYU and the KSL TV app.
RSL will be looking to jump out to an early lead in the race for this season’s Rocky Mountain Cup – a fan-created tournament where RSL has claimed 10 of the last 12 titles since 2007. RSL has outscored the Rapids by 27 goals since 2007 and holds an overall record of 16-8-11 during that span.
The last time RSL and Colorado faced one another, RSL ran rampant at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to claim an emphatic 6-0 victory over the Rapids. RSL were led by a brace from FW Jefferson Savarino and goals from MFs Damir Kreilach and Albert Rusnák as well as FWs Corey Baird and Joao Plata. GK Nick Rimando started and played the full 90 minutes on the day to secure the shutout and improve the club’s all-time record in Colorado to 6-10-5.
RSL is coming off the back of a 2-1 loss to the Portland Timbers last Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium, a match that saw FW Sam Johnsonnotch his third goal of the season. The loss saw RSL drop its second of four home matches played in 2019 and move to 3-6-1 (10 points) on the year.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake @ Colorado Rapids – Sat., May 11, 2019
· Coverage Begins: 6:30 p.m. MT
· Local TV: KMYU with David James (play-by-play), Brian Dunseth (color) & Samantha Yarock (sideline)
· Digital Streaming: KSL TV App
· English Radio: ESPN700 with Bill Riley (play-by-play) & Jay Nolly (color)
· Spanish Radio: 107.1 FM
Game Notes for Saturday’s RSL @ COL game Available Online
The link to the Adobe PDF version of the Game Guide in advance of Saturday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids is available HERE. If you have any problems obtaining the document, would prefer to receive it as an attachment, or are seeking more information on the match, please contact Taran Meyer in the RSL Communications Department via email at tmeyer@rsl.com.
Petke’s squad features a balanced attack that saw six players score five goals or more last season, led by club MVP and Golden Boot winner MF Damir Kreilach’s 12 goals to go with eight assists in his first MLS season. Rusnák finished last season with 10 goals and seven assists while FW Joao Plata had eight goals and eight assists and FW Jefferson Savarino notched seven goals and a team-leading 11 assists. Reigning AT&T MLS Rookie of the Year FW Corey Baird leads a dynamic crop of Homegrown talent from the Real Salt Lake Academy, scoring eight goals with five assists in his debut professional season.
Regular contributors in that group of young and rising talent from 2018 return as DF Justen Glad, DF Aaron Herrera, FW Sebastian Saucedo and the club’s Defensive Player of the Year, DF Brooks Lennon all look poised to be regulars for the side once again. Meanwhile, club legends MF Kyle Beckerman and GK Nick Rimando and DF Tony Beltran lead a young group into the club’s 15th season in the country’s top flight.
RSL welcomed nine new players to its squad for the 2019 season as FWs Julian Vazquez, Tate Schmitt and Sam Johnson; MFs Justin Portillo, Luis Arriaga and Everton Luiz join DFs Donny Toia and Erik Holt as well as GK David Ochoa all became new faces in the offseason.
