SANDY, Utah – (Friday, August 9, 2019) – Real Salt Lake is set to travel to Western Conference rival Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, August 10 at 6:30p MT from Children’s Mercy Park. Saturday’s match can be seen live locally on KMYU and the KSL TV app and will be carried on the radio on ESPN700.
RSL enters Saturday’s bout on the back of its first come-from-behind victory of the 2019 season as it topped Eastern Conference foe New York City FC 3-1 last Saturday. FW Jefferson Savarino and MFs Nick Besler and Albert Rusnák all scored in the victory. For their contributions to RSL’s win over NYCFC, Besler and Savarino each earned spots on the MLS Team of the Week for Week 22 and Rusnák earned Goal of the Week honors.
Assistant Coach Freddy Juarez will once again lead the team against Sporting while Head Coach Mike Petke serves the third match of his three-match suspension stemming from the club’s Leagues Cup match on July 24.
Entering Saturday’s match in Sandy, RSL holds the all-time series lead over Sporting with a 12-9-8 (44 points) record. The two sides have met on one occasion this season, a 2-0 victory for RSL behind a brace from FW Sam Johnson. Last Sunday, Sporting Kansas City topped the Seattle Sounders 3-2 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle to snap a two-match losing skid.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake @Sporting Kansas City– Saturday, August10, 2019
· Coverage Begins: 6:30 p.m. MT
· Local TV: KMYU w/ 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: N/A
Game Notes for Saturday’s RSL @ SKCgame Available Online
The link to the Adobe PDF version of the Game Guide in advance of Saturday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and Sporting Kansas City 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.
RSL enters the match seeing 10 different players notch goals for the club. The team is led in scoring by Designated Player FW Sam Johnson and MF Albert Rusnák with eight goals apiece and Rusnák adding an additional four assists.
2018 RSL Golden Boot winner MF Damir Kreilach has remained a steady presence in the midfield for RSL in 2019, providing four goals and three assists in 21 starts this season. Playmaker FW Jefferson Savarino has six goals and four assists to his name, enough to earn a call-up to the Venezuelan Men’s National Team for the 2019 Copa America in Brazil.
On the backline, DF Nedum Onuoha has been a mainstay at centerback in his first full season with the club, starting in 17 of the club’s 23 matches thus far. The former Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers defender has seen been paired alongside Homegrown DFs Justen Glad, Erik Holt and Marcelo Silva and on occasion, MF Nick Besler. On both sides of the backline, Homegrown DFs Aaron Herrera, Brooks Lennon and Donny Toia have battled for starting positions at right and left back. Herrera leads the defensive group in matches played in 2019 having featured in 22 of RSL’s 23 matches.
In goal, legendary GK Nick Rimando has featured in 19 matches in 2019, earning five shutouts. Prior to the commencement of the season, Rimando announced that 2019 – his 20th season in MLS would be his last and was recently selected by MLS Commissioner Don Garber for the 2019 MLS All-Star game in Orlando, Florida on July 31. On July 6, Rimando became the first player in MLS to start and play in 500 regular season matches as he continues to set the bench mark for players across the league. GK Andrew Putna has also seen action in goal this season, starting four of RSL’s 18 matches while earning one shutout on the year in RSL’s dominant 3-0 victory over 2019 expansion side FC Cincinnati on April 19.
