RSL MATCH PREVIEW & GAME NOTES: REAL SALT LAKE @ CHIVAS USA – SAT., JUNE 16
Claret-and-Cobalt Seek to Stay Atop League Table in Rematch at Home Depot Center; ABC4’s Live Coverage Begins at 8:00 p.m. MT
SANDY, Utah (June 14, 2012) – After an extensive hiatus that saw just one league match in the last 35 days, MLS table-topping Real Salt Lake(9-3-2, 29 pts.; #1 in West) resumes MLS action on Saturday, June 16, traveling to take on Chivas USA(4-6-3, 15 pts.; #6 in West) for the second time this season. ABC4’s live event coverage from The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA will begin with an 8:00 p.m. pre-game show with hosts Bill Riley and Brian Dunseth,and will continue with an 8:30 p.m. MT kickoff. Fans will also be able to listen to the action live via the team’s official radio partners: ESPN 700 AM / ESPN700Sports.com and La Gran D 102.3 FM.
Real Salt Lake looks to continue its best start in club history and extend the active six-game MLS unbeaten streak in a rematch against the only league visitor to have won this year at Rio Tinto Stadium. Back on March 24, in the season’s third match, RSL fell 0-1 to Chivas despite dominating most of the match. Chivas USA striker Casey Townsend poked home a loose ball in the box in the 72nd minute, after a cross at the top of the six caused RSL GK Nick Rimando to collide with both RSL DF Chris Schuler and Townsend.
Saturday’s match is the first in yet another three-game, eight-day span – Real Salt Lake’s fourth of the season - this time against the league’s trio of Californian clubs (home vs. Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday, June 20 and vs. San Jose Earthquakes on Sat., June 23). This stretch commences a run of nine MLS games in the next 35 days, with Claret-and-Cobalt manager Jason Kreis welcoming the return of RSL internationals MF Kyle Beckerman & GK Nick Rimando (United States), FW Álvaro Saborío (Costa Rica) and MF Will Johnson (Canada).
How to Follow Real Salt Lake v. Chivas USA
- Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. MT at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA
- TV: ABC4 w/ Bill Riley & Brian Dunseth (pre-game coverage at 8:00 p.m.)
- English Radio: ESPN700 AM / ESPN700Sports.com (Pre/post game coverage with James Rust & James Edward)
- Spanish Radio: La Gran D 102.3 FM & Juan 1600-AM with Nelson Moran & Fernando Hortal
- Online: Live updates via the @RSLkickoff gameday Twitter Feed and MLSsoccer.com MatchCenter
MLS Game Guide for Saturday’s RSL-CHV Showdown Now Available Online
Following is the link to the Adobe PDF version of the Major League Soccer Game Guide(media notes) in advance of Saturday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA. 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 Trey Fitz-Gerald in the RSL Communications Department via email at tfitz@realsaltlake.com.
Click here to download the Adobe PDF version of the MLS Game Guide
RSL History v. Chivas USA
In the eight-year history between Real Salt Lake and expansion brethren Chivas USA, the goats have obtained seven home wins at The Home Depot Center, for an overall record of 3-7-1, last beating RSL in May of 2009, when Paulo Nagamura scored the 1-0 win in the 54th minute. However, RSL’s seven all-time road wins at the venue – including a 3-1 win over the LA Galaxy in the 2012 season opener – means that nearly 1/3 of RSL’s 22 regular-season road wins have come in Carson.
The clubs’ last encounter on March 24 this season broke RSL’s five-game unbeaten streak versus Chivas, dropping the overall record to 8-10-5 all-time. Last year, RSL posted two 1-0 wins over Chivas USA: the first on May 7 (Will Johnson 87’), infamous for a horrific left ankle injury suffered by MF Javier Morales, and the second on August 27, in which FW Álvaro Saborío’s 11th-minute goal held up despite RSL having to play a man down for the final 66 minutes (Nat Borchers red card).
www.RealSaltLake.com / www.RioTintoStadium.com / www.ESPN700Sports.com
