REAL SALT LAKE VISITS MINNESOTA UNITED FC IN MAIDEN VOYAGE TO ALLIANZ FIELD
Victory Keeps RSL in 2ndPlace as Playoffs Draw Nearer
SANDY, Utah – (Saturday, September 14, 2019) – Real Salt Lake is set to face Minnesota United on Sunday, September 15 at the newly-opened Allianz Field at 3:30p MT. The match will mark the club’s first trip to Allianz Field while the match can be seen live on KMYU and the KSL TV app and on the radio on ESPN700.
RSL enters the match against The Loons at full strength with the club’s international participants having returned from their respective national teams for the club’s playoff push. Albert Rusnák (Slovakia), Sam Johnson (Liberia) and Corey Baird (USA) will all be available for selection for Sunday’s match.
RSL and Minnesota have faced one another on one occasion in 2019 that saw a 1-1 draw at Rio Tinto Stadium. After Darwin Quintero’s second-half goal put the visitors ahead, DF Marcelo Silva’s scissor-kick goal in the 71st minute helped RSL to the home point.
Since returning from the Gold Cup break on June 22, RSL has the best defense in MLS. In those 14 matches, RSL is 8-3-3 with seven shutouts and a league-best 0.57 goals against average. The Portland Timbers (8-4-2, 5, 1.00) are second in the league in that same stretch. Minnesota enters Sunday’s clash on the back of a 2-0 road loss to the Houston Dynamo. The Loons opened its season with five consecutive road matches before opening its new home in St. Paul where it currently holds an 8-1-5 (29 points) home record since April 13.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake @Minnesota United FC – Sunday, September 15, 2019
· Coverage Begins: 3:00 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 Sunday’s RSL @ MNUFCGame Guide Available Online
The link to the Adobe PDF version of the Game Guide in advance of Sunday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and Minnesota United FC 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 11 different players notch goals for the club. The team is led in scoring by Designated Player FW Sam Johnson and MF Albert Rusnák with nine goals apiece and Rusnák adding an additional five assists.
2018 RSL Golden Boot winner MF Damir Kreilach has remained a steady presence in the midfield for RSL in 2019, providing five goals and five assists in 26 starts this season. Playmaker FW Jefferson Savarino has seven goals and five assists to his name, enough to earn a call-up to the Venezuelan Men’s National Team for the 2019 Copa America in Brazil this summer.
On the backline, DF Nedum Onuoha has been a mainstay at centerback in his first full season with the club, featuring in 23 of the club’s 29 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 team in matches played and minutes in 2019 having featured in 27 of RSL’s 29 matches and leads the team in minutes played with 2,318.
In goal, legendary GK Nick Rimando has featured in 25 matches in 2019, earning nine 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.
