Real Salt Lake are back on the road for their next two matches, up first is expansion side FC Cincinnati. Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match:
1. Real Salt Lake snapped their four-match losing streak last weekend when they beat Orlando City SC 2-1 at Rio Tinto Stadium. Sam Johnson opened his RSL account when he scored from a tough angle to put RSL up 1-0 in the first half. Jefferson Savarino notched his first assist of the season when he nutmegged his defender to find Damir Kreilach at the top of the 18 and put RSL up 2-0. Orlando City pulled one back through a Nani free-kick but it proved to be a consolation goal for the Lions.
Albert Rusank still leads the team with 2 goals and 1 assist, Kreilach has 2 goals, Savarino has 1 goal and 1 assist, and Marcelo Silva has 1 goal.
The win kept RSL in 8th place in the west with a record of 2-4-1 and 7 points.
2. Defender Erik Holt (ankle 3/30) and defensive midfielder Everton Luiz (knee 4/13/19) have been ruled out for Friday’s match. Luke Mulholland (back 4/2) and Marcelo Silva (hamstring 4/6) are questionable. Justen Glad returned to the starting lineup last week after Silva’s injury against Seattle Sounders, partnering well with Nedum Onuoha in his first minutes of the 2019 season. Joao Plata also returned to the game-day selection but didn’t see minutes.
3. This will be RSL’s first-ever match against FC Cincinnati, who sit in 7th place in the east with a record of 2-3-2 and 8 points. Cincinnati are currently on a three-match winless streak having lost to Philadelphia 2-0 on 3/30, drawing Sporting KC 1-1 on 4/7, and losing at LAFC 2-0 last weekend. No player for FC Cincinnati has scored more than one goal this season, who have eight players with one goal.
Our coverage of Real Salt Lake at FC Cincinnati begins on Friday, April 19 at 4:30 P.M. with Lauren Beck and Spencer Warne, kick-off at 5:30 P.M. with Bill Riley and Jay Nolly.
