Real Salt Lake head back on the road to face Seattle Sounders on Saturday, with hopes of snapping their three-match losing streak. Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match:
1. In their second home game of the season, Real dropped all three points against FC Dallas. Dallas broke through in the first minute of the game and frustrated RSL through the first 15 minutes before Damir Kreilach saw red and was sent off in the 17′. Real fought back and looked as though they might steal a point but the man advantage proved to be too much and they lost 2-4.
Jefferson Savarino scored his first goal of 2019, assisted by Sebastian Saucedo, and Marcelo Silva scored his first goal in MLS, assisted by Albert Rusnak.
Rusnak leads the team with two goals and one assist while Silva, Savarino, and Kreilach have one goal each. Saucedo and Corey Baird have one assist each.
RSL currently sits in 8th place in the west with a record of 1-3-1 and 4 points.
2. Real Salt Lake is 11-9-4 all-time against Seattle and 3-8-2 at Seattle. In 2018 RSL went 2-0-0 against Seattle and got their first win at CenturyLink Field since 2012 when Saucedo scored his first MLS goal for the Claret & Cobalt. The 2018 win at Seattle was RSL’s first road win of the season.
Head coach Mike Petke has put an emphasis on road mentality in 2019 and believes they can have success in Washington again this year:
Erik Holt has been ruled out due to an ankle injury sustained in the Dallas game last week and Tony Beltran remains doubtful. Justen Glad and Joao Plata, who have been injured since the beginning of the season, will likely see time with the Real Monarchs on Saturday as they work back to full fitness.
Real is averaging scoring one goal per game so far in 2019 and conceding 2.4 per game while Sounders average scoring 2.5 goals per game and conceding .75. Real Salt Lake is the most disciplined team in MLS with 13 yellow cards and 4 red cards. Real sits high in both fouls committed (60) and fouls suffered (63) through 5 matches. Saucedo, Kyle Beckerman, and Everton Luiz have three yellow cards each, sitting two away from suspension.
3. Seattle Sounders are coming off a 0-0 draw with Vancouver last weekend, their first dropped points and goalless match of 2019. Seattle have scored ten goals and conceded just three through four matches. Jordan Morris and Raul Ruidiaz lead the team with three goals and one assist each, Kevin Leerdam has two goals, Nicolas Lodeiro has one goal and three assists, and Victor Rodriguez has one goal and two assists. The Sounders have played two of their four matches at CenturyLink Field and are 2-0-0 at home and are 1-0-1 on the road, sitting in 3rd place in the western conference with 10 points.
Our coverage of Real Salt Lake at Seattle Sounders begins on Saturday, April 6 at 7 PM with Spencer Warne and Lauren Mason Beck. Kick-off with Bill Riley and Jay Nolly at 8 PM.
