Real Salt Lake returns to Rio Tinto to face the Philadelphia Union for the first of three consecutive home matches, here’s what you need to know ahead of the match:
1. Real Salt Lake fell on the road last week against San Jose Earthquakes. It looked like RSL might take a point from the match but in the 90′ + 3 Danny Hoesen capitalized on a corner kick and snatched all three points for the home side. The loss to San Jose dropped RSL’s road record to 2-7-2 in 2019 and also dropped them from 7th to 8th in the standings with an overall record of 8-9-2. Saturday’s match at San Jose was Nick Rimando’s 500th MLS appearance, he is the first player to reach the milestone but Kyle Beckerman isn’t far behind at 476. Jefferson Savarino returned to action for Real Salt Lake, logging 68 minutes against the Earthquakes.
2. RSL’s leading goalscorer Sam Johnson has been ruled out of his second consecutive with a quad injury he suffered in the first half of RSL’s match against SKC on June 29. Nedum Onuoha was also subbed out due to injury against SKC, his an adductor, and has been ruled questionable for Saturday’s match against the Union. Real Salt Lake has an all-time record of 4-1-6 against Philadelphia Union and has never lost a home match to Philadelphia with a record of 3-0-2 in Salt Lake.
The Claret & Cobalt have a home record of 6-2-0 in 2019 and are on a 4-match winning streak at Rio Tinto, having conceded just one goal in their those four wins.
3. The Philadelphia Union currently sit in first place in the eastern conference with a record of 10-5-6 and are coming off a 2-2 home draw against Orlando City. Kacper Przybylko (pronounced KATS-pehr Shuh-BILL-koh) leads the Union with nine goals and one assist, Jamiro Monteiro has four goals and seven assists, Ilsinho has four goals and six assists, and Haris Medunjanin has one goal and five assists. With 39 goals for and 28 against this season, there is only one team who has outscored the Union and has a better goal differential…LAFC. Team leaders in assists Monteiro (ankle 7/3) and Ilsinho (adductor 6/29) are questionable for Saturday’s match.
Our coverage of Real Salt Lake vs Philadelphia Union begins on Saturday, July 13 at 7 PM, kick-off at 8 PM.
