Real Salt Lake are headed to Kansas City to face rivals Sporting, here’s what you need to know ahead of the match:
1. RSL are coming off a 2-0 loss in Atlanta last weekend. Though head coach Mike Petke feels they executed their game plan well, they weren’t able to come away with any points.
Damir Kreilach remains RSL’s leading goalscorer with 11 goals and 6 assists, Albert Rusnak has 10 goals and 7 assists, Joao Plata has 8 goals and 7 assists, and Jefferson Savarino has 6 goals and 10 assists.
2. The loss in Atlanta brought RSL’s overall record to 13-11-6 and their road record to 3-10-2. After Saturday night’s MLS action, RSL now sits in 6th place in the western conference with 45 points but can hop back into 4th with a win on Sunday. Sunday’s match will be the third meeting between RSL and SKC but just the second in league play. Real took all three points at Rio Tinto Stadium on July 4th and SKC took two late red cards. The Claret & Cobalt are 11-9-7 against Sporting all-time and 3-6-4 at Children’s Mercy Park. RSL’s last three trips to SKC resulted in two wins and one loss. Mike Petke knows they have a challenge ahead of them on Sunday:
Real Salt Lake’s injury list keeps getting shorter with Demar Phillips now off:
OUT: Tony Beltran (knee 10/15/17), Jordan Allen (knee 6/16/17), Alex Horwath (achilles 4/18), David Horst (achilles 6/26)
3. Sporting Kansas City are coming off a 2-0 loss in Philadelphia last weekend but have kept their spot in 2nd place in the western conference (15-8-6) and can clinch a playoff spot against RSL. Johnny Russell leads SKC with 8 goals and 8 assists, Diego Rubio has 8 goals and 6 assists, Daniel Salloi has 7 goals and 7 assists, Felipe Gutierrez 7 goals and 2 assists, Gerso Fernandes has 5 goals and 5 assists, and Illie Sanchez has 4 goals and 3 assists. SKC is 9-2-3 at home in 2018.
Our coverage of Real Salt Lake at Sporting Kansas City begins on Sunday, September 30 at 2 P.M. with Lauren Beck and Spencer Warne, kick-off is at 3 P.M. with Bill Riley and Jay Nolly.
