Mike Petke and Real Salt Lake are set to host New York Red Bulls this Saturday. It’s Petke’s first time facing New York since he was dismissed in January 2015. RSL is 6-5-9 all-time and 5-0-2 at home against NYRB. Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match:
1. Real Salt Lake had a disappointing home-opener last weekend against LAFC, losing 5-1 to the expansion side. RSL took the lead in the 20th minute after Plata sank the rebound of his penalty, but LAFC went on to score 5 unanswered goals. Not only was it Real Salt Lake’s first home-opener loss ever, it was also the worst loss at home in club history.
Plata’s pen is saved but he doesn’t give up!! 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/ZE9CfIQSVN
— Real Salt Lake (@RealSaltLake) March 10, 2018
2. The Real Salt Lake coaching staff decided to change up their training schedule this week, training on Monday and taking Wednesday off. Monday morning the team met to review game tape and had a “very lengthy, very direct, and very good morning” before heading to the pitch. Following practice throughout the week, players and Petke joined the media and all shared the same message: “it can never happen again.”
3. There aren’t many updates to the injury list from last week. Shawn Barry suffered a knock in last week’s loss but is off the injury list heading into Saturday. DF Tony Beltran (knee 10/15), MF Jordan Allen (knee 6/16), and DF Taylor Peay (knee 1/22) are still ruled out. DF Aaron Herrera (groin 2/18), and DF Marcelo Silva (hamstring 3/9) are questionable. DF Adam Henley (hamstring 2/22) has been ruled probable.
4. Real Salt Lake will honor Chris Wingert, who announced his retirement from soccer just under a month ago, before the match begins. Wingert spent 10 years with Real Salt Lake and was a member of the 2009 MLS Cup Championship team. Chris Wingert joined On Frame earlier this week, listen to the interview here.
5. The New York Red Bulls are off to a great start this season. They drew their first match of the season 1-1 at Olimpia in CONCACAF Champions League but won their next four, outscoring their opponents 12-2 and advancing to the semi-finals of the CCL. NYRB has started 22 different players and all five Starting XI’s thus far have been different. FW Bradley Wright-Phillips has four goals and four assists in five matches and will look to exploit the wounds LAFC opened last Saturday.
🚨 HIGHLIGHTS 🚨https://t.co/quSLQKcjUN#RBNY
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) March 14, 2018
So what’s the silver lining? NYRB have yet to win at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Catch our coverage of RSL vs NYRB beginning at 6 P.M. MST with Tom Hackett and Spencer Warne followed by kick-off at 7 P.M. with Bill Riley and Jay Nolly. Stay tuned after the match for post-game with Tom & Spencer featuring the Mike Petke post-game press conference.
