Jasper Löffelsend: Real Salt Lake Hungry To Defend America First Field
Mar 17, 2023, 11:59 AM
SALT LAKE CITY – Defender Jasper Löffelsend said that Real Salt Lake is hungry to defend America First Field and prove themselves at home.
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“We have to get back to that point where people don’t enjoy coming here to our stadium,” Löffelsend told sports.ksl.com during the team’s bye week. “We have to like get that mentality back in that this is our home we defend it no matter what’s happening, no matter who’s coming in.”
The second-year RSL defender specifically named the club’s next opponent, St. Louis City SC, but said it doesn’t matter which MLS club is coming to town, Real Salt Lake needs to maintain the same mindset at America First Field.
“We want to dominate the game. We want to be on our front foot, press high, be direct, and attack, and just like leave everything out there,” Löffelsend continued. “I feel like we have to we have to do a better job at that, especially in the first half.”
This season, Real Salt Lake owns a 1-0-2 record. The club opened the season with a road win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Since then, the team has lost in consecutive matches to Seattle Sounder FC and Austin FC.
@kslsportscom “You get the hunger back. You want to prove ‘don’t come to Salt Lake’. This is our home, we are going to defend it.” – @realsaltlakeofficial’s Jasper Löffelsend on defending America First Field #RSLonKSL #RSL ♬ original sound – kslsportscom
Against, Vancouver, RSL came back from a 1-0 halftime deficit to win 2-1 behind a pair of second half scores. In Seattle, the club fell behind 1-0 at the break and allowed the Sounders another goal in the second half before falling 2-0. During the club’s home opener against Austin, the visitors took an early 1-0 lead in the ninth minute of action. Real Salt Lake recorded an equalizer 13 minutes later. However, Austin added another goal before halftime and ended up winning 2-1.
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Löffelsend talked about the frustration of losing at home as something that “wakes you up a little bit” and creates a “hunger” to defend RSL’s home pitch.
“I feel like last year we had [a] great record at home. It kind of came easy a little bit,” the defender said. “Right now, you get that hunger back. You want to prove ‘don’t come to Salt Lake’. This is our home, we are going to defend it.”
Last season, RSL owned a 9-3-5 record at home. The club was 3-8-6 on the road in 2022.
Two seasons ago, Real Salt Lake was 9-4-4 in Utah.
Real Salt Lake’s match against St. Louis City SC will take place on Saturday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. (MDT). The game will be broadcast via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+ and on KSL Sports Zone.
