Real Salt Lake Hope To Stay Unbeaten On The Road In Blockbuster Midweek Clash Against Seattle Sounders
Jun 21, 2021, 3:20 PM | Updated: Dec 9, 2022, 11:35 am
Seattle Sounders defender Nouhou Tolo (5) and Real Salt Lake defender Aaron Herrera (22) battle for the ball as RSL and Seattle play an MSL soccer game at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy Utah on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020. The teams battled to a 2-2 draw. (Courtesy of Deseret News)
(Courtesy of Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Real Salt Lake’s 2021 MLS season begins this week you could argue as their first-midweek fixture is scheduled with an away trip to Seattle on Wednesday evening.
A Trip To The Pacific North-West
Thus far, RSL has played seven games, all of which have had at least a week’s break between them. Now, however, that trend will change as RSL will endure three games within the space of eight days.
Furthermore, the midweek fixture happens to come against the best team in the Western Conference; the Seattle Sounders.
The Sounders have won three of the previous MLS Cup’s and are currently on a nine-game unbeaten streak. If they beat RSL on Wednesday evening it will mark the 10th game in which they have either drawn or won. They remain unbeaten in nine games to start their 2021 MLS campaign. Their last loss came in the MLS Cup final against the Colombus Crew in the final game of the 2020 calendar year.
Last week we celebrated #Juneteenth
Take a look through the lens of what we've done to educate and honor this momentous holiday.
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) June 21, 2021
Road Warriors
However, RSL is a team that will likely prove challenging for RSL. Simply due to the additions the club made in the offseason. Rubio Rubin has been a revelation for the Claret and Cobalt upfront and has provided the team stability at the point of the attack. Alongside Rubin is Anderson Julio, whose blistering speed has been problematic for opposing home teams thus far in 2021.
When RSL plays on the road they generally play a more counter-attacking brand of soccer, allowing the likes of Rubin and Julio to operate in more space and hence expose opposing defenses within the blink of an eye.
Furthermore, much like Seattle, RSL is also currently undefeated on the road this season. They have only played twice but are yet to lose.
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RSL last played on Friday when they defeated Vancouver at home 3-1, while Seattle took an away trip to Los Angeles on Saturday when they won 2-1 after conceding the game’s opening goal.
Former RSL player Kelyn Rowe will hope to assert his authority in the midfield for the Sounders but it is the captain Cristian Roldan who RSL will focus most of their attention on as he is so often the catalyst to the attacking prowess of the Sounders.
Kreilach King
RSL midfielder Damir Kreilach has been named to the MLS Team of the Week after his brace against Vancouver last Friday led his team to a crucial 3-1 win at home.
Kreilach scored the opening goal for the hosts while putting the nail in the coffin with a 95th minute header to secure the three points for RSL.
I mean are we even surprised? 😏
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) June 21, 2021
Kreilach was the only RSL player to make the team while former RSL member and current Atlanta United midfielder Brooks Lennon found himself on the bench after his performance against Philadelphia Union.
Game Information
Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. at Iumen Stadium on Wednesday, June 23.
The match will be available for stream via the KSL Sports & KSL 5 TV apps or on KSL Sports dot com.
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