After dropping their first game of the season in a 1-0 decision against the MLS table leading Vancouver Whitecaps last week, Real Salt Lake will look to bounce back on the road against the defending eastern conference champion New England Revolution Saturday in Foxborough, Mass.
RSL vs New England Talking Points
Before the Royals and Revs take to the pitch Saturday, here are some things to watch out for if you are rooting for the claret and cobalt to come back home with three points in tow.
Shorthanded Salt Lake
RSL will be without a bevy of players Saturday against the Revolution for a multitude of reasons.
Let’s begin with those who are out with an injury:
Dynamic forward Joao Plata is still out as he recovers from a broken fifth metatarsal in his foot suffered on the first day of preseason training.
Starting center-back Chris Schuler, undoubtedly the anchor of RSL’s backline, broke the hearts of many this past week when it was announced that he had undergone surgery on the meniscus in his right knee. After sustaining an injury during warm-ups of the Vancouver match, it was decided that Schuler would have minor surgery performed in order to prevent the injury from growing worse as the season progressed. Schuler is expected to be missing from the lineup for the next four-to-six weeks as he recovers and will continue to be replaced by 22-year-old Guatemalan international Elias Vasquez.
RSL’s most potent offensive weapon in Javier Morales will be missing his second straight game with a hamstring injury suffered during training the week of the Vancouver match. Morales’ spot at the top of the midfield attack could be filled by Luis Gil who is fresh off of a 90 minute performance in the USMNT U-23’s 3-0 victory against Mexico in which he recorded the game-winning assist, but don’t be surprised if Gil is pushed up higher into the forward pack because of RSL’s lack of forwards this week.
Finally, Argentine forward Sebastian Jaime will be missing his fourth straight game after suffering a fractured fibula earlier this season. His spot could be filled by either Gil, if Cassar decides to put him into the forward pack, or by 23-year-old forward Devon Sandoval who usually occupies the central forward position in place of Alvaro Saborio.
Even more players for RSL will miss the New England match for other reasons.
33-year-old Columbian defender Jamison Olave and 18-year-old homegrown M/F Sebastian Saucedo will both be unavailable because of red card suspensions handed down in the Vancouver match and forward Jordan Allen will also be unavailable as he continues to participate in the USMNT U-20’s camp in Bosnia. Expect Aaron Maund to make his first start and appearance of the season in place of the suspended Olave.
Two Teams in Opposite Directions
RSL has been on a steady downward slide in recent weeks while the Revolution have been quickly rising up the eastern table.
RSL has been held scoreless in their previous two matches with shots on goal being few and far between. Salt Lake has only managed to score six goals in six games, half of which came in one game against Philadelphia at home. While their defense has been able to keep them in games and salvage some draws, the offense has kept them from taking advantage of opportunities to secure results both at home and on the road. RSL’s offense must find a way to become more dangerous and, ultimately, more effective if they want to come away with a result against a hot New England squad.
New England, on the other hand, started the season off with a resounding and disappointing thud as they dropped their first two games of the season by being outscored 5-0. The Revolution didn’t secure their first win of the season until week four with a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes, since then they have been on a tear with three wins in four games as well as a five-game unbeaten streak. While New England will be without the services of defender Darrius Barnes (left knee sprain), RSL will have their hands full as the most likely candidate to fill his spot will be USMNT star Jermaine Jones.
Magic in Massachusetts
The last time these two teams met in Foxborough was a classic if you’re an RSL fan. After a relatively uneventful first half, the home team was the first to score in the 51st minute as Ryan Guy rocketed home a volley from Kellen Rowe past a still Nick Rimando to give the Revs the lead.
The visitors from Salt Lake kept chipping away at the New England defense and eventually equalized in the 76th minute when Devon Sandoval top-shelved a parried save from Bobby Shuttleworth after an initial shot from Sebastian Velasquez.
Only 12 minutes later, RSL took the lead when Olmes Garcia slotted home another blocked save from Shuttleworth after a stinging volley from Kyle Beckerman.
There was renewed life for the home side in the first minute of stoppage time when the Revolution were awarded a penalty kick for a foul on New England’s Kellen Rowe from RSL’s Carlos Salcedo in the box. Saer Sene took to the spot looking to salvage a point for New England, but MLS’ all-time leading PK stopper in Nick Rimando had other plans as he shooed away Sene’s strike to give RSL the 2-1 victory on the road in a rainy Gillette Stadium.
RSL will kickoff against New England from Foxborough, Mass. at 5:30 pm MST.
