The Seattle Sounders are visiting Real Salt Lake on Saturday in their first group stage match of the 2023 Leagues Cup. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. PT at America First Field in Sandy, Utah.
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be available to watch on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air in English on 93.3 KJR FM and in Spanish on El Rey 1360AM.
2023 MLS RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders: 10-8-6 (36 points, 4th West), RSL: 10-7-7 (37 points, 3rd West)
FORM GUIDE (most recent first): Seattle: DLWWD, Real Salt Lake: WDWWD
PREVIOUS MEETINGS: Seattle and RSL played to a scoreless draw in Utah on April 29. The Sounders defeated RSL 2-0 at Lumen Field on March 4 behind goals from Jordan Morris and Héber.
ONE FINAL CONQUEST: The Sounders have won every competition available except for one since their introduction to MLS in 2009. Seattle has four U.S. Open Cups, two MLS Cups, one Supporters’ Shield and one Concacaf Champions League title. The last box left to check is Leagues Cup, in which Seattle reached the final in 2021 but fell to Liga MX’s Club Léon.
FIREPOWER RETURNS: Seattle was bolstered by the return of two attacking fulcrums in Morris and Cristian Roldan, who each missed considerable time while away with the United States national team for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup. Roldan hit the post and forced an own goal in the duo’s first game back, a 1-1 draw with FC Dallas that the Sounders largely dominated.
ALL-STAR REP: Morris saw some action midweek as well when he represented the Sounders at the 2023 MLS All-Star Game at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., in a loss to English Premier League giants Arsenal. Morris, who has nine goals this season to lead Seattle, came on as a substitute in the 69th minute.
Sounders FC vs. C.F. Monterrey
We are hosting Liga MX powerhouse C.F. Monterrey in the 2023 Leagues Cup Group Stage on July 30. Be part of our journey in the quest to lift another trophy.
USYNT SHOWDOWN: Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas and RSL midfielder Diego Luna were teammates on the United States U-20 national team that competed at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina in May. Vargas, 17, was the youngest member of the United States squad and is already in his third season as an MLS professional. Luna, 19, is having a breakout year for RSL in his second MLS season and is coming off an MLS Player of the Matchday performance.
ARANGO RETURNS: Real Salt Lake signed forward Chicho Arango from Liga MX side Pachuca last month and it took him just 23 minutes to open his account for the Claret and Cobalt. The Colombian had a wildly successful two-year stint with LAFC, scoring 30 goals and adding seven assists in just 51 matches, before LAFC transferred him to Mexico this past offseason. The Colombian already has a goal and two assists for RSL in just 189 minutes.
UNBEATEN STREAK: RSL enters Leagues Cup in as good a form as anyone in either MLS or Liga MX, having gone nine straight league matches without defeat and 10 in all competitions (7-0-3). RSL hasn’t lost since May 31.
