The Seattle Sounders are hosting Real Salt Lake on Saturday (2 p.m. PT; JOEtv, YouTube TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM | TICKETS) in the first of two matches against RSL in eight days. Here are three matchups that could tilt the game at CenturyLink Field.
Chad Marshall vs. Corey Baird
Chad Marshall, who just moved into second all time in MLS in starts by an outfield player, will be tasked with slowing down RSL rookie Corey Baird, who is tied for the team lead with three goals. It will largely be Marshall’s responsibility to disrupt any potential chances from the fellow Stanford product.
Cristian Roldan vs. Albert Rusnák
With Gustav Svensson gone for World Cup duty and Ozzie Alonso’s status uncertain (quad injury), much of the defensive midfield burden will fall on Cristian Roldan’s shoulders. Roldan will have to sit deeper than his typical box-to-box role, and the onus will fall largely on him to shut down RSL playmaker Albert Rusnák, who had 14 assists in 2017. Roldan led MLS in tackles and duels won last season, and the Sounders will be counting on his ability to get stuck in and mitigate Rusnák’s impact.
Sounders outside midfielders vs. RSL’s fullbacks
Whoever lines up out wide for the Sounders on Saturday — Alex Roldan, Handwalla Bwana and Magnus Wolff Eikrem are options — needs to take advantage of shaky play from the RSL defense. RSL was torched in Philadelphia last week, allowing four goals and nearly allowing several more, and most of the goals came from a disjunction on the back line. That performance wasn’t an anomaly either.
Pablo Ruiz has playing somewhat out of position at left back and fellow offseason acquisition Adam Henley on the right hasn’t fared exceptionally well early on either. It will be imperative for Seattle to force the issue and see if its wide players can unbalance their counterparts.
