The Seattle Sounders hosting Real Salt Lake on Saturday. Here is everything you need to know.
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 7 p.m. PT at CenturyLink Field (TICKETS).
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be televised on JOEtv and YouTube TV.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on 1090 KJR AM and El Rey 1360 AM.
2019 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders: 3-0-1 (10 points, 2nd West), RSL: 1-3-1 (4 points, 8th West)
FORM GUIDE (most recent first): Seattle: DWWW, Salt Lake: LLLWD
ALL-TIME HISTORY: The Sounders are 9-11-4 all-time against RSL, including an 8-3-2 mark at home.
PREVIOUS MEETING: Seattle fell 2-0 at RSL on June 2, 2018, during a difficult run for the team. With the Sounders’ cohort of internationals absent due to the impending 2018 FIFA World Cup, the Sounders struggled to breakdown their Western Conference foe. Corey Baird smashed home a rebound in the 51st minute before Luis Silva iced the match with an open-net goal in second-half stoppage time.
SWEET STEFAN FREI: Seattle’s shot-stopper was named to the MLS Team of the Week for Week 5 on the back of his late heroics against the Vancouver Whitecaps, when he produced a stunning 1-v-1 save on Joaquín Ardaiz in the 93rd minute to preserve the clean sheet.
SOUNDERS HISTORY: When Seattle picked up a point on the road over the weekend, it secured its best start to an MLS regular-season campaign, with 10 points from the first four matches.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME: When the Sounders take the pitch on Saturday, it will be their first match at CenturyLink Field since the 2-0 win over Colorado Rapids on March 9th. Seattle is 10-2-0 in its last 12 matches at home dating back to last July. The Sounders have outscored their opponents 34-9 in that span.
RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME: Real Salt Lake have historically struggled in the Emerald City, collecting just 11 points from 13 contests while posting a -11 goal difference. Facing a team they typically dominate on home soil, the timing is perfect for the Sounders, as RSL enters the match on the back of three consecutive defeats to FC Dallas, LAFC and D.C. United.
VALUABLE MINUTES: The Sounders face their first bit of fixture congestion in the coming weeks, as the team braces for six matches in 23 days. With that in mind, 10 First Team players started for the Tacoma Defiance on Monday evening, guiding the USL Championship side to a 2-1 victory over the Sacramento Republic at Cheney Stadium. Striker Will Bruin stole the show as he pitched in a goal and an assist while going the full 90 minutes.
Tacoma Defiance's Starting XI in the 2-1 win over Sacramento | Charis Wilson
KEY ABSENCES: RSL will be without the services of Damir Kreilach on Saturday, as the versatile midfielder received a straight red card for violent conduct in RSL’s 4-2 loss to FC Dallas over the weekend. With several capable of replacements in midfield, center back will be a bigger concern for head coach Mike Petke, as Erik Holt and Justen Glad are likely to miss out through injury.
STABLE SOUNDERS: Through the first four matches of 2019, Seattle has rolled the same Starting XI for each fixture, a far cry from the team’s persistent injury struggles in 2018. With a stable first-choice XI, the Sounders are one of just five teams in MLS that remain unbeaten in the regular season.
RIMANDO’S LAST STAND: Legendary MLS goalkeeper Nick Rimando will make his final regular-season appearance at CenturyLink Field on Saturday, as the 39-year-old announced he would retire after the 2019 season. Rimando is first all-time in MLS in Games Played (490), Games Started (490), Minutes Played (44,176), Saves (1,642), Wins (210) and Shutouts (145).
FRIENDS FROM COLLEGE: Saturday’s Western Conference clash will be the first team that former Stanford teammates Corey Baird and Jordan Morris have gone toe-to-toe in the professional ranks. Baird, who won MLS Rookie of the Year two seasons after his former Cardinal teammate picked up the award in 2016, has become and integral component of RSL’s attack, while Morris missed all of 2018 with a season-ending ACL injury. The pair formed a potent attacking line as Stanford won the 2016 NCAA national championship. Each also featured for the United States in recent friendlies against Ecuador and Chile.
