The Seattle Sounders are visiting Real Salt Lake on Saturday in their second and final meeting of the 2021 MLS regular season. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. PT at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be televised on JOEtv and Prime Video.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on 950 KJR AM and El Rey 1360 AM.
2021 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Seattle: 13-4-6 (45 points, 2nd West), RSL: 9-9-6 (33 points, 6th West)
PREVIOUS MEETING: The Sounders defeated RSL 2-1 on June 23 at Lumen Field. Cristian Roldan opened the scoring in the 58th minute before Albert Rusnák equalized on a penalty in the 79th minute. Raúl Ruidíaz won it for the Sounders with a PK of his won two minutes from full time to take all three points.
FORM GUIDE (most recent first): Sounders: WLWWW, Real Salt Lake: WLWLL
THREE-MATCH ROAD SWING: The Sounders will kick off a three-match road trip for the second time in as many months. Luckily for the Sounders, though, they have…
BEST ROAD RECORD: Seattle has the best road record of any team in MLS this season, averaging an incredible 2.3 PPG in 10 matches (7-1-2).
JUAREZ RETURNS: Sounders Assistant Coach Freddy Juarez will visit Rio Tinto Stadium and take on RSL for the first time since stepping down as manager in August to join Seattle’s staff. Juarez posted an 18-23-14 record in a little over two calendar years in charge of Real Salt Lake.
LEAGUES CUP SANDWICH: The Sounders will visit Utah fresh off a Leagues Cup Semifinals win over Liga MX’s Santos Laguna on Tuesday night. After their match on Saturday, Seattle will head to Las Vegas for the Leagues Cup Final against León.
CHÚ CHÚ TRAIN HAS LEFT THE STATION: New Brazilian signing Léo Chú made his Sounders debut in the win against Santos and set up Ruidíaz for the stoppage-time match-winner. With matches coming thick and fast — the Sounders will have played six matches in 19 days by the end of September — expect Chú to continue to be a factor.
DAMIR DESTROYER: RSL’s Damir Kreilach has been one of the best attackers in MLS this season, logging nine goals and five assists. The 32-year-old Croatian is one of the best technical finishers in the league and is capable of unleashing a golazo from nearly anywhere on the pitch.
PLAYOFF PUSH: Real Salt Lake looks to be in a photo finish for the postseason during the final third of the campaign as the race in the Western Conference is incredibly tight. Just six points separate Nos. 5-11 in the standings.
