Real Salt Lake vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2020 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 12
Real Salt Lake vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
Rio Tinto Stadium – Sandy
September 19 – 9:30 PM ET

TV: TSN

STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US

LOCAL TV: KMYU-12

Coming off the worst home loss in club history, Real Salt Lake look to rebound against a Vancouver Whitecaps side that defeated the Montreal Impact in an emotional, heated match Wednesday night at BC Place.

Real Salt Lake (3W-3L-5D) would love to put that 5-0 defeat to the rival Colorado Rapids, which handed the visitors the Rocky Mountain Cup for the first time since 2015, behind them and move above the playoff line in the West, while the Whitecaps (4W-7L-0D) ended the Impact's Canadian Championship dreams with a 3-1 victory.

RSL have won the past four meetings at Rio Tinto Stadium, including a 1-0 victory courtesy of an Albert Rusnak penalty kick last year, the first of a pair of wins by that scoreline over Vancouver. The RSL win in the second meeting last year ended a six-game winning streak for the ‘Caps at BC Place, dating back to 2014.

Real Salt Lake

Not only would momentum not carry over from a convincing 3-0 victory over LAFC in the midweek, Real Salt Lake suffered their heaviest home defeat Saturday night at RioT. It went pear-shaped early for RSL with Diego Rubio scoring a brace inside the opening 10 minutes. Goals by Sam Vines and Braian Galvan in the first 10 minutes of the second half put any hopes of a comeback out of reach.

“It was overall a bad performance, for sure. I apologize to the fans, because it’s not nice to lose 5-0, especially at home," Damir Kreilach said after the match. "To give up the goal in the second minute, it shows how ready we were today. It wasn’t the best, and now we have to stay positive and put heads up to prepare for the game against Vancouver."

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: None
Suspended: Douglas Martinez (F)
Suspended after next caution: Justen Glad (D)
International duty: None

Vancouver Whitecaps

Despite missing Lucas Cavallini to suspension, the Whitecaps rebounded from a disheartening 4-2 defeat to Montreal on Sunday to knock off the Impact 3-1 Wednesday. Montreal needed a win to reach the Canadian Championship final, instead Toronto FC earns the berth. Fredy Montero played a leading role in the result, drawing a red card on Rudy Camacho for a punch out and converting the ensuing penalty kick to break the scoreless stalemate. The Colombian veteran also set up Cristian Dajome's goal three minutes and tacked on a late insurance goal.

"He came in and had a fantastic game, he even deserved even the hat trick," Marc dos Santos said after the match. "He impacted the game with the ball, he impacted the game in possession, he impacted the game in the chances created and the runs in the box. He impacted, and he has to be proud of that and it’s well-done for him."

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Maxime Crépeau (GK) - fractured left thumb
- OUT: Jasser Khmiri (D) - undisclosed injury
Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None