REAL SALT LAKE vs. VANCOUVER WHITECAPS
RIO TINTO STADIUM, Sandy, Utah
APRIL 16, 2016 (WEEK 7, MLS GAME #61)
10:00 pm ET (MLS LIVE)
A key early-season contest in the Western Conference is ahead when Real Salt Lake and Vancouver Whitecaps FC meet for the first time this season. Real are still undefeated on the young season, winning for the third time in five games last weekend in a 1-0 win against the Colorado Rapids at Rio Tinto Stadium. Whitecaps FC have dropped back-to-back losses, matching a club record in a 4-0 defeat by D.C. United last Saturday afternoon at RFK Stadium.
- Joao Plata continued his hot streak and Real Salt Lake remained undefeated to start the season, winning for a second consecutive match and third time in five games with their 1-0 victory against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday evening at Rio Tinto Stadium. Plata scored his fourth goal of the season; he has been involved in seven of RSL’s nine goals this season (also with three assists).
- Whitecaps FC equaled their MLS club record, allowing four goals in a 4-0 defeat by D.C. United on Saturday afternoon at RFK Stadium. It was the fifth time they’d conceded four goals in an MLS game – once previously also against United (in 2011).
- Whitecaps FC have won the last four meetings between the teams – including all three meetings last season – and have not lost to RSL since 2013. The ‘Caps have won the last three meetings at BC Place, including a 2-1 win last May 30 and a 4-0 victory last Aug. 8.
- Vancouver’s 1-0 win last April 18 was its first ever at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real had won three of the first six home matches in the series, with three draws. The only previous victory by a road team in the all-time series came in 2013, a 1-0 Real victory at BC Place.
REFEREE: Ismail Elfath. AR1 (bench): Brian Dunn; AR2 (opposite): Eduardo Mariscal; 4th: Daniel Radford
MLS Career: 67 games; FC/gm: 24.8; Y/gm: 3.2; R: 17; pens: 18
SUSPENDED: none
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (14 meetings): Real 4 wins, 14 goals … Whitecaps FC 6 wins, 19 goals … Ties 4
AT SALT LAKE (7 meetings): Real 3 wins, 9 goals … Whitecaps FC 1 win, 5 goals … Ties 3
RETURN MATCH: 7/13: Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Real Salt Lake, 7:30 p.m. PT
LAST YEAR (MLS):
4/18: RSL 0, VAN 1 (Mattocks 80)
5/30: VAN 2, RSL 1 (Koffie 36; Techera 79 – Morales 45)
8/8: VAN 4, RSL 0 (Rivero 7; Kah 40; Techera 50, 68)
- Whitecaps FC have won the last four meetings between the teams – including all three meetings last season – and have not lost to RSL since 2013. The ‘Caps have won the last three meetings at BC Place, including a 2-1 win last May 30 and a 4-0 victory last Aug. 8.
- Vancouver’s 1-0 win last April 18 was its first ever at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real had won three of the first six home matches in the series, with three draws. The only previous victory by a road team in the all-time series came in 2013, a 1-0 Real victory at BC Place.
- Coaches record: Jeff Cassar vs. RSL: P6 W0 L4 D2 … Carl Robinson vs. RSL: P6 W4 L0 D2
