Real Salt Lake vs. New England Revolution | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Real Salt Lake vs. New England Revolution
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 34
Rio Tinto Stadium — Sandy
October 18 - 9 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

Desperate to stay in the picture for the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs, Real Salt Lake need a win when they host a New England Revolution squad that is playing for pride Thursday night at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Clinging just above the playoff line by a single point, RSL are looking to bounce back from a four-match winless streak in their penultimate match of the regular season after falling to the Portland Timbers, 4-1, at the RioT on Oct. 6, while the Revs snapped a four-match winless streak with a 2-0 win over Orlando City despite being eliminated from postseason contention hours earlier.

Real Salt Lake

Apparently when Real Salt Lake (13-12-7) lose at Rio Tinto Stadium, they lose badly. RSL suffered only their second home defeat, falling to the Timbers, 4-1, their first league defeat in Sandy since a 5-1 thrashing by LAFC in Week 2.

Jefferson Savarino canceled out Jeremy Ebobisse’s opening goal with a 55th-minute equalizer, but Sebastian Blanco scored twice in a three-minute span before Lucas Melano closed out the scoring for the visitors two minutes from full time.

“We’re going to see what we’re made of now,” Mike Petke said. “From me, the coaching staff and straight down to the players. It’s going to be two very tough games. Paired with our last two games being three days apart for some reason. It’s going to be an interesting game.”

Suspended: M - Kyle Beckerman, M - Sunny
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Tony Beltran (right knee surgery), M - Jordan Allen (knee surgery), GK - Alex Horwath (Achilles surgery), D - David Horst (Achilles surgery); QUESTIONABLE: D - Demar Phillips (hamstring injury), D - Marcelo Silva

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Nick Rimando — Brooks Lennon, Nick Besler, Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera — Pablo Ruiz, Damir Kreilach — Jefferson Savarino, Albert Rusnak, Joao Plata — Corey Baird

New England Revolution

Despite knowing the playoff push was over after a late D.C. United win over FC Dallas, New England (9-12-11) still defeated Orlando City SC, 2-0, at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night.

Cristian Penilla and Diego Fagundez scored four minutes apart early in the second half as the Revs won their first home game since defeating D.C. United, 3-2, on June 30.

“We’ve basically started our preseason tonight and that’s what I told the players,” Brad Friedel said. “And everyone’s going to be fighting for their spots and the players that are with us are going to have to be very good and mentally and physically tough. And the ones that aren’t, I wish them well when they’re not with us. And the ones we bring in are going to be excited to play here. So, hopefully we have some great things to come for the club.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: M - Luis Caicedo
International duty: D - Antonio Delamea, M - Zachary Herivaux
Injury Report: OUT: D - Chris Tierney (torn right ACL), D - Andrew Farrell (hamstring injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-1-4-1, right to left)
GK: Brad Knighton — Brandon Bye, Michael Mancienne, Jalil Anibaba, Kelyn Rowe — Wilfried Zahibo — Luis Caicedo, Diego Fagundez, Scott Caldwell, Cristian Penilla — Teal Bunbury

All-Time Series

Overall: Real Salt Lake 9 wins, 34 goals … New England Revolution 6 wins, 29 goals … 5 draws
At Salt Lake: Real Salt Lake 5 wins, 21 goals … Revolution 2 wins, 9 goals … 3 draws
Last meeting at Salt Lake: Real Salt Lake 0, New England Revolution 0 (July 16, 2016)