| PREGAME SUMMARY: |
|---|
| 2019 MLS Preseason presented by Advocare |
| Real Salt Lake vs. V-Varen Nagasaki |
| Aloha Stadium | Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Sunday, Feb. 10 - 10:15 PM ET |
| Stream: PacificRimCup.com |
Real Salt Lake aim to take another step forward in their preparations for the 2019 regular season as they meet Japanese second-division side V-Varen Nagasaki on sunny Oahu in the final of the Pacific Rim Cup preseason tournament.
Real Salt Lake
On Friday RSL edged another Japanese opponent, sixth-tier outfit Iwaki FC, 2-1 thanks to goals from Bofo Saucedo and Nick Besler (pictured above). Saucedo's strike was particularly superb, with the Homegrown talent showing guile and composure in front of goal after a sweeping passing sequence opened up Iwaki's defense:
RSL coach Mike Petke is emphasizing fitness and tactical development and has suggested that he'll rotate his starting lineup on Sunday as his staff balances conditioning work and injury prevention.
V-Varen Nagasaki
V-Varen were deserving 3-1 winners against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Friday, paced by a Yohei Otake brace that built up a 3-0 lead before David Norman Jr.'s late corner-kick consolation strike. Nagasaki were relegated from Japan's top flight via a last-place finish last year, their first season in the J1 League, and they'll be eager to mount another promotion push in 2019.
