The MLS schedule has been announced and Real Salt Lake fans can now start circling dates on the calendar to see their favorite opponents (or least favorite, as it were) and schedule their away travel to see some of the other stadiums and cities around the league.
Here are five home matches to mark in the 2015 season.
1. March 14 vs. Philadelphia Union. Every home opener provides new reasons to be excited about the club and this year there are many. In the stadium, the brand new, state-of-the-art scoreboard will be an exciting addition to the already rocking atmosphere at Rio Tinto Stadium. On the field, the continued progression of some of the club’s top young talent and the ever-looming presences of Nick Rimando and Kyle Beckerman have the club optimistic that an eighth consecutive playoff appearance is in the offing for the new campaign. It all starts against the Union.
2. May 23 vs. New York City FC. Frank Lampard may not be along for the ride quite yet, but there are still plenty of reasons for RSL fans to come out to watch one of the two newest expansion clubs when NYCFC visits on Memorial Day weekend. Of course, longtime RSL Head Coach Jason Kreis will be making his long-awaited return to Rio Tinto Stadium. And the legendary forward will bring with him Chris Wingert, Ned Grabavoy and Sebastian Velasquez as well as Josh Saunders and Kwame Watson-Siriboe, who all made their marks in the Claret and Cobalt. If those homecomings aren’t enough excitement, there is always the first chance to watch David Villa in NYCFC’s sky blue kits.
3. June 7 vs. Colorado Rapids. The Rocky Mountain Cup will feature just one match at Rio Tinto Stadium this season and that comes in June as Real Salt Lake looks to continue the series dominance that has seen RSL top the Rapids in seven of the last eight years. Salt Lake won six consecutive Rocky Mountain Cups before being bested in 2013. The trophy is back in Utah now, where RSL hopes it will stay. In addition, it will be a chance to show the national television audience on ESPNews what the home field advantage at Rio Tinto Stadium is all about.
4. September 19 vs. LA Galaxy. This is the second of two home meetings with the Galaxy, but we all know that LA is a second half team and with the rumored summer arrival of Steven Gerrard, it should be quite a spectacle in Sandy. With the playoffs looming, it stands to be a pivotal match in the Western Conference standings for two perennial playoff contenders, too.
5. October 14 vs. Portland Timbers. The Timbers will be looking for a bounce-back season after a disappointing finish in 2014 and have a retooled lineup in place for 2015. Included in that retool is longtime RSL center back Nat Borchers, who joins with another former RSL man in midfielder Will Johnson. The matchup between Portland and Salt Lake always seems to offer some intrigue and this year looks to be no different.
Honorable mention:
July 4 vs. Orlando City SC. It’s the first match against the other new expansion side and with Independence Day there will be a tremendous fireworks show.
July 24 vs. Sporting Kansas City. After the 2013 MLS Cup Final, RSL fans are happy to see Kansas City back in the Western Conference. The Pioneer Day fireworks add another layer to the spectacle of the budding rivalry.
August 22 vs. Seattle Sounders FC. Meetings between Seattle and Salt Lake have always been among the better matchups in the league. Anytime Kyle Beckerman lines up against Osvaldo Alonso it’s always a good show, too.
