Real Salt Lake meets FC Dallas on Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium for the second time in just over a month, RSL claiming a 1-0 victory in the previous matchup on August 20. Here are three things to know about Dallas this time around.
Repeater Game
Since Jeff Cassar took over as Head Coach of Real Salt Lake, the Claret-and-Cobalt has lost just six home matches. In the home games following the first five losses, RSL has gone 3-1-1. That lone defeat – the only time RSL lost consecutive home matches in Cassar’s tenure – came last October when Salt Lake lost to the Portland Timbers then FC Dallas at Rio Tinto Stadium. While Dallas will be looking to repeat that rare double, RSL will be aiming for a repeat of a stellar performance when the two teams met August 20 and RSL earned that 1-0 victory.
Young Guns
MLSsoccer.com unveiled its annual list of the 24 best players under 24 years of age this week and FC Dallas was well-represented. With four players on the list, Dallas had more representation than any other MLS club, so when Dallas visits Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday, there is the possibility that fans can see Kellyn Acosta (No. 4 on the list), Carlos Gruezo (No. 8), Jesse Gonzalez (No. 9) and Walker Zimmerman (No. 11) on the field. For its part, Real Salt Lake had two players earn the recognition as well – Justen Glad at No. 15 and Jordan Allen at No. 16.
Veteran Presence
Dallas is among the youngest clubs in MLS, with the average age of the 10 field players that started last week in a 2-2 road draw with New York City FC an astounding 25.9 years old. That number is actually higher than it has been in other weeks after Head Coach Oscar Pareja recently injected a veteran into the mix to alter the approach in the attack. Whereas he previously had the ultra-dynamic Fabian Castillo exploding up the wing, Pareja has needed to change up the wide positions since Castillo left for Turkey during the summer transfer window. In recent weeks, that has meant Mauro Rosales filling that role and the 35-year-old Argentine has responded well. A starter in three of the last four matches, Rosales assisted both Dallas goals against New York, bringing his career totals to 15 goals and 51 assists in 161 matches since first coming to the league in 2011.
