Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado Rapids
April 8, 2016; 7:30 p.m. MT
Rio Tinto Stadium
TV: KMYU (2.2 air / 12 satellite / 643 Comcast HD)
English Radio: ESPN 700 (6:30 p.m. MT)
Spanish Radio: 102.3 La Gran D FM / 1600 AM
Stream: MLS Live
Real Salt Lake defender Chris Wingert has spent the last 13 seasons playing in Major League Soccer. In nine of those seasons, he has suited up in the Claret-and-Cobalt of RSL. Along the way, he has seen many successes and challenges.
He, if anyone, would be able to impart some wisdom on how RSL can continue its four-game unbeaten streak to open the 2016 season as one of just two teams without a loss thus far in the campaign. His answer was quite simple.
“Winning,” he deadpanned before cracking a smile. “We just keep trying to get better every week. There’s still a lot that we need to improve on and we’re putting in the work every day in practice and going over areas that we can improve. We just need to make sure we’re bringing the energy and effort every time we’re out on the field. The rest will take care of itself.”
Real Salt Lake is 2-0-2 despite starting the season with a rigorous schedule that includes three road matches against Orlando, Portland and Kansas City - teams that went a combined 25-10-16 at home in 2015 - and one home match against the always competitive Seattle Sounders.
Now with three out of the next four matches at Rio Tinto Stadium, RSL will look to continue that run. And while the fans in Utah have helped make Rio Tinto one of the best home-field advantages in MLS through the years, RSL isn’t taking for granted the work that needs to be done in those three home contests, starting Saturday against the Colorado Rapids.
“You keep trying to improve on it and getting better,” defender Aaron Maund said. “It’s still really early in the season so we keep trying to perfect the things we’re not doing great and make the things we are doing well better and go from there.”
Colorado has struggled in recent years, making the playoffs just once in the last four seasons. However, a 2-1-1 start buoyed by a defense that has allowed just two goals through the first four matches has the winds of change blowing in Commerce City. Add to that strong start the upcoming additions of Jermaine Jones, who will join the team after completing his suspension after next week’s match against Sporting Kansas City, Tim Howard who will arrive in the summer, and the Rapids have the makings of a contender in 2016.
RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar had praise this week for Colorado’s early-season defensive prowess and defended former teammate Pablo Mastroeni against any criticisms his team may face in the start of the season.
“I don’t think it’s a park-the-bus approach at all. They’re defending as a team which is the most important thing. It’s about the whole team buying in to Pablo’s defensive scheme,” Cassar said. “With that being said, we do think there are areas that we can get at them and penetrate them and hopefully we’ll do that on Saturday.”
RSL has plenty of motivation in just its second home match of the 2016 regular season. In addition to striving to continue its unbeaten start, Salt Lake is also looking to redeem itself from a disappointing defeat in the 2015 Rocky Mountain Cup that gave the Rapids the trophy for just the second time since 2007. Getting that trophy back in the hands of RSL’s most ardent supporters is high on their minds.
“Anytime you see that trophy out there, you’re playing for that, you’re playing for the fans and you’re playing for the three points,” Maund said. “We’ve got a lot of pride as a team and a lot of confidence. We definitely want to get the win.”
