Match Previews

RSL Match Preview & Notes - Saturday, May 5 vs. New England Revolution

05.05.12 Match Preview v NE (620 x 350)

REAL SALT LAKE MATCH PREVIEW & NOTES: RSL v. NEW ENGLAND REVS – SATURDAY, MAY 5


RSL Hosts New England Revolution with 7:00 p.m. MT Kickoff

SANDY, Utah (Thursday, May 03, 2012) – In their only confrontation of the 2012 MLS regular season, Real Salt Lake (6-3-1, 19 pts.; 2nd in West) and the New England Revolution (3-5-0, 9 pts.; 4th in East) will each compete this Saturday to continue their winning momentum, as RSL’s last home match versus Toronto FC proved victorious, and the Revs snapped their 3-game losing skid with a win versus Colorado Wednesday. Real will hope to stay atop Western Conference standings with a 7:00 p.m. MT kickoff at Rio Tinto Stadium, and fans can enjoy pre-game activities at the Carnival Real festival at 5:00 p.m. on the stadium’s East Lawn.


Tickets remain available for Saturday’s match versus New England, and can be purchased online via the Zions Bank Ticket Outlet on RealSaltLake.com, over the phone by calling 801-727-2700, or in person at the Rio Tinto Stadium Box Office beginning at 10:00 on game day.


Saturday’s match will certainly be challenging for all strikers, as both teams now possess goalkeepers that have been inducted into the century club. With the Revs’ last success, New England GK Matt Reis achieved his 100th career win. In MLS history, only six have achieved more than 100 wins in regular league play, RSL Keeper Nick Rimando included, with 127 wins.


How to Follow Real Salt Lake v. New England Revolution


MLS Game Guide for Saturday’s RSL-NE Showdown Now Available Online

Following is the link to the Adobe PDF version of the Major League Soccer Game Guide(media notes) in advance of Saturday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and New England Revolution If you have any problems obtaining the document, would prefer to receive the document as an attachment, or are seeking more information on the match, please contact Trey Fitz-Gerald in the RSL Communications Department via email at tfitz@realsaltlake.com.


Click here to download the PDF version of the MLS Game Guide
RSL History v. New England Revolution

Real Salt Lake enters Saturday’s match with a 6-4-4 all-time regular season record against New England, a performance equally as successful away (3-2-2) as at home (3-2-2). However in recent years, the RioT has been a house of horrors for the four-time Eastern Conference champions, as two of RSL’s most dominating wins were versus the Revs in a 2009 6-0 match, and a 5-0 shutout in 2010.


Last year’s contests versus New England Revolution resulted in a win and a draw for the Claret-and-Cobalt, when on April 9 RSL defeated NE 2-0 at the Gillette Stadium. Their following meeting at Rio Tinto on Independence Day resulted in a game full of explosive tallies, cards, and PK’s, resulting in a 3-3 draw. The July 4 excitement began early-on when RSL’s Nat Borchers was issued a red card for a controversial breakaway foul on NE MF Benny Feilhaber in the box. NE Rajko Lekic’s resulting successful penalty kick and Tierney’s goal (16’) gave NE an early 2-0 lead, but the 10-man RSL battled back to erase the deficit with goals by Johnson (24’) and Saborío, who in the 56th minute scored from a PK rewarded from a handball. NE’s Joseph (63’) and RSL’s Espíndola (83’) added the final tallies to close the game with a tie.


www.RealSaltLake.com / www.RioTintoStadium.com / www.ESPN700Sports.com