SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake continues its homestand on Thursday, when it hosts Montreal Impact at 8:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium. The July 24 match will be followed by a Pioneer Day fireworks show. Thursday’s contest will be broadcast live on CW30, ESPN 700 and 102.3 La Gran D FM.
Real Salt Lake is fresh off a wild 1-1 draw with Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Rio Tinto Stadium last Saturday. Vancouver notched the opening goal in the 73rd minute after RSL DF Nat Borchers was controversially called for a penalty in the box after appearing to cleanly tackle the ball away from Vancouver FW Darren Mattocks. The Jamaican went on to convert from the spot, beating RSL GK Nick Rimando for the first time on spot kicks this year – Rimando had saved all three previous PK attempts he has faced in 2014. Real Salt Lake was able to salvage a point however, after RSL FW Joao Plata equalized in the 81st minute for his eighth goal of the year. Real Salt Lake now sits third in the Western Conference with a 7-4-8 record and total of 29 points.
Thursday’s matchup between RSL and Montreal Impact will the first and only regular season meeting between the two sides this year. The Claret-and-Cobalt has only met the Quebec side twice in its history with both sides trading wins. The first meeting was held at Rio Tinto Stadium on April 4, 2012 resulting in a 1-0 win for the home side. Montreal enacted revenge the following year, staging a late comeback to win 3-2 at Stade Saputo on May 11, 2013. In the last meeting, Captain Kyle Beckerman put RSL up 2-1 with a 77th minute goal, but the Claret-and-Cobalt couldn’t hold the lead, with Montreal FW Marco Di Vaio equalizing from an offside position in the 80th minute before Impact DF Matteo Ferrari found the winner in the 93rd.
Real Salt Lake will still be without its all-time leading scorer FW Alvaro Saborio on Pioneer Day. The Costa Rican international is still recovering from a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot. The Claret-and-Cobalt has missed the deadly forward with RSL only scoring five goals in its last eight matches and suffering four shutouts in that time frame.
Montreal enters Thursday’s match coming off a 2-1 loss at Columbus Crew on July 19th – its third straight loss in MLS play. Montreal has struggled mightily this year, posting a 3-10-5 record for a total of 14 points. The Impact are currently in last place in the Eastern Conference.
A very limited number of tickets to the Pioneer Day match remain. Tickets be purchased at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake v. Montreal Impact
- Kickoff: 8:00 p.m. MT v. Montreal Impact
- TV: CW30
- English Radio: ESPN700 AM (Pregame begins at 7:00 p.m. MT)
- Spanish Radio: 102.3 La Gran D FM
- Online: The @RealSaltLake Twitter Feed will provide match updates
Game Guide for Thursday’s RSL-MTL Match Now Available Online
Following is the link to the Adobe PDF version of the MLS Game Guide in advance of Thursday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and Montreal Impact. If you have any problems obtaining the document, would prefer to receive it as an attachment, or are seeking more information on the match, please contact PR Coordinator Jane Sexton in the RSL Communications Department via email at jsexton@realsaltlake.com.
Click here to download the PDF version of the MLS Game Guide for Thursday’s RSL-MTL matchup
RSL History v. MTL
The Claret-and-Cobalt has only met the Quebec side twice in its history with both sides trading wins. The first meeting was held at Rio Tinto Stadium on April 4, 2012 resulting in a 1-0 win for the home side. Montreal enacted revenge the following year, staging a late comeback to win 3-2 at Stade Saputo on May 11, 2013. In the last meeting, Captain Kyle Beckerman put RSL up 2-1 with a 77th minute goal, but the Claret-and-Cobalt couldn’t hold the lead, with Montreal FW Marco Di Vaio equalizing from an offside position in the 80th minute before Impact DF Matteo Ferrari found the winner in the 93rd.
RSL will host Montreal at Rio Tinto Stadium for the second time ever. The Claret-and-Cobalt is currently undefeated at home against the Canadian side.
