SANDY, Utah (Friday, August 11, 2017) – Real Salt Lake (7-12-5, 26 points, West #8) kicks off the first of two-consecutive road games in the Nation’s Capitol Saturday evening at 5:00 p.m. MT against D.C. United at RFK Stadium in what is likely the club’s final visit to the historic venue, with D.C.’s Audi Field opening in 2018. RSL is 0-7-3 all-time in reg. season and Open Cup play at RFK since 2005, East Capitol Street the lone MLS locale in which the Claret-and-Cobalt has played three or more games but never won.
RSL Head Coach Mike Petke – who played 64 reg. season and playoff games for D.C. United in 2003-05, starting and playing the full 390 minutes in D.C.’s four-game run to winning MLS Cup 2004 – looks to move his team closer to the red line in the tightly-packed Western Conference with the full three points Saturday. RSL seeks to extend its active unbeaten streak to six on Saturday, the club exploding for 13 goals and posting a 2-0-3 record in the last month of action, last failing to secure at least a point back on June 30.
Real Salt Lake is now 7-9-3 since April 8 in its new era under Head Coach Mike Petke, the club securing three points after draws in each of its three consecutive games in the last 20 days at Rio Tinto Stadium. RSL has hosted a trio of three-game homestands in its 13-year history to this juncture, securing seven of a possible nine points in 2016 (Dallas, Colorado, LA Galaxy), five of nine in 2014 (Vancouver, Montreal, Red Bulls) and only four of nine in 2006 (Dallas, Chivas, D.C. United) at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake @ D.C. United – Sat., August 12, 2017
- Coverage Begins: 4:30 p.m. MT
- Local TV: KMYU – David James and Jay Nolly
- English Radio: ESPN700 AM (7:00 p.m. MT) – Bill Riley w/ Jeremy Horton & Spencer Warne (pre-/post-game)
- Spanish Radio: 102.3 La Gran D FM / 1600 AM – Nelson Moran & Fernando Hortal
- Online: The @RSLmatchday Twitter feed provides updates
Game Notes for Saturday’s RSL @ D.C. United game Available Online
The link to the Adobe PDF version of the Game Guide in advance of Saturday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and D.C. United is available HERE.
Elsewhere in the RSL pyramid, the scintillating 2017 Real Monarchs / USL season continues Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium, as Head Coach Mark Briggs’ USL pacesetters – with a 15-3-3 mark and a league-leading 48 points – kick off a run that sees three of their next four games at home following last week’s 0-2 loss at OKC Energy.
The third-year Monarchs claim the league’s top goal differential, +22 with 44 goals scored and 22 allowed in just 21 games, occupying first place overall in the USL with an incredible 15-3-3 start and 48 points, seven clear of San Antonio FC atop the West and 8 ahead of Charlotte in the race for home-field advantage in the 2017 USL Cup Playoffs.
The Monarchs return to Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday, August 12 vs. the Colorado Springs Switchbacks (7:00 p.m. MT kickoff) with sights set on extending its 11-game unbeaten home streak dating back to last year. The Rio Tinto Stadium box office is open Mon.-Fri., 10a-6p; more information can be found online at www.RSL.com/Tickets. Current or interested RSL Royalty Season Ticket Members can purchase extra tickets at preferred pricing or gain assistance via the Fan Relations Hotline at 801-727-2702.
Opening on August 22 of this year, the Zions Bank Real Academy training campus arrives in Herriman, Utah, approximately 20 minutes southwest of Rio Tinto Stadium. The $72 million facility, which sees the first of five grass “TORO Fields” sodded today – will serve as the daily training home beginning in 2018 for both of the club's professional teams – RSL (MLS) and Real Monarchs (USL) – while centralizing the club's U-18, U-16 and future U-14 development academy youth selections. The Herriman facility will provide adjacencies for an on-site charter school opening soon, with STEM disciplines (Science/Technology/Engineering/Math) for nearly 300 boys and girls.
Late last year in North Logan, Utah, RSL Owner Dell Loy Hansen broke ground on the first of a half-dozen regional training centers across Utah and Arizona to be built in the next 2-3 years. Each $5 million RTC houses a classroom, as well as an indoor and outdoor field, dedicated to fulfilling a curriculum consistent with the club's vision and mission for youth soccer training and education, and the continued development of both recreational and competitive pre-Academy (ages 7-12) initiatives across Utah and Arizona.
