SANDY, UT (Friday, April 13, 2018) – Utah Royals FC (0-0-2, 2 pts., NWSL 5th place) inaugurates the home portion of its first-ever season Saturday afternoon by playing its third National Women’s Soccer League match in club history at 1:30 p.m. MT against the visiting Chicago Red Stars at Rio Tinto Stadium. The match marks the historic home opener for a club born less than 150 days ago, as acclaimed Head Coach Laura Harvey’s side begins a run that sees five of the team’s next six games on the Wasatch Front.
Following a pair of road draws at Houston (0-0, March 30) and at Orlando (1-1, March 24), the Utah Royals FC return home Saturday includes Carnival Real on the Stadium’s East Side at 12 noon (featuring a pre-game concert from local band “Royal Bliss”) and triple-platinum recording artist Rachel Platten to sing the national anthem and provide a post-game concert.
This week’s home match occurs on the backside of a FIFA international break, as six players – Captain Becky Sauerbrunn (USA), MF Desiree Scott & FW Diana Matheson (Canada), MF Gunny Jonsdottir (Iceland), FW Elise Thorsnes (Norway) and DF Rachel Corsie (Scotland) – have returned to the club’s fold this week. Australian MF Katrina Gorry helped her nation clinch a berth in the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 with today’s 1-1 draw with Japan, and will arrive in Utah in late April.
How to Follow Utah Royals FC v. Chicago Red Stars – Sat., April 14, 2018
Coverage Begins: 1:30 p.m. MT
National TV: Lifetime TV (Comcast 664 HD) / DirecTV 252 / Dish 108
Digital Streaming (LIVE or outside Utah): Lifetime TV app orwww.myLifetime.com
Local Radio: ESPN700 AM (1:00 p.m. MT) w/ Greg Wrubell & Carla Haslam / Spencer Warne & Tom Hackett
Game Notes for Saturday’s URFC v. CHI game Available Online
The link to the Adobe PDF version of the Game Guide in advance of Saturday’s contest between Utah Royals FC and Chicago is available HERE. 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 Carla Haslam in the URFC Communications Department via email at chaslam@rsl.com.
Back on March 24 in Orlando, Utah Royals FC claimed its first-ever point against the heavily-favored Pride with a third-minute strike from MF Gunny Jonsdottir, the Iceland WNT captain. Assisted by Canadian international Diana Matheson, the goal came from an eight-pass buildup that started in the back and involved seven different players. Despite conceding a penalty conversion following a disputed handball call, Royals FC left Florida with a 1-1 draw and 90 minutes competed as a group. For her efforts, Jonsdottir’s strike was named the Week 1 NWSL Goal of the Week, as voted by fans.
In the club’s last match, GK Abby Smith and the Royals FC defense earned the clean sheet – Smith’s fourth of her young NWSL career – to procure yet another road point. Jonsdottir was denied the game-winning goal late by a brilliant Jane Campbell save, with the Erika Tymrak follow up sailing just wide.
Born less than five months ago and already supported by nearly 5,000 season ticket holders, Utah Royals FC tickets are available by calling 844.Real.Tix or visiting www.UtahRoyalsFC.com. The club’s 24-game regular season continues on national TV next week with a trip to North Carolina to face a stellar Courage team (Lifetime, 1:30p MT).
www.UtahRoyalsFC.com
