SANDY, Utah (Friday, April 20, 2018) – Real Salt Lake (2-3-1, 7 pts, 7th West) continues its 14th Major League Soccer campaign Saturday night with a 7:00 p.m. MT kickoff against regional rival Colorado Rapids at Rio Tinto Stadium, in one of just two home games in a stretch that sees Head Coach Mike Petke’s side play five of seven MLS matches away from home.
Saturday’s broadcast coverage kicks off at 6:00p MT on ESPN700 AM with Bill Riley, Jay Nolly and Spencer Warne & Tom Hackett, while video streaming and broadcast begins at 6:30p MT on KMYU TV and the KSL digital streaming app, with David James and Brian Dunseth again joined by Samantha Yarock, RSL’s new pre- and post-game host and sideline reporter.
RSL is 12-3-5 at home in MLS competition against its regional rival, including a 9-0-4 all-time record at Rio Tinto Stadium. In Sandy, since 2009, RSL has outscored Colorado 23-6 on aggregate goals. The Colorado Rapids arrive in Utah Saturday having not won on the Wasatch Front since April, 2007 in MLS play (the Rapids did return to Rice-Eccles that May and won an Open Cup play-in game as well). Overall, the fan-created Rocky Mountain Cup series has seen RSL emerge victorious in 9 of the last 11 campaigns, with Colorado only winning in 2015, 2013 and 2005/06.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake v. Colorado Rapids – Sat., April 21, 2018
- Coverage Begins: 6:30 p.m. MT
- Local TV: KMYU – David James & Brian Dunseth w/ Samantha Yarock
- Digital Streaming: KSL TV app / KSL.com
- English Radio: ESPN 700 AM (6:00 p.m. MT) – Bill Riley & Jay Nolly w/ Tom Hackett & Spencer Warne (pre-/post-game)
- Spanish Radio: 104.7 /107.1 FM – Fernando Hortal, German Hortal & Carlos Artiles
Game Notes for Saturday’s RSL v. Colorado 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 Colorado Rapids 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 Matt Gaschk in the RSL Communications Department via email at mgaschk@RSL.com.
RSL Captain Kyle Beckerman – who arrived midseason in 2007 from the Rapids, in a trade for Mehdi Ballouchy – has won 11 of the 13 overall RMCs. Last year, rookie homegrown FW Brooks Lennon was the star of the series, scoring a late game-winner at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to give new HC Mike Petke his first road win for RSL, with Lennon also scoring in a midsummer home game against Colorado that saw the Claret-and-Cobalt win 4-1 to secure the Cup.
However, RSL’s 1-2 loss at Colorado in late October last year ultimately doomed Petke’s playoff hopes, the Rapids exacting some revenge for the 2007 / 2008 / 2009 season finales that saw RSL knock Colorado from MLS Cup Playoff contention. It was in that Oct. 15 loss at Colorado that saw Rapids FW Dominique Badji severely injure the knee of veteran RSL DF Tony Beltran, knocking out the perennial starter and frequent MLS All-Star right back until August.
All-time, RSL boasts a 17-15-10 mark against the Rapids, including a pair of Open Cup losses. RSL has outscored Colorado 32-16 in the 42 overall games, with former DF and current broadcaster Brian Dunseth providing the series’ first-ever goal on a diving game-winning header in a 1-0 victory back on April 16, 2005, in the club’s inaugural home game.
