MATCH 7: REAL SALT LAKE vs COLORADO RAPIDS (APRIL 21, 2018)
Starting XI:Nick Rimando; Brooks Lennon, Justen Glad, Nick Besler, Danilo Acosta; Kyle Beckerman ©, Damir Kreilach; Jefferson Savarino, Albert Rusnák, Joao Plata; Luis Silva.
Bench:Connor Sparrow, Adam Henley, Aaron Herrera, Sunny, Pablo Ruiz, Corey Baird, Alfredo Ortuno.
Lineup notes:
·Three changes to the starting lineup after a 4-0 defeat to New York City FC on April 11 in the Bronx. Nick Besler replaces the injured David Horst (knee), Danilo Acosta makes his first start of the season at left back in place of Adam Henley and Joao Plata returns to the starting lineup in place of Corey Baird.
·Connor Sparrow moves into the bench to replace Alex Horwath, who suffered an Achilles injury in training late this week. Sparrow had flown to Tampa to play on loan with Real Monarchs before returning to Utah.
·Injury list: Jordan Allen (knee), Shawn Barry (knee), Tony Beltran (knee), David Horst (knee), Alex Horwath (Achilles), Luke Mulholland (hamstring), Taylor Peay (knee) and Demar Phillips (ankle).
·Two players are playing on loan with Real Monarchs in their road match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday in Florida. Jose Hernandez and Ricky Lopez-Espin are both slated to be in uniform for the 4-0-0 Monarchs.
·GK Nick Rimando (USA/22 caps/38 years old/6 games, 6 starts (458, 458)/2-3-1 (198-153-107), 2.33 GAA/D.C. United) – Now just two wins away from being the first player in MLS history to reach 200 career wins.
·RB Brooks Lennon (USA/0 caps/20 years old/5 games, 4 starts (30, 19)/0 goals, 1 assists (3, 5)/Liverpool (England)/HGP) – Scored two goals with one assist in three matches against the Rapids last year.
·RCB Justen Glad (USA/0 caps/21 years old/6 games, 6 starts (59, 57)/0 goals, 0 assists (2, 1)/RSL Academy/HGP) – Making his 25th consecutive start since returning from injury and international duty last June. RSL is 11-8-5 in the 24 previous starts.
·LCB Nick Besler (24 years old/0 games, 0 starts (0, 0)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Real Monarchs) – Making his MLS debut after starting in all three appearances with Real Monarchs in the USL this season. He has 25 regular season appearances for the Monarchs over the last two seasons after serving as captain for the USL regular season champions in 2017.Becomes the seventh player to make his MLS debut for RSL this season, joining Corey Baird, Shawn Barry, Adam Henley, Damir Kreilach, Alfredo Ortuno and Pablo Ruiz.
·LB Danny Acosta (USA/0 caps/20 years old/1 game, 0 starts (18, 16)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 2)/Real Salt Lake Academy/HGP) – Making his first start of 2018 after appearing in 17 matches last season for RSL and 21 in 2015-2016 for Real Monarchs in the USL.
·DM Kyle Beckerman (USA/58 caps/35 years old/6 games, 6 starts (438, 409)/0 goals, 0 assists (40, 49)/Colorado Rapids) – Making his 24th career appearance against the Rapids, all with Real Salt Lake. He also has 10 starts for the Rapids against Real Salt Lake from his time with Colorado prior to moving to the Utah side of the Rocky Mountain Cup derby in 2007. Has played in 33 of the 40 all-time regular season matches between the two clubs.
·CM Damir Kreilach (28 years old/6 games, 6 starts (6, 6)/0 goals, 1 assist (0, 1)/Union Berlin (Germany)/TAM) – Picked up his first MLS assist on RSL’s game-winning goal against Vancouver on April 7.
·RW Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela/1 cap/21 years old/6 games, 6 starts (28, 25)/1 goals, 1 assist (7, 6)/Zulia (Venezuela)/DP) – Scored his first goal of the season on the game-winner against Vancouver on April 7.
·CAM Albert Rusnák (Slovakia/10 caps, 1 goal/23 years old/6 games, 6 starts (36, 35)/1 goals, 1 assist (8, 15)/FC Groningen (Holland)/DP) – Notched one assist in three matches against Colorado last season.
·LW Joao Plata (Ecuador/4 caps, 2 goals/26 years old/3 games, 3 starts (172, 146)/2 goals, 0 assists (42, 40)/Toronto FC/TAM) – Making his return to the starting lineup for the first time since facing Toronto FC on March 30. Has five goals and three assists in 13 career matches against Colorado.
·FW Luis Silva (29 years old/5 games, 5 starts (143, 104)/1 goal, 0 assists (28, 16)/Tigres (Mexico)) – Has four goals and two assists in seven career matches against Colorado, including two goals in four matches in an RSL uniform.
Bench:
·GK Connor Sparrow (23 years old/0 games, 0 starts (0, 0)/0-0-0 (0-0-0)/Real Monarchs) – Had seven shutouts in 18 appearances last year for Real Monarchs in the USL, leading the Monarchs to the USL regular season title. Earned a shutout in his only appearance for Real Monarchs thus far in 2018 in a 1-0 win over Phoenix Rising.
·DF Aaron Herrera (20 years old/0 games, 0 starts (0, 0)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/University of New Mexico) – Earning a spot in the 18-man roster for the first time in his MLS career. Made his professional debut on April 7, playing 62 minutes in a 1-0 win for Real Monarchs against Phoenix Rising in the USL.
·DF Adam Henley (Wales/2 caps/23 years old/2 games, 1 start (2, 1)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Blackburn Rovers (England)) – Made his first MLS start at left back against New York City FC on April 11. Came to RSL after seven seasons with Blackburn Rovers in England.
·MF Sunny (Nigeria/1 cap/29 years old/3 games, 0 starts (39, 33)/0 goals, 0 assists (1, 2)/Alanyaspor (Turkey)) – Came off the bench to help seal the win over Vancouver on Saturday.
·MF Pablo Ruiz (Argentina/Chile/0 caps/19 years old/1 game, 0 starts (1, 0)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/San Luis (Chile)) – Made his MLS debut coming off the bench against NYCFC on April 11. Has two starts on loan with Real Monarchs in the USL, earning one assist in 129 minutes to help the Monarchs to two wins to start the season.
·FW Corey Baird (22 years old/4 games, 2 starts (4, 2)/1 goal, 1 assist (1, 1)/Stanford/HGP) – Earned an assist in his first MLS start on April 7 against Vancouver, giving him 2 goals and 1 assist in five professional matches, including a goal in his lone start with Real Monarchs in the USL.
·FW Alfredo Ortuno (27 years old/3 games, 1 start (3, 1)/0 goals, 0 assists (0, 0)/Cadiz (Spain)/TAM) – Made his first MLS start against the Red Bulls on March 17. Came to RSL after scoring 17 goals in 40 matches in the 2016-17 season for Cadiz in Spain.
Storylines:
·RSL is unbeaten all-time against Colorado at Rio Tinto Stadium at 9-0-4, outscoring the Rapids 25-6 at the RioT.
·Real Salt Lake has won the Rocky Mountain Cup in nine of the last 11 seasons, including in both 2016 and 2017.
