Real Salt Lake vs Sporting Kansas City: Preview and How To Watch
Real Salt Lake go on the road to face rivals Sporting Kansas City in a Western Conference showdown. Here are some things to watch.
One of the most heated rivalries in MLS gets ready for the 24th edition as Real Salt Lake head to Children’s Mercy Park to face Sporting Kansas City. Both clubs are looking to quickly move on from losses last weekend, as well as earn points against their conference foes. The bragging rights will just be icing on the cake. Here’s what we’ll be looking out for.
Sporting Kansas City
- Record: 3-1-3
- Last time out: Lost 1-0 at Dallas
- Player to Watch For: Benny Feilhaber. This isn’t Benny’s first rodeo. The midfield veteran has seen plenty of RSL during his time with Sporting, but this one should be a little different. While Sporting boasts one of the best defenses thus far into the 2017 season, the attack has struggled. Benny has had a slow start as well. After 10 goals and 15 assist in 2015, followed by seven goals and 13 assists in 2016, Feilhaber hasn’t been able to have the same impact through seven games in 2017, mostly due to injury. With SKC having only scored six goals this season (with five of them coming in two games), look for Benny to get things going against an RSL defense at the end of their rope.
- Why They Win: Sporting’s defense has only allowed three goals so far this season. They are tied for the league best with FC Dallas, who got one themselves against SKC last week. The other two goals both came in the waning minutes of injury time. Ike Opara and Matt Besler have arguably been the top centerback pairing in the league through seven games. The back line could give the RSL attack headaches, who are still trying to find cohesion. If the SKC defense is able to keep RSL off the board, Sporting will have a great chance for three points at home.
- Why They Won’t: While the SKC defense is leading the league in goals allowed, the attack is doing the opposite. Only Colorado have scored less goals (5) than SKC (6). With three of those goals coming against Colorado and two against San Jose, the attack will need to do better at scoring with consistency.
- Predicted Starting XI:
Real Salt Lake
- Record: 2-4-2
- Last Time Out: Lost at home to Atlanta, 3-1
- Player to Watch For: Yura Movsisyan. The RSL attack could be thinned even further this week, increasing the pressure on forward Yura Movsisyan. With two of the three goals scored on Sporting this year coming from scrums inside the box (the third came from a PK, following a scrum in the box), Yura will need to be ready to slot one home amid the chaos.
- Why They Win: Defensive miscues got the best of RSL against Atlanta United last weekend, handing head coach Mike Petke his first loss since taking over. A turnover also led to a goal against Colorado the week prior, but Real was able to battle back for three points on the road. If the defense is able to tighten things up against an SKC side struggling to score goals, they have a chance to maintain their dominance at Children’s Mercy Park, where the haven’t lost since falling on PK’s in the 2013 MLS Cup.
- Why They Won’t: The RSL injury list is a sight to behold. With regulars Nick Rimando, Joao Plata, Aaron Maund, Sunny, Jordan Allen, Tony Beltran, and Chris Wingert all likely to miss the match, RSL will have to test their depth even further. It doesn’t help that Justen Glad still isn’t ready to make his 2017 debut, plus Chad Barrett and David Horst are recovering from knee surgeries. While the team will still come out trying to earn a result, it’s not hard to look past the final score as the team tries to get healthy.
- Predicted Starting XI:
Score Prediction
Next: MLS Week 8 Attendance Figures
How to Watch
Where: Children’s Mercy Park. Kansas City, Kansas
When: Saturday, April 29, 2017. 8:30 EST
Channel: KMYU, FOX Sports KC, MLS Live