Real Salt Lake’s dominance at home was the backbone of their run to last year’s Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, and the Utah side aim to keep Rio Tinto Stadium a fortress as they open their 2019 home slate with a visit from the new-look Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday (6 pm ET | TSN1 — Full TV & streaming info).
RSL racked up an 11-2-4 record on familiar turf last season, and coach Mike Petke told media this week that his squad is feeling good in the wake of a 1-1 draw at Houston in Week 1.
“We feel comfortable at home. A lot of teams come in and sit in a bit, and as opposed to the previous year, we found ways to break them down and get behind them,” said Petke. “All those things have to continue. Guys are in good attitudes, good spirits right now after a very good result on the road, and how we played.”
Meanwhile the Whitecaps travel to the Wasatch Front on the back of a 3-2 home loss to Minnesota United in their season opener, and there’s an element of unpredictability as new coach Marc Dos Santos leads a dramatically overhauled roster into a new era.
“We did get a look at them in preseason, two games in preseason in Hawaii, and obviously we really broke down their game against Minnesota last weekend. They do have a lot of new guys, which maybe this is a good opportunity for us – this is a strange league for players from the outside to come in and get used to right away,” said Petke.
“But they’re a talented team, they have an excellent coach and I’m sure after last weekend’s loss at home, they’re going to look to rebound strongly. But again, it comes down to us and us setting the tone at home.”
Petke took care to express his high regard for Dos Santos, who carries an extensive resume of success in the lower divisions and as an assistant coach into his first MLS gig as a top dog.
“I know Marc very well, I have a lot of respect for him, I think he's a very good coach. he has his own style of play,” said RSL’s leader. “I know Marc's mentality, and I know he's going to have these guys up for this game.”
Salt Lake have several new faces themselves, and a key focus remains the central pairing of veteran No. 6Kyle Beckerman with Everton Luiz, the physical Brazilian who arrived in Utah on loan from Serie A side SPAL over the winter to partner him at the base of midfield.
“At times it could've been very good for us in that last game, but we didn't find them enough. They did the right things a lot of times to get open so we could break lines,” said Petke of the pair. “Defensively, Kyle now has somebody next to him, when they play together, that likes to hit people as much as Kyle does, and that's a good thing to have in that position.”
Said Beckerman of Luiz: “He's showed already he's a player who plays for the team and he's doing what's best for the team. All in all, solid from him.”
