Minnesota United FC vs. Real Salt Lake | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Minnesota United FC vs. Real Salt Lake
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 20
TCF Bank Stadium — Minneapolis
July 14 - 8 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

Coming off consecutive home wins over a pair of Western Conference leaders, Real Salt Lake are hoping that translates to road success on Saturday when they face a Minnesota United FC side that has lost three of their last four.

The Loons return home, where they are 5-3-1, following a 3-0 defeat to the Houston Dynamo on the weekend to face an RSL side that is 1-7-1 away from Rio Tinto Stadium this season.

Minnesota United

An emotional 4-3 win over Toronto FC was followed by a 3-0 loss to the Dynamo on Saturday and it was more of the same for the Loons, who conceded twice off set pieces on Philippe Senderos’ brace before Alberth Elis added a stoppage-time goal.

The Loons made some immediate news when the Secondary Transfer Window opened on Tuesday, signing Ecuadorian winger Romario Ibarra and then Colombian forward Angelo Rodriguez as their second Designated Player.

“He is a big-time player,” Adrian Heath said of Rodriguez in a statement. “We have just added a difference-maker to our roster. He’s a player who is physical, skilled and knows how to score. He holds up the ball well and is also able to turn and run at defenders. He causes stress on defenses by closing down and pressing. He has seen some of the best competition in Colombia and has stepped up in big moments. We are thrilled to bring another valuable addition to Minnesota.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: M - Ibson
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: M - Sam Cronin (cervicogenic dysfunction), M - Kevin Molino (torn left ACL), M - Ethan Finlay (torn ACL), F - Abu Danladi (left leg injury), D - Jerome Thiesson (right leg injury); QUESTIONABLE: D - Marc Burch (left knee injury)

Projected Starting XI
(3-5-2, right to left)
GK: Bobby Shuttleworth — Michael Boxall, Brent Kallman, Francisco Calvo — Miguel Ibarra, Ibson, Collen Warner, Rasmus Schuller, Alexi Gomez — Christian Ramirez, Darwin Quintero

Real Salt Lake

No team impressed more last week than Real Salt Lake (9-8-2), who followed up a 4-2 win over Sporting Kansas City with a 2-0 victory over FC Dallas Saturday at the RioT.

Albert Rusnak opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Kellyn Acosta clipped Sebastian Saucedo in the box. Then, after a headed clearance at the post on a Matt Hedges on-frame header, Jefferson Savarino set up Luis Silva’s stoppage-time insurance goal.

“We’ve been good at home. We’ve got results at home,” Mike Petke said. “Now the focus is Minnesota next week on the road. Any week you can get six points, two wins in a row, against the top team in the West on that day, it’s special and it’s a great feeling. The guys are already focusing on Minnesota.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Marcelo Silva, M - Kyle Beckerman
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Tony Beltran (right knee surgery), M - Jordan Allen (knee surgery), GK - Alex Horwath (Achilles surgery), D - Shawn Barry (knee injury), D - Demar Phillips (ankle injury), M - Luke Mulholland (back injury), D - David Horst (Achilles surgery), F - Ricky Lopez-Espin (knee surgery), GK - Connor Sparrow (knee injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Nick Rimando — Brooks Lennon, Marcelo Silva, Justen Glad, Danilo Acosta — Albert Rusnak, Kyle Beckerman, Damir Kreilach — Jefferson Savarino, Corey Baird, Sebastian Saucedo

All-Time Series

Overall: Minnesota United FC 1 win, 4 goals … Real Salt Lake 1 win, 3 goals … 0 draws
At Minnesota: Minnesota United 1 win, 4 goals … Real Salt Lake 0 wins, 2 goals
Last meeting at Minnesota: Minnesota United 4, Real Salt Lake 2 (April 1, 2017)