REAL SALT LAKE vs. COLORADO RAPIDS
RIO TINTO STADIUM, Sandy, Utah
June 7, 2015 (WEEK 14, MLS Game #145)
5 pm ET (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, TSN2)
It's the first meeting for the Rocky Mountain Cup this year as Real Salt Lake entertain the Colorado Rapids at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday evening. The long-time Western rivals are sitting in the final two places in the conference, separated by four points. Real return home off another road defeat, falling 2-1 at Vancouver Whitecaps FC last weekend. The Rapids fell to their second consecutive loss, the Portland Timbers hitting for a late winner in a 2-1 victory last weekend at Dickís Sporting Goods Park.
- Javier Morales scored his second goal directly from a free kick this season, but Real still suffered a second consecutive loss in a 2-1 defeat by Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday evening at BC Place.
- The Rapids have lost back-to-back games for the first time this season, the Portland Timbers hitting for a late winner in a 2-1 triumph Saturday evening at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
- Real won all three meetings between the teams a year ago. RSL took a 2-1 victory May 17 and a 5-1 win Aug. 19 – the biggest margin of victory in the all-time series – both at Rio Tinto Stadium; their 1-0 win Aug. 2 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park was the first by a road team in the Rocky Mountain Cup series since 2007.
- The rivals play for the Rocky Mountain Cup, a trophy awarded by the supporters groups of both teams. The rivalry has lived up to its billing in past seasons, as last-day results sent RSL into the MLS Cup Playoffs ahead of their Rocky Mountain rivals in 2008 (a last-minute RSL goal for a 1-1 tie) and 2009 (a 3-0 Real win). In 2007, the RSL win also ended the Rapids’ playoff hopes, though Real also did not qualify
REFEREE: Kevin Stott. AR1 (bench): Felisha Mariscal; AR2 (opposite): Paul Scott; 4th: Nima Saghafi
MLS Career: 266 games; FC/gm: 25.4; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 66; pens: 67
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SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: RSL: Kyle Beckerman, Abdoulie Mansally … COL: Sam Cronin
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: RSL: Jordan Allen, Luke Mulholland
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: RSL: Kyle Beckerman (USA; 6/5 vs Netherlands; 6/10 vs Germany); Nick Rimando (USA; 6/5 vs Netherlands; 6/10 vs Germany); Jordan Allen (US U-20); Boyd Okwuonu (US U-23) … COL: Dillon Serna, Shane OíNeill (US U-23 national team)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (31 meetings): Real 12 wins, 37 goals … Rapids 10 wins, 29 goals … Ties 9
AT SALT LAKE (16 meetings): Real 9 wins, 24 goals … Rapids 3 wins, 11 goals … Ties 4
FUTURE MATCHES: 7/11: Colorado Rapids vs. Real Salt Lake, 7 p.m. MT; 10/4: Colorado Rapids vs. Real Salt Lake, 5 p.m. MT (FS1)
LAST YEAR (MLS)
5/17: RSL 2, COL 1 (Plata 23; Morales 51 - Moor 83)
8/2: COL 0. RSL 1 (Morales 14)
9/19: RSL 5, COL 1 (Plata 32; Morales 33; Schuler 37; own goal 45; Salcedo 63 - Martin 21)
- Real won all three meetings between the teams a year ago. RSL took a 2-1 victory May 17 and a 5-1 win Aug. 19 ñ the biggest margin of victory in the all-time series - both at Rio Tinto Stadium; their 1-0 win Aug. 2 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park was the first by a road team in the Rocky Mountain Cup series since 2007.
- The rivals play for the Rocky Mountain Cup, a trophy awarded by the supporters groups of both teams. The rivalry has lived up to its billing in past seasons, as last-day results sent RSL into the MLS Cup Playoffs ahead of their Rocky Mountain rivals in 2008 (a last-minute RSL goal for a 1-1 tie) and 2009 (a 3-0 Real win). In 2007, the RSL win also ended the Rapidsí playoff hopes, though Real also did not qualify.
- Coaches record: Jeff Cassar vs. COL: P3 W3 L0 D0 … Pablo Mastroeni vs. RSL: P3 W0 L3 D0
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