Javier Morales
SANDY, Utah (Friday, May 5, 2017) – Real Salt Lake (2-5-2, 8th West) returns home to Rio Tinto Stadium this weekend to face West rival FC Dallas (4-0-3, t-2nd West) Saturday night. Fans are encouraged to arrive early prior to the game’s 7:30 p.m. MT kickoff, in order to witness a special pre-game ceremony to honor former RSL and current Dallas midfielder Javier Morales, in his first visit to Utah since departing the club last November.
Kyle Beckerman (Photo: Rob Gray)
Morales, who tallied 49 goals and added 81 assists in his 10 seasons with RSL from 2007-16, has one goal for Dallas in his 240 minutes played thus far in 2017. The Argenine “maestro” joins four current RSL players – Captain Kyle Beckerman, GK Nick Rimando, DF Chris Wingert and DF Tony Beltran – to have called RSL home for 10 or more seasons. The pre-game ceremony will be held at midfield at approximately 7:15 p.m. MT.
Tony Beltran
RSL and Dallas split the three meetings between the teams a year ago, RSL falling at Dallas, 0-2, in the first contest last June. RSL rebounded with a pair of unbeaten home games to improve to 1-1-1 against Oscar Pareja’s team, including a 1-0 home win last August, when a Jamison Olave header combined with a Nick Rimando clean sheet for the full three points. Weeks later, RSL and Dallas drew 0-0 in the third and final meeting of 2016, with yet another Nick Rimando shutout providing a point.
How to Follow Real Salt Lake v. FC Dallas – Sat., May 6, 2017
- Coverage Begins: 7:00 p.m. MT
- Local TV: KMYU – David James and Brian Dunseth
- English Radio: ESPN700 AM (6:30 p.m. MT) – Bill Riley, Jay Nolly, Spencer Warne & Jeremy Horton
- Spanish Radio: 102.3 La Gran D FM / 1600 AM – Nelson Moran & Fernando Hortal
- Online: The @RSLmatchday Twitter feed provides updates
Game Guide for Saturday’s RSL v DAL game Available Online
The link to the Adobe PDF version of the Game Guide in advance of Saturday’s contest between Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas is available at this link. If you have any problems obtaining the document, would prefer to receive it as an attachment, or are seeking more information on the match, please contact Matt Gaschk in the RSL Communications Department via email at mgaschk@RSL.com.
Saturday’s game will be televised locally via KMYU (coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. MT on 2.2 air / 12 satellite / 643 Comcast HD) with David James and Brian Dunseth on the call, and can also heard live via RSL outlets ESPN700 AM (English radio coverage starts at 5:30 p.m. MT w/ Bill Riley, Jay Nolly, Spencer Warne & Jeremy Horton) & 102.3 FM / 1600 AM (Spanish, Fernando Hortal & Nelson Moran).
Head Coach Mike Petke
Under new Head Coach Mike Petke, RSL’s fourth head coach in the last 13 Major League Soccer seasons, the Claret-and-Cobalt have suffered back-to-back losses following two consecutive wins to start his tenure.
Four weeks ago, in Petke’s debut, RSL endured the elements to notch a 3-0 home win over Vancouver at a snowy Rio Tinto Stadium. Slovakian MF Albert Rusnák scored his first MLS goal with what proved to be the game-winner early in a snowy second half, then assisted on goals by Movsisyan – who has now scored in four of his last six games – and Mulholland to help RSL snap a 12-game winless streak in MLS regular-season play.
Albert Rusnák (Photo Rob Gray)
Back on March 21, it was announced that world power Manchester United would visit Utah for the first time ever, facing RSL at Rio Tinto Stadium on Monday, July 17. RSL “Royalty” Season Ticket Members have exclusive access to this game, with the ability to secure their seats and/or extra tickets (limit of four) until next Monday, May 8. MT. Pro-rated 13-game Season Ticket packages for Real Salt Lake’s 2017 campaign at Rio Tinto Stadium remain on sale; please visit www.RSL.com/tickets/royalty or call 844.Real.Tix for more information.
The Rio Tinto Stadium box office is open Mon.-Fri., 10a-6p; more information can be found online at www.RSL.com/Tickets. Current or interested RSL Royalty Season Ticket Members can purchase extra tickets at preferred pricing or gain assistance via the Fan Relations Hotline at 801-727-2702.