HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, September 16, 2022) – Real Salt Lake (11-10-10, 43 pts, 7th West) returns home this weekend with a quick turnaround to Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. MT kickoff at newly-minted America First Field against visiting FC Cincinnati (10-8-12, 42 pts, 6th East), the Claret-and-Cobalt’s penultimate 2022 MLS reg. season match critical to the crowded MLS Cup Playoff qualification race.
RSL is unbeaten in five of its last seven contests, posting a 2W-2L-3T mark since mid-August. However, back-to-back-to-back shutouts suffered Wednesday at Austin, last Saturday at home to D.C. United and at LAFC on Sept. 4 sees RSL without a goal in three consecutive matches for the first time in five seasons, since an April/May span back in 2017.
Despite earning just five points in its last five games, RSL remains above the line in the West, owning the seventh-best points-per-game average amidst a very crowded table in the race for the MLS Cup Playoffs. Seven teams occupy 3rd – 9th places in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference, separated by just 10 points, with anywhere from three-to-five games remaining, many of which against each other.
RSL kicked off the current three-game week with a disappointing 0-0 home draw against D.C. United on Saturday at America First Field, falling to 8W-2L-5T at home this season. Under Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s leadership, RSL is now 12-4-5 (W-L-T) on Utah soil against MLS opponents, boasting an impressive 10-1-5 “bounceback” record in games following losses during the Mastroeni era. Tickets for Saturday’s match against visiting FC Cincinnati are available for what should be RSL’s 16th consecutive sellout on State Street can be purchased at www.RSL.com/tickets.
