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SANDY — Real Salt Lake traveled north to Canada on Friday in preparation to face Major League Soccer Western Conference opponent the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, where the injury-ridden Salt Lake club roster will look for its first ever win in the country.
In its previous two seasons, since the Whitecaps joined the league, the Salt Lake club hasn’t left Vancouver with a victory. In the 2012 season, RSL went 1-1-1 against the Whitecaps, posting its sole victory with the Vancouver-based club inside the walls of its fortress at Rio Tinto Stadium. The Salt Lake club has also never posted a win when facing the other two MLS Canadian teams' turf, Toronto FC and Montreal.
With 11 players listed on the injury report — two out and nine questionable — many of which have been regulars this season, RSL enters the match against the Whitecaps a little short-handed.
The two listed as out are midfielders Cole Grossman (concussion) and Sebastian Velasquez (right hand fracture), which occurred Thursday during training when he was hit by a shot.
Velasquez underwent surgery Thursday night and could return as early as April 20 for the Salt Lake club.
Also listed on the injury report for the Salt Lake side as questionable in Saturday’s match are forwards Robbie Findley (left adductor strain), Alvaro Saborio (right knee swelling), Joao Plata (right hamstring strain), midfielders Javier Morales (right knee menisectomy), David Viana (right quad strain), Khari Stephenson (left knee strain) and defenders Rich Balchan (left groin strain), Carlos Salcedo (concussion) and Chris Wingert (right foot fracture).
The Claret and Cobalt enter the match 2-3-1 and seven points on the season, just off a 1-0 road loss last weekend against the Colorado Rapids, which put the Salt Lake club 1-3-0 on the road this season. The Whitecaps, who are 2-2-1 on the season, also sit at seven points.
The Salt Lake side could face Whitecap forward Paulo Junior, who wore the Claret and Cobalt uniform for three seasons from 2010-12. The Vancouver club acquired Paulo when he was picked up during the MLS Re-Entry Draft on Dec. 14, 2012. Paulo has yet to see any minutes for the Whitecaps this season.
The Claret and Cobalt will return to its fortress, Rio Tinto Stadium, for a three-game road stint. RSL will kick off the triple-game road stint hosting Chivas USA April 20, followed by the Los Angeles Galaxy April 27 and the Whitecaps May 4.
Kira Terry is a sports writer covering Real Salt Lake for KSL.com. Follow her on Twitter, @kiraterry.
