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SANDY — Fresh off a midweek 3-3 draw in Portland, Real Salt Lake returns to its pitch inside Rio Tinto Stadium to finish off its three-game week hosting Major League Soccer Eastern Conference opponent the Columbus Crew Saturday.
The Eastern Conference foe comes to Rio Tinto Saturday night on a bit of a struggling season, currently with an 8-11-5 record and 29 points on its season thus far and sitting in eighth place in the East.
However, the Columbus side enters the weekend match on a two-game win streak at home its last two matches against Eastern Conference foes the New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC, and the Salt Lake club is aware of what that might bring.
“I think we’re expecting a really tough match,” RSL midfielder Cole Grossman told ESPN 700 Friday. “They have a lot of really good players over there and it’s been an up and down season for them, but I know all those guys and they’re good players and they’ve won two games in a row, so its going to be really tough. I think we’re excited again for an opportunity to get three points at home.”
The Claret and Cobalt enter the match sitting on top of the MLS Western Conference with 42 points and a 12-8-6 record on the season. RSL also still sits on top of the Supporter’s Shield standings with a three-point cushion ahead of four clubs that are tied in the second slot with 39 points — Sporting Kansas City, New York Red Bulls, Colorado Rapids and the Portland Timbers.
It’s a position the Salt Lake club is looking to keep in its pursuit for not only this season’s MLS Cup, but in its pursuit to win the Western Conference and Supporters Shield race as well.
“I’ve definitely never been in this position,” Grossman said of the Salt Lake club’s standings for both the West and the Supporter’s Shield. “I don’t think that many people have even probably had a chance at this. It’s really cool and I can’t really imagine a better squad of players to attempt to accomplish something like that — we’re really deep and the talent on this team is pretty remarkable.”
Last season, the two sides faced each other in Columbus, which was a match that resulted in a 2-0 win for the Eastern Conference side. Historically, the Salt Lake club posts a 4-10-1 record against the Columbus based club in MLS play.
RSL midfielder Yordany Alvarez won’t be available for the Salt Lake sideline boss due to a red card earned Wednesday in the Portland match, but Kreis will have RSL captain Kyle Beckerman back for selection after his once-game suspension that was served Wednesday.
Two additional regulars, goalkeeper Nick Rimando and forward Alvaro Saborio, who missed Wednesday’s match, may also be available for Kreis Saturday. Rimando missed the match due to flu-like symptoms and Saborio was out with a calf injury that was suffered in the club’s previous weekend match with the Galaxy.
Following Saturday’s match, the Claret and Cobalt will finish out its busiest month hosting the Portland Timbers, Aug. 30, for the second MLS meeting between the two sides this season and the third time across all competition. Kira Terry is a sports writer covering Real Salt Lake for KSL.com. Follow her on Twitter, @kiraterry.
