LAFC vs. Real Salt Lake
Wednesday, August 26, 2020
6:30pm PT
TV: YouTube TV, Estrella TV
RADIO: ESPN LA 710AM, ESPN App, KFWB 980 AM
The Club’s last match against its bitter rival, the Galaxy, on Aug. 22 was a bitter pill to swallow for an LAFC squad that had all signs trending upward in advance of the latest MLS Regular Season restart. The Club was undefeated on the season and had their star and reigning MLS MVP Carlos Vela returning to the pitch, but it was the Galaxy who came away with the 2-0 win and a measure of revenge in the process. Up next the boys in Black & Gold will be facing a familiar Western Conference foe in Real Salt Lake, and after the poor showing against Galaxy, are primed for an opportunity for a reset of their own.
In four regular season matchups between the two clubs, LAFC has dominated the regular season series against Salt Lake, winning all matches with a whopping combined +8 goal differential. However, LAFC fans and supporters will not forget RSL’s only victory over the Black & Gold, when they sent LAFC home in their first-ever MLS Cup playoff game that featured this goal from midfielder Damir Kreilach.
Real Salt Lake is a club that has had its ups and downs in the 2020 MLS Regular Season, but interestingly only has one loss on the season, a 2-0 defeat at the hands of conference-leading Sporting KC in MLS Is Back group play. RSL opened this year with two draws against Orlando City SC and the New York Red Bulls, respectively, before embarking on an MLS Is Back journey that saw them advance past the group stages but suffer a 5 – 2 defeat against the San Jose Earthquakes in the Round of 16. RSL currently sits sixth place in the Western Conference with 9 points overall after walloping the Colorado Rapids 4 -1 last week in their first game of the regular season restart.
The Black & Gold opened this year with a win over expansion Inter Miami FC and a draw against the Philadelphia Union before the season was suspended on March 12th as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the MLS Is Back Tournament, the Black & Gold were sent home by Orlando City SC in the Quarterfinals by way of penalties, but not before picking up five regular season points in the group stage with ties against Houston and Portland and a win over the Galaxy. The Club suffered its first regular season loss last weekend and currently sits in fifth place in the Western Conference with 9 points overall.
REAL SALT LAKE IN-DEPTH
This Salt Lake roster is led by a head coach in Freddy Juarez, who came through the ranks of its Youth Academy program, and features a mix of MLS veterans and a highly capable, young backline. On the defensive side, the oft-pressing team has been successful in limiting opposition passing percentages, limiting counter attacking shots and chances and defending set pieces. Offensively, they have been plagued by inconsistency, but still have one of the best finishers in the league in Damir Kreilach when the opportunities present themselves.
TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Recently in MLS, much has been made of younger, talented homegrown players “making the leap,” taking their game to the next level and finding themselves among the stars of the league. This year it looks like RSL has a star in the making in forward Corey Baird. Baird is dangerous on the attacking side, and because of his threatening speed can stretch and cause headaches on the defensive end as well. Moreover, he is a quality finisher that LAFC must keep an eye out for throughout the match.
LAFC WILL WIN IF…
The Club can adapt its set piece defending. In LAFC’s last two matches, they have been plagued by costly goals directly coming from opponents' set pieces. More importantly though, the Black & Gold will have to find it within themselves to bounce back from an uncharacteristically disappointing match vs. the Galaxy. Whatever the issue is, LAFC head coach Bob Bradley is intent on figuring things out.
“We had so few guys that played in the way that they normally play,” Bradley said. “So to have a terrible game like that in a derby, obviously, is something where we're looking hard at ourselves as coaches and thinking about all the details in terms of how we've been training lately, why certain guys are not in the form that they need to be.”
REAL SALT LAKE CAN WIN IF…
They are able to finish their limited chances. Remember the last (and only) time RSL found a victory over LAFC, a 3-2 victory in the opening round of the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs. RSL did not control or even outplay LAFC’s squad, but Kreilach made the most of two shots that found their way into the net. It’s worth noting again that RSL can find success if LAFC continues to struggle on set pieces, and in the air in general.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT…
LAFC will still be without their 2019 MLS Best XI midfielder Eduard Atuesta, and how the Club manages its rotation in the midfield will have a strong bearing on the outcome of the game. In their last match against the Galaxy, the Club’s midfield struggles were in stark contrast to the pace controlling manner in which they usually operate.
Be on the lookout for LAFC’s newest attacking threat, Bradley Wright-Phillips. Wright-Phillips couldn’t be further from being “new” to the league, though, as the MLS veteran approaches two major MLS milestones. He is 27 minutes away from reaching 15,000 and one appearance from reaching 200 in MLS regular season play.
