VANCOUVER, BC – After last weekend’s thrilling 2-2 draw against FC Dallas at BC Place and a midweek 2-0 home victory over FC Edmonton in the Amway Canadian Championship semifinals, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (2W-3L-3D) head on the road to take on Real Salt Lake (3W-4L-2D) in Sandy, Utah.
Saturday's match between Whitecaps FC and Real Salt Lake kicks off at 6 p.m. PT and is live on Sportsnet Pacific and Bell mobile devices. 'Caps fans can also listen to Saturday afternoon’s match live on TEAM 1410 radio andteamradio.ca, starting with the pre-game show at 4 p.m. PT. TEAM 1410 will also have a two-hour post-game show, which will begin following the match.
*Where is the best place to watch on Saturday? Come to the official Whitecaps FC Viewing Party hosted by 'Caps legend Carl Valentine, starting at 5:30 p.m. PT at the St. Regis Hotel - 602 Dunsmuir St, Vancouver. Mingle with your fellow supporters, win prizes, and enjoy the match!
Whitecaps FC face Real Salt Lake for the second time this season after drawing 1-1 at BC Place on April, 13. Only two points and two places separate the Western Conference sides.
WHITECAPS FC
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<strong>'Caps prepare for RSL</strong> |
The 'Caps are coming off of a 2-0 victory against FC Edmonton in the second leg of their Amway Canadian Championship (ACC) semifinal this past Wednesday, May 1 at BC Place. A long-range strike from Corey Hertzog gave the 'Caps the lead, with an FC Edmonton own goal finishing off the match to complete a 5-2 aggregate series win for Vancouver. The victory secured the 'Caps spot in the ACC final where they will face Montreal Impact, who downed Toronto FC 6-2 on aggregate in the other semifinal.
In their most recent MLS match last Saturday, Whitecaps FC fought back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw against top of the table FC Dallas at BC Place. After an Andy O’Brien own goal in the first half and a second-half goal from FC Dallas defender Matt Hedges, rookie winger Kekuta Manneh made the difference as he claimed his first MLS goal before providing an assist for Camilo to get the leveler.
Martin Rennie's side will be without striker Kenny Miller (hamstring) and will continue to be without captain Jay DeMerit indefinitely due to a left Achilles tendon rupture.
REAL SALT LAKE
Real Salt Lake have been consistently inconsistent in 2013, having not registered any consecutive wins, draws or losses so far this season.
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<strong>RSL ready to host 'Caps</strong> |
The Utah-based club recently earned a split against the two MLS teams from Los Angeles beating Chivas USA 1-0 at Rio Tinto stadium before losing at home to LA Galaxy 2-0 last weekend.
Goalkeeper Nick Rimando provides a commanding presence in the RSL net, as Vancouver found out in the first encounter of the season at BC Place. The two-time MLS All Star has made the third most saves in MLS this season.
The Claret and Cobalt will be missing their leading goalscorer, Costa Rican Alvaro Saborio, who is out with a quad injury. Midifelder Olmes Garcia and striker Robbie Findley missed training earlier this week. However, head coach Jason Kreis is hopeful both will be fit in time for Saturday.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
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<strong>April 13, 2013: 'Caps 1-1 RSL at BC Place</strong> |
This Saturday’s match will be the seventh all-time match between Whitecaps FC and Real Salt Lake in MLS action. The ‘Caps hold a 2W-2L-2D overall record against their Western Conference rivals. On the road, the 'Caps have a 0W-2L-1D record against the Utah side.
The last match between these two clubs came earlier this season, on April 13, ending in a 1-1 draw at BC Place. Camilo scored the lone goal for the Blue and White on a penalty kick following a handball in the 18-yard box, while Olmes Garcia scored the lone goal for head coach Jason Kreis' side.
In terms of player connections between the two clubs, current RSL midfielder Khari Stephenson was teammates with ‘Caps goalkeeper Joe Cannon in 2010 with San Jose Earthquakes, while RSL striker Robbie Findley and Whitecaps FC defender Jay DeMerit were teammates on the United States 2010 FIFA World Cup team.
NEXT UP
Following Saturday’s Western Conference clash, the ‘Caps will host LA Galaxy on Saturday, May 11 at BC Place. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. PT. A limited number of tickets remain available at ticketmaster.ca/whitecapsfc.
