Real Salt Lake vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
MLS Regular Season - Match 8
Friday, June 18, 2021 - 7:08 p.m. PT
Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT
TV: TSN1 - RADIO: AM730 (Pre-match show: 6 p.m. PT)
AT THE RIOT: Whitecaps FC play as the road side against their host club Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium. The 'Caps have been able to settle in at their temporary home base in Utah, and have gone 2W-1L so far at the RioT. RSL are 1W-1L-2D at home to start the season. Both with just three points in their last four matches, the 'Caps and RSL come in hungry for a win to vault them back above the playoff line. The 'Caps swept their two meetings in 2020.
BACK FROM THE BREAK: The 'Caps kick off the next phase of the regular season following their longest break between MLS games this season, and the schedule ramps up once again with the first of three matches in nine days. Friday will make it 27 days since their last match, with the team training regularly throughout except for a five-day rest in the middle. Over the three plus weeks, in addition to training and gym sessions, the 'Caps also had a pair of friendlies against USL League Two side Ogden City SC.
FORWARD THINKING: Lucas Cavallini is expected to be available for selection on Friday upon his return from international duty. He scored a pair of goals in three World Cup qualifying matches during his latest stint with Canada MNT, while travelling between Florida, Illinois, and Utah, plus a road match in Haiti this past weekend. Cristian Dajome's three goals is tops for the 'Caps, who also added forward Brian White during the break.
INJURY REPORT
Bruno Gaspar: OUT - general right knee irritation (week-to-week)
Jake Nerwinski: QUESTIONABLE - lower back irritation (day-to-day)
Tosaint Ricketts: OUT - Achilles tendinopathy (week-to-week)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
All-Time MLS Regular Season
Whitecaps FC record: 11-9-4
- Home games: 9-2-1 (23 GF, 9 GA)
- Road games: 2-7-3 (8 GF, 17 GA)
Friday is the 25th MLS regular season meeting between Whitecaps FC and Real Salt Lake, and their first of three matchups in 2021. They meet again with the 'Caps as the home side on July 7 at Rio Tinto Stadium, and on August 28, venue to be announced at a later date.
2020
September 19 at Rio Tinto Stadium (RSL 1:2 VAN)
October 10 at Providence Park (VAN 2:1 RSL)
The 'Caps swept both meetings last year, winning at Rio Tinto Stadium and at Providence Park by a 2-1 scoreline. Lucas Cavallini scored the winner in each match.
CONNECTIONS
Formerly with Whitecaps FC
Zac MacMath: 8 GP, 8 GS, 1W-3L-4D record ('19)
Canada
Ashtone Morgan was born in Toronto, ON. He briefly crossed paths with Russell Teibert at TFC Academy in 2008, and is teammates with Theo Bair, Lucas Cavallini, Derek Cornelius, Maxime Crépeau, Tosaint Ricketts, and Teibert on the Canada MNT.
Former teammates
Maxime Crepeau and goalkeeper coach Youssef Dahha with Danny Toia at Montreal Impact ('15-'16)
Assistant coach Ricardo Clark, then a player, with Justin Meram at Columbus Crew SC ('18-'19)
Brian White with Noah Powder as youth players at NYRB ('15-'17)
Tosaint Ricketts with Ashtone Morgan at Toronto FC ('16-'18)
Fellow countrymen
Argentina: Erik Godoy, Jonathan Menéndez, and Pablo Ruiz
Brazil: Caio Alexandre and Everton Luiz
MATCHDAY MEALS
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FRIES 4 FANS
Free fries on matchday! To redeem your free fries, simply download the A&W app, add your fries and at least one more item to your cart, and then enter the code WHITECAPS at checkout. Click here for details.
