VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC visit Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday evening with Carl Robinson and his squad looking to bounce back after last week’s defeat in San Jose.
KICKOFF: 6:30 p.m. PT TV: TSN1/3 RADIO: TSN 1410 MOBILE: bell.ca/mobiletvONLINE: TSN GO
Here are three storylines to get you set for the match.
Bouncing back
Although they stayed top of the table, the 'Caps
fell 1-0 in their first visit to Avaya Stadium on Saturday.
The defeat against San Jose Earthquakes put an abrupt end to Vancouver's impressive five-match unbeaten run and the Blue and White will be looking to get back to winning ways at the Rio Tinto this weekend.
“It’s tough to go on the road.”
Robinson told reporters at training this week.
“We lost on the weekend, but you’re going to lose games in this league and it’s how you react and bounce back that’s important.”
But bouncing back will be no easy task against a Real Salt Lake outfit who’re notoriously tough to beat on their own turf. RSL lost just one match at the Rio Tinto all of last season and the ‘Caps face a tough task if they’re going to land their first win Utah.
“We know it’s going to be a real test,” Robbo said. “If you can make your home stadium a fortress then you’re going to be successful and they’ve done a great job of that.”
Replacing Morales
Despite
appealing the decision,
an Independent Review Panel decided to uphold the red card issued to Pedro Morales during the dying minutes of last weekend’s match vs. San Jose. As a result, the midfield maestro will serve a one-match suspension which will see him sit out this Saturday’s trip to Salt Lake.
"It's obviously disappointing," Robinson said of missing Morales. "But it will give someone else an opportunity. Whether that's Nico, Mauro or we choose to go two up top, then someone else will get the chance. But we'll deal with it. There are other options."
Those options were bolstered somewhat by the potential return of experienced winger Mauro Rosales,
who was back in full training this week
after being kept on the sidelines due to an ankle injury he picked up in Chicago.
“Mauro is an experienced player.” Robinson said of the Argentine winger. “He’ll be honest and open with me. If Mauro is fit and ready, Mauro will be involved. He’s that important to us and brings a different level of quality to the table. If he’s ready, whether it’s off the bench or from the start, he’ll certainly be involved.”
Containing Morales
While Whitecaps FC will lament the loss of Pedro Morales, Real Salt Lake will look to their own talismanic midfielder for inspiration this Saturday. Experienced Argentine Javier Morales is the man who makes the Claret-and-Cobalt tick. In fact, the 35-year-old has either scored or assisted on five of RSL’s six goals so far this season.
Clearly, stopping Salt Lake’s star man will be top of Robinson’s to-do list. But thanks to
some astute tactical tinkering by second-year coach Jeff Cassar,
that’s something that’s easier said than done.
RSL’s switch from a midfield diamond to a 4-3-3 formation has given Morales a license to roam; seeking out pockets of space from which he can create chances for his teammates.
“I think I have more options in front of me,” Morales was quoted as saying in the Deseret News. “When you play diamond in the middle you only have two forwards, but in the new formation you already have three in front of me.”
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