Real Salt Lake Returns Home For Date With FC Dallas

Sep 3, 2021, 12:15 PM | Updated: 12:16 pm

Photo courtesy: Real Salt Lake

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Real Salt Lake returns home for a pivotal fixture against FC Dallas this weekend in what will signify the first game at home without manager Freddy Juarez following his shock departure.

Pablo Mastroeni will continue to provide interim duties from the sideline while the club searches for a new manager. Last weekend, Real Salt Lake suffered its worst loss of the season on the road against an in-form Vancouver outfit, however, the news that Juarez was leaving his position as manager just days prior to the contest proved problematic as Real Salt Lake looked shocked.

Can't wait to see ya 🤗

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) September 3, 2021

Fortunately, a much-needed return to the RioT and a plethora of players returning should only assist Real Salt Lake in their quest for victory against FC Dallas.

Real Salt Lake’s Health

MLS All-Star Damir Kreilach will return to the lineup following his one-match yellow card suspension. While right-back Aaron Herrera is also expected to return following a week off due to a hamstring concern. Herrera was pulled from the starting XI hours before the fixture against Vancouver due to a tight hamstring. Given that the game at BC Place was played on turf, Real Salt Lake did not want to risk further injury.

The Western Conference Standings

Given the current Western Conference standings, the remaining 13 regular-season games will all likely prove pivotal as Real Salt Lake continues to solidify a playoff spot. As it currently stands, Real Salt Lake holds the final playoff position in the West, but only three points separate them from LAFC who currently holds 11th position in the West.

FC Dallas sits in 10th on 25 points and only two points shy of Real Salt Lake.

Fair to assume that this game is as big as any game in the near future. They are all massive.

Monumental Fixture

The fixture against FC Dallas, however, may be more important than most. Only because it is the first game at home with Mastroeni at the helm and it follows a 4-1 smashing against Vancouver. Furthermore, the upcoming home contest will mark the sixth final game at Rio Tinto Stadium this regular season.

Winning on the road has always been far more challenging in Major League Soccer, as Real Salt Lake’s 2-6-2 record on the road would suggest this year.

FC Dallas is unbeaten in their last two games having drawn Houston and beating Austin, respectively. The game against Austin involved a total of eight goals, five of which came from FC Dallas.

Support our boys fighting for their national teams.

— FC Dallas 🙂 (@FCDallas) September 1, 2021

Key players for FC Dallas will not be present this weekend as Ricardo Pepi, Szabolcs Schon, Bryan Acosta, and Freddy Vargas are all on international duty. Real Salt Lake will likely be without Justin Meram who recently represented Iraq in South Korea.