Real Salt Lake Looking For 3 Points In Home Opener Against New York Red Bulls

Mar 6, 2020, 1:37 PM

Orlando City midfielder João Moutinho (4) and Real Salt Lake forward Corey Baird (10) go up for a header during the soccer match between Real Salt Lake and Orlando City SC. on February 29, 2020, at Exploria Stadium in Orlando FL.(Photo by Joe Petro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

(Photo by Joe Petro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

BY TREVOR ALLEN, KSL SPORTS

KSL Sports

SANDY, Utah – After getting one point on the road in their season opener, Real Salt Lake will play their first game of the 2020 campaign at Rio Tinto Stadium against New York Red Bulls.

RSL started the season with a 0-0 draw on the road against Orlando City SC.

New York is off to a 1-0-0 start to their season after a 3-2 win over FC Cincinnati at home.

These two teams met once last season and New York came away with a dominating 4-0 victory at home on June 1, 2019.

RSL Looking To Protect RioT

The game against Orlando last week was the first time that RSL didn’t have legendary goalkeeper Nick Rimando on the roster since 2006. Zac McMath got the start in the season opener in between the pipes and earned the shutout on the road.

Justin Meram and Giuseppe Rossi also made their RSL debuts.

Since 2005, RSL is 6-1-8 all-time in home openers and are 5-1-5 in home openers at Rio Tinto Stadium since the venue opened in 2009.

Last season, Real Salt Lake opened the home schedule against the Vancouver Whitecaps where Albert Rusnak scored the only goal in the match to help the home side pick up a 1-0 victory.

New York has not beat RSL in Utah ever. Real is 6-0-5 all-time in the Beehive State against the Red Bulls.

24 hours until we RioT! pic.twitter.com/Hke7VIoMO9

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) March 6, 2020

Red Bulls With Strong Offensive Start

New York scored 3 goals at home to start the season last week against a club that is entering their second season in Major League Soccer in FC Cincinnati. The first goal of the match came in the 16th minute when Kyle Duncan found the back of the net after being set up by Florian Valot and Daniel Royer.

Just 11 minutes later, Kaku scored the second goal of the match with Valot and Duncan each getting an assist. FC Cincinnati scored their first goal in the 46th minute to cut the deficit.

Royer scored New York’s third and final goal of the match in the 70th minute with Duncan getting his second assist. The visiting side added their second goal in the 83rd minute to come up short of a comeback.