RSL look for luck to turn in 'road' game vs. Whitecaps
When the Vancouver Whitecaps take the pitch at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday night against Real Salt Lake, they will be the home team. Even though the match is being played at the home of Real Salt Lake in Sandy, Utah.
That's because the Whitecaps have been playing home games in Utah since the start of the season, unable to host fully attended events in their own country due to Canadian COVID-19 restrictions.
Soon enough the Whitecaps will return to British Columbia, but before then, they are in need of a win after seven consecutive winless matches.
Granted, Vancouver (2-6-3, 9 points) drew each of its past two matches. But the Whitecaps go into Wednesday night in last place in Major League Soccer's Western Conference, and they will be without one of their top goal-scorers, Lucas Cavallini, and top goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, who have departed to join the Canadian national team for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
"We just need to go and make the plays that allow us to get the full three points (from a win)," Whitecaps coach Marc Dos Santos said.
Real Salt Lake (3-3-4, 13 points) are winless in their past three matches and fell 1-0 to Los Angeles FC at home last weekend. RSL have an 8-2-3 record when playing at home against the Whitecaps, though in this case they are the visiting team.
The two sides faced each other at Rio Tinto Stadium on June 18 with Real Salt Lake winning 3-1 thanks in part to two goals from Damir Kreilach.
Against LAFC, it took a near-miraculous clearance off the goal line of a Rubio Rubin shot to keep Real Salt Lake off the scoreboard.
"We're frustrated, especially when we felt we were in control of that game," RSL midfielder Nick Besler said. "It feels like if we can take care of our chances and put them away then we can be on the forefront, and unfortunately that didn't happen (against LAFC)."
--Field Level Media
