RSL looking for another result at new rival Sporting KC


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SANDY — Real Salt Lake has built up quite the rivalry with Sporting Kansas City in the past few seasons, thanks in no small measure to the 2013 MLS Cup final at Sporting Park that saw the home team win on extra penalty kicks.

The rivalry even extended into the preseason, after RSL earned a 2-1 victory over Sporting in a Desert Diamond Cup match on Feb. 26 behind a pair of goals from Emery Welshman and Devon Sandoval.

RSL head coach Jeff Cassar is confident his team can put the intense nature of the game aside as they look to extend their unbeaten run to the first five games of the season Saturday at 6 p.m. MDT at Sporting Park.

“I just think we’re starting to see what we’re capable of, and that’s exciting,” Cassar said. “We’ve had some really good games against Kansas City, in the (regular) season and postseason, but they seem to always be heated. I see no reason why it’s going to be any different this weekend.”

RSL’s last win at Kansas City came in 2009, a 1-0 victory over what was then the Kansa City Wizards at Community Arena Ballpark.

Sporting’s move to the Western Conference alongside the Houston Dynamo this year means RSL (2-0-2) will face both former East foes three times this season. After Saturday, the Salt Lake side will host Sporting Kansas City on June 21 and again on July 24 for the annual Pioneer Day clash.

But goalkeeper Nick Rimando, who has seen plenty of heated contests between these two squads, said the club is only focused on this week — for good reason.

Real Salt Lake's Olmes Garcia heads the ball in front of Sporting KC's Matt Besler during a game at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan. on Saturday, April 5, 2014. (Matt Gade/Deseret News)
Real Salt Lake's Olmes Garcia heads the ball in front of Sporting KC's Matt Besler during a game at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan. on Saturday, April 5, 2014. (Matt Gade/Deseret News)

“I can barely tell you who we are playing next week,” he said. “I know we are playing Kansas City this week, and every game is difficult. We’re taking it week to week. Our focus is on Kansas City.

“Yes, it’s a long year, with lots of games. Coaches have to manage that. But we also want to grow as a team, and we know it’s not going to be perfect in the beginning and we want to strive to be the best at the end.”

RSL has earned at least a draw in 17 of its last 22 appearances against Sporting KC (2-1-2), but the home team is coming off a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory against the Philadelphia Union that included two stoppage time goals. SKC’s defense is one of two in the league to boast at least 10 shutouts in each of the last three seasons, and they are vitalized by the emerging central defender pairing of U.S. international Matt Besler and recent signing Ike Opara.

“It’s a Peter Vermes-led team; they’re very organized, hard-working, and they’re at home,” Cassar said of Sporting. “They’ll come out aggressive, and we have to make sure that we match their intensity and try to beat it. We’ll need to take control of the game with possession. But they’re coming off a good result at home where they scored two goals in extra time, so they’re feeling good about themselves. But we’re feeling good about ourselves.”

The other MLS side with at least 10 shutouts in all of the past three seasons? Real Salt Lake.

RSL is coming off arguably its best result of the year, a 1-0 win at San Jose on Sunday that Cassar described as seeing “what we’re capable of.” The club will likely be without forward Sebastian Jaime, who returned to conditioning drills this week in training — but Jordan Allen fared well in his first MLS start on Sunday and goal-scorer Javier Morales is playing some of the best soccer of his career.

“(The win over San Jose) gave us a breath of fresh air,” Cassar said. “I told the guys before practice (Wednesday) what I really enjoyed most was the guys afterward saying they had fun. If they are having fun and working that hard for each other, we’re going to have a real good year.”

In other words, there’s confidence going into Saturday’s match, Rimando said.

“I think we’re a group that’s been together for a while, so we know we aren’t there yet. But we’re also getting results,” the veteran goalkeeper added. “When you’re grinding out results like we have, and we know we can be better, the confidence isn’t too high. But I think the training so far has been excellent, the mentality was great, and the focus is where it needs to be.”

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