This is a game I have really been looking forward to seeing since the schedule came out. Real Salt Lake for are one of the best and most attractive teams to watch in Major League Soccer. They like to possess the ball, and like most good teams, they also have a stingy defence. We lost 2-0 at Real Salt Lake in Tommy Soehn's second game at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.
This season, Salt Lake's home record is 6W-1L-3D, with 18 goals for and eight goals against. But on the road, they have a modest 2W-2L-3D record, with a stat that tells a lot about how they approach things away from home - five goals for and only four goals against. RSL's head coach Jason Kreis likes to play with a 4-4-2 formation with his midfield using a diamond shape. They like to control the game with their passing game, but also keep a disciplined shape, which makes them hard to break down, especially on the road.
In goal for Salt Lake is Nick Rimando, who is having another stellar campaign, allowing only 12 goals in the 16 matches he has played this season. In front of Rimando, the RSL shot-stopper has a rock solid back four led by Nat Borchers, who finished second in the MLS ballot for the 2010 Defender of the Year award. Yet, it is in midfield, where the 'Caps will have to win the battle against a very talented Salt Lake engine room.
As I mentioned earlier, RSL like to play a diamond in the middle, with the four players often interchanging, so it is important that Vancouver's midfield maintain a good shape and not just follow Salt Lake's players around. A key player in their midfield is Kyle Beckerman, who a lot of the play goes through, so he will have to be watched very carefully. Sometimes, RSL's midfield can get very narrow, which means they can be vulnerable out wide, and with our pace on the wings, it is an area we can look to exploit.
Up front, they have been playing a 17-year-old in Luis Gil alongside Costa Rican international Alvaro Saborio. Gil is rated very highly by Salt Lake, as he has been playing ahead of their leading goalscorer in Argentine marksman Fabian Espindola. Normally a midfielder, Gil has found himself playing as a striker and doing very well in his new position. A lot of that can be attributed to his striking partner Saborio, who is another key player to the way Salt Lake play. He is a very good link-up player, who is strong and comfortable playing with his back to goal. Saborio can play killer passes for the wide players or midfielders making penetrating runs, so the 'Caps should look to limit his supply of balls played to him in dangerous positions.
Real Salt Lake have also conceded seven of their 12 goals from set plays, with three of seven goals conceded from free kicks. This is an area that Soehn has been working on with his players, so don’t be surprised to see Whitecaps FC getting a goal from a set-piece.
It promises to be a very exciting game. The 'Caps will be looking to put another creditable home performance together, but this time, turn it into a victory. It will be a tough game, but one I believe Vancouver can win.
