Real Salt Lake looks to make home fortress again with LAFC in town
There’s something special about a special home front. And RSL wants that back, beginning Saturday against LAFC (12 p.m. MST, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
Real Salt Lake’s home-field advantage was once a fortress.
The stadium formerly known as Rio Tinto and now called America First Field in Sandy, located at 4,450 feet above sea level, was once a dominant home fixture in Major League Soccer.
As recently as the 2019 season — the last time RSL finished in the top-four in the Western Conference — Salt Lake was a sturdy 12-4-1 on its home front. While the Claret-and-Cobalt finished fifth in the West a year ago, the club’s home-field advantage dipped to 6-7-4.
Sure, RSL made up for it with a Road Warrior mentality, yielding the most wins away from home in the West and second-most across MLS at 8-5-4.
But there’s something special about a special home front. And RSL wants that back, beginning Saturday against LAFC (12 p.m. MST, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
“Hopefully we can make it a bit of a fortress, and win plenty of games there,” Middlesbrough transfer Matt Crooks said after last week’s 1-1 road draw with St. Louis City SC.
LAFC, the defending MLS Cup runners-up, is coming off a 2-1 win over Seattle Sounders FC in its season opener. Goal-scorer Mateusz Bogusz won Goal of the Matchday for his curler from Denis Bouanga that secured all three points, and former Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was one of the big-name additions in the league — not just among Angelenos.
Fans are encouraged to arrive early for a special pre-game ceremony honoring RSL captain Chicho Arango after the Colombian scored his 100th professional goal against St. Louis.
Gates open at 10:30 a.m. MST, with the supporters’ “march to the match” beginning at 11 a.m. MST from the tailgate lot to the south end.
Availability report
LAFC — Questionable: Sergi Palencia (illness). OUT: Lorenzo Dellavalle (knee).
RSL — Questionable: Brayan Vera (ankle). OUT: Kevin Bonilla (knee; SEI); Alex Katranis (work visa procurement).
Watch: RSL v. LAFC
TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
ENG: Max Bretos, Brian Dunseth
SPN: Pablo Ramirez, Jesus Bracamontes
Radio: KZNS 1280 AM / 97.5 FM (David James, Jay Nolly)