This weekend, Orlando City will continue their road stretch with a trip to Rio Tinto Stadium to face Real Salt Lake. The Lions will be looking to bounce back after a weekend loss against the Chicago Fire, and end their three-game road trip on a high note. Here is a breakdown of their opponent, Real Salt Lake.
Recent Matches
Real Salt Lake lost their road match over the weekend 2-1 against the San Jose Earthquakes. Overall, they are 2-3-0 in their last five matches, with wins over Minnesota United and the Philadelphia Union. Overall, Salt Lake has struggled a lot this season compared to last year. They are in 10th place in the Western Conference, ahead of only the Colorado Rapids. Their overall record on the season is 5-11-2.
Who’s Hot
While Real Salt Lake has certainly struggled to maintain leagues, they usually find a goal or two even in the matches they lose. They have a diverse array of goal-scorers. For example, in their last three matches they have had four goals scored by four different goal-scorers. While Real Salt Lake hasn’t had a lot of high-scoring matches this season, they have proven capable of dissecting defenses and finding goals.
Who’s Not
Despite the goal-scoring capabilities, Real Salt Lake has struggled this season. Averaging just under a goal per game, the team has been unable to gain and maintain leads this season. That is due, in part, to some genuine struggles on the defensive end. In their last five matches, they have had two massive losses-- a 6-2 loss to FC Dallas and a 5-1 loss to the Houston Dynamo. Once teams find an offensive rhythm, it is difficult for Real Salt Lake to shut them down.
Head-to-Head
One of the most memorable matches between these two sides was Orlando City’s home opener last season at Camping World Stadium. The Lions were down 2-0 going into stoppage time, but two goals in a single minute of added time earned them the draw. In Orlando’s inaugural season, the only match between these two sides also ended in a 1-1 draw.
