Real Salt Lake celebrates a gaol against Chicago. | Photo Credit: Real Salt Lake/rsl.com
Real Salt Lake starts their Concacaf Champions Cup campaign with a trip to Costa Rica. Can they pull it off?
Real Salt Lake is back, finally. They get to start their season this year in Costa Rica to take on Herediano in the Concacaf Champions Cup. The Claret and Cobalt have a big test ahead of them tomorrow but there is faith that they can do it again. RSL has shocked people before and there is a good chance they can do it again.
Real Salt Lake is a good team. That is what we saw during the club’s 15-match unbeaten streak. This club can win. They will have to work extra hard since this is an international tournament. Stakes will be higher and the competition will be stronger. Additionally, new faces in the lineup could cause some chemistry issues early on. Real Salt Lake has a lot to figure out before kickoff tomorrow and if they do, it will be a strong performance.
Keys to the Match for Real Salt Lake:
- Don’t get down early: Real Salt Lake can’t afford to go down early. The environment will be loud and Herediano will be looking to capitalize on the chance to win in their home stadium. Add on the fact that the match is in a different country makes it even harder so RSL will have to fight harder early.
- Score Early and Often: Away goals are a thing in this tournament and since RSL is on the road first, they have the chance to get a significant amount of away goals that Herediano might struggle to match in Utah. Away goals are the first tiebreaker and if RSL runs up the score in Costa Rica then Herediano will have to fight both the aggregate and away goals score.
- Lock it down defensively: Real Salt Lake had some issues defensively last season, mostly related to injury and depth issues. RSL has some depth and the backline will need to communicate constantly to keep Herediano away from any dangerous chances. Addionally, the team needs to limit sloppy mistakes and poor giveaways. The more control they have of the ball in the danger areas, the better the score will look.
Herediano Breakdown
Herediano has not tasted defeat this year. They have a record of six wins, 3 draws, and no losses. They are averaging approximately 1.89 goals per game, are at the top of the Costa Rican Primera Division, and have not been shut out this year. Boasting a goal differential of +10, El Club can score well.
Herediano is also a good team defensively. Even though they have only played nine games, they have proven to be a tough opponent to beat. The backline is going to have a large task with handling Diego Luna and Dominik Marczuk. Real Salt Lake is also a good attacking team and Herediano is going to have to be careful.
Keys to the Match for Herediano:
- Defend your home pitch: Away goals are a big priority for Real Salt Lake so Herdiano will have to keep RSL’s attack contained and prevent any bad plays that could lead to goals for RSL. If Hereidano keeps RSL from finding the back of the net, they can get the advantage on away goals in Sandy.
- Score quickly: Real Salt Lake will be looking to gain the advantage on away goals. If Hereidano can score a quick goal, RSL will be deflated early, and have to chase the game on the road.
- Be the aggressor: C.S. Herediano will need to start hot and stay hot. El Club needs to get on the front foot and shut down the RSL attack. Away goals are key and if C.S. Herediano can keep RSL out of the net, they will be able to run the score up in Sandy.
Overall, the defense will be key in this matchup. Whoever succeeds first will be at a disadvantage, and it is crucial to avoid silly mistakes. Whoever breaks the opponent’s backline first will have an advantage. This will be an intriguing matchup, and it will be fun to see it play out.
