Real Salt Lake was held to a draw against Herediano in their first competitive match of the year. Can they get on the board against San Jose?
Real Salt Lake is finally here. After a long wait, RSL fans get to cheer on the Claret and Cobalt for another 34-game season. Real Salt Lake, once again, will start their MLS campaign on the road, this time in San Jose.
Real Salt Lake finished second in the West last season. Unfortunately, Minnesota United knocked RSL out of the playoffs, with RSL losing the first two matches in penalties. The Claret and Cobalt will be looking to make a statement this year with the new MLS Season and Concacaf Champions Cup. RSL has a plethora of opportunities and they have the skill and pace to get some hardware.
RSL looked strong in their match against CS Herediano during the Champions Cup, even though they didn’t score. RSL showed promise in the attack, proving they can still create dangerous chances. The defense still needs some work but that is to be expected with a lot of new players.
Keys to the game for Real Salt Lake:
- Don’t stay static: Movement is key to starting any attack. RSL was too static against Herediano. RSL will need to move constantly to create the most dangerous opportunities.
- Take Some Risks: RSL was too cautious against Herediano and didn’t put themselves in the best spots. RSL will need to take some risks if they want to score tonight.
- Keep the pressure high: San Jose struggled last year in defense. If RSL can make San Jose uncomfortable and press at the right time, goals will follow.
San Jose Breakdown
San Jose is having a rough time. They finished 2024 at the bottom of the table. RSL’s last game of the regular season was a 1-0 win in San Jose, the lone goal scored by Diego Luna. San Jose will look to right the ship and get back to playoff contention.
San Jose can be good but is just lacking the extra piece to push them into competitive play again. San Jose was a really good team before the retirement of club legend Chris Wondolowski. That gap is still not filled and San Jose is lacking that final piece in the attack.
Still, San Jose has some promise, and MLS is no stranger to surprises. San Jose could go on a tear this year and be a real dark horse. There is a long season ahead and the Earthquakes have a lot to prove.
Keys to the game for the San Jose Earthquakes:
- Protect your home field: San Jose has a good home atmosphere and can use it to their advantage. RSL will be tired after a long journey back from Costa Rica and if San Jose starts well, they can get the crowd into it and make RSL’s life harder.
- Look for scraps: RSL has a struggling backline and could easily play a careless ball into a dangerous position. San Jose will need to keep pressure on the backline and force RSL to earn everything.
- Avoid defensive errors: Real Salt Lake will come in hungry for goals and will press high. Players like Diego Luna and Emeka Eneli will want to take advantage of every scoring chance. Keep the passes clean and don’t give RSL anything easy.
It should be a fun match for the Claret and Cobalt this week, and I’m expecting a lot of end-to-end action. The MLS regular season is finally here and RSL fans anxiously await the first whistle. RSL can make big waves this year and I expect some exciting moments are coming.
Real Salt Lake vs the San Jose Earthquakes will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass. The match kicks off at 8:30 PM MT from PayPal Park in San Jose.
