Shorthanded Real Salt Lake Look to Rebound Against FC Dallas Amid Playoff Push

Real Salt Lake, missing several key players due to injury and international duty, will look to rebound from a disappointing loss when they host FC Dallas on Saturday night.

RSL is currently seventh in the Western Conference standings with 36 points, just three points behind sixth-place Vancouver Whitecaps and the final playoff spot. However, RSL has lost three of its last four games, including a 2-1 defeat to the LA Galaxy last weekend.

RSL will be without several key players for Saturday's match, including forward Bobby Wood (knee), midfielder Damir Kreilach (ankle), and defender Justen Glad (knee). Midfielder Albert Rusnak is also questionable with a hamstring injury.

FC Dallas, meanwhile, is in fifth place in the Western Conference with 39 points. FCD is coming off a 1-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend.

FC Dallas is led by forward Ricardo Pepi, who has 13 goals this season. Pepi is currently tied for second in the MLS Golden Boot race.

Saturday's match will be the second meeting between RSL and FC Dallas this season. RSL won the first meeting 2-1 on July 3.

Here are three things to watch for in Saturday's match:

• Can RSL overcome its injuries and get a result against FC Dallas? RSL will be without several key players on Saturday, but they will need to find a way to get a result against FC Dallas if they want to stay in the playoff race.


• How will FC Dallas cope without Ricardo Pepi? Pepi is FC Dallas' leading scorer, and he will be a big miss for the team on Saturday. FC Dallas will need to find other players to step up and score goals if they want to win.


• Who will win the midfield battle? The midfield battle will be key in Saturday's match. Both RSL and FC Dallas have strong midfielders, and the team that can control the midfield will have a good chance of winning.

Saturday's match is scheduled to kick off at 8:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium. The game will be televised on KMYU and ESPN+

Prediction: RSL 2, FC Dallas 1