Seattle Sounders vs. Real Salt Lake match preview

Date and time: 8:30 p.m. Mountain Standard, 7:30 p.m. Pacific Standard
Location: Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington

Real Salt Lake faces an early test against CONCACAF Champions League winners Seattle Sounders on the road. Can they continue their good form against Seattle?

Lucas Muller | Wasatch Soccer Sentinel

Matt Montgomery

March 03, 2023

What RSL needs to do to win

After a nice win to start the season, Real Salt Lake will probably feel reasonably comfortable heading into this match. It's always good to get the first win under your belt, and they've done just that. Seattle will likely prove a sterner test than Vancouver, though, so they'll need to be on their game if they want any chance at points.

Defend cleanly: Seattle scored four goals in slightly weird fashion, with none of the goals being assisted. RSL will need to ensure they're clean in their box, because Seattle will fashion chances, and they will finish RSL's mistakes.

Be less predictable: RSL's goals against Vancouver were sourced from wide positions, which is largely how RSL creates these days. Scoring goals in the same way game-after-game can lead to easier opportunities to defend, such that by the middle of the season, teams without chance creation variety can find themselves easily defended. That same idea applies as early as the second week of the season if teams aren't focused on variation.