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The Seattle Sounders are gearing up to face Real Salt Lake twice in eight days. The short-handed Seattle side, reduced to 16 healthy outfield players through a combination of injuries and international call-ups, hosts RSL Saturday at 5 p.m. ET and then heads to Rio Tinto Stadium June 2.
The Sounders haven’t played since their 1-0 road defeat to the Portland Timbers May 13. Real Salt Lake currently sits two spots in front of Seattle in the Western Conference standings, with 13 points from 11 matches played.
Midfielder Cristian Roldan said he expected the two matches against RSL to play out very differently.
“I think it’s going to be two completely different teams,” Roldan said Thursday. “Maybe we see a team that presses here or sits back. Maybe we see a team that has less possession here. When we play them in Salt Lake, we can expect a team that is going to be pressing from the first minute at high altitude, a team that has a bit more possession and feels like they have more confidence playing at home.”
Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer was aware of the threat posed by Real Salt Lake in the first contest, despite the club’s 0-5-1 record in road contests this season.
“They’re a good team,” Schmetzer said. “Don’t let their record fool you. Their away record hasn’t been good, but we all know this is MLS. They’ve got good attacking players, they’ve had a little upheaval on the back line, some injuries, but a dangerous team. Can’t look past them.”
Schmetzer said that facing a team twice in such a short span presented advantages and drawbacks to both teams.
“The challenges are the roll-over of the little niggly physical stuff into the next weekend, especially if one team loses and feels slighted,” Schmetzer said. “The battles can be a bit chippy, but the advantage is you know your opponent.”