Real Salt Lake will look to build on its early-season success when it travels to meet surging FC Dallas on Saturday in a Western Conference game in Frisco, Texas.
RSL (8-2-4, 28 points), the surprising leader in the West, has captured five of its past six games including a 5-3 win at home over the Colorado Rapids last Saturday. Cristian Arango and Andres Gomez each recorded a brace in that victory and Anderson Julio added an insurance goal six minutes into added time.
Real Salt Lake are unbeaten in their past 10 games and have won six straight matches on the road. The club not lost in league play since a 2-1 decision to Colorado on March 9.
“We talk about mental fortitude all the time, and the guys, after the game, mentioned the same,” RSL coach Pablo Mastroeni said after last weekend’s victory.
“They feel like whether we’re playing great or we’re not playing well, whether we’re winning or we’re behind it, the people in this room have incredible mindsets.”
Arango tops the league’s goal scorers with 13 and has eight assists, tied for fourth most.
“Very happy with everything that has been done,” Arango said. “But even happier with the way the team is going, with the way that we’ve been winning, with the way we’re building that winning mentality, that strong and positive mentality.”
Dallas (3-6-3, 12 points) looks to get back on the winning track after a 1-1 draw at Houston last weekend. Petar Musa’s 69th-minute goal allowed the Toros to split the points.
Dallas has three wins and a tie over its last four games, across all competitions, and has four victories over its past six outings in its best run of play this season.
“We started the season very slow, but I feel like right now we are developing good chemistry, we are starting to score goals,” Dallas striker Jesus Ferreira said. “We want to show our fans that we are a competitive team.”
Musa, the club’s record signing in the offseason, is Dallas’ leading scorer, amassing five goals (four in his past five games) and a pair of assists.
The Toros won both the meetings between the sides last season and own a 24-14 all-time record against Real Salt Lake, with 12 draws.
-Field Level Media
