San Diego will go up against Real Salt Lake for the second time in just a matter of weeks. SDFC is currently on a winless streak the likes of which haven’t been seen since the early part of the season last year. San Diego will definitely be playing a man down with Chris McVey suspended for a second time in league play. The first red card he saw in league play was against Real Salt Lake late in that match. San Diego may see some players return who were unavailable last week due to injury, but they may be limited in playing time as they slowly work themselves back into the squad. SDFC will be working with a young backline that may feature Bombino, Duah, Søe, and Verhoeven, along with a front three that may have Zamble and Morgan starting a second consecutive match.
Since Last We Saw RSL
Salt Lake has played just one match since these teams last met on March 22nd. RSL had a bye week last week and played Sporting KC on April 4th. RSL started that match hot with a goal in the 4th minute by Diego Luna. Luna’s shot was a slow roller from outside the box that was just out of the reach of the goalkeeper. After halftime, Sergi Solans scored from inside the penalty area to make it 2-0. The transitional play from RSL was fantastic as the team went downfield quickly on a 2v2 play that secured their second goal. Joveljic scored for Sporting KC just inside the penalty box on a shot that hit the back post and into the back of the net to make the match 2-1. However, RSL kept the pressure on Kansas City and looked to add a third goal. That third goal eventually came from 19-year-old Zavier Gozo with an absolute screamer from just inside the penalty area. Salt Lake ended up winning the match 3-1 and recorded 22 total shots with 7 on target while maintaining 49% possession. Between Solans, Luna, and Gozo, the trio accounted for 14 total shots and 5 on target.
With just a one-game difference, there hasn’t been much change from the previous analysis. Real Salt Lake remains an attacking team that utilized a mid-to-high press while playing San Diego FC. Salt Lake clearly wants the ball and is eager to shoot. In the last match against San Diego, RSL held the ball 42% of the time and registered 21 shots with 8 on target. That was more than San Diego’s 14 shots and 5 on target. Most of all, RSL is a team that is now rested and features multiple scoring threats in Diego Luna, Sergi Solans, and Zavier Gozo, all of whom scored against Sporting KC. That list should also include Morgan Guilavogui, who can be a significant contributor on the attack and has two assists this season. Currently, RSL is 5th in the league in shots with 103 and tied for 9th with 34 shots on target. Their on-target percentage is 28th in the league at 33%. Real Salt Lake loves shooting from outside the box and currently ranks 5th in the league with 32 shots from distance, having scored twice from those efforts.
Keys to the Match for San Diego
The most vital objective for San Diego in this match is to finish with 11 men on the pitch. While this should be a fundamental expectation, San Diego has seen 6 red cards in 6 matches. Manu Duah should avoid tackling anyone inside the box if it risks a red card. Instead, the defense must have confidence in goalkeeper Duran Ferree to try and make the stop. San Diego also has to prevent errors that lead to shots. SDFC is second in the league with 9 errors that have directly led to opponent shots. Two goals have already been conceded from those errors, and the team needs to play cleanly to have a chance at winning this match. RSL is not shy about shooting from anywhere they receive the ball. If an error occurs in San Diego’s defensive third, RSL can be expected to shoot the second they receive the ball.
Lastly, if San Diego secures a lead, the team must finish strong to keep those points. This season, SDFC has lost 4 points after the 75th minute of play. Those points were dropped against FC Dallas and in the previous meeting with RSL. No other team in the league has a larger point-lost differential than San Diego. The defense should also be prepared for any crosses coming into the penalty area, as San Diego has conceded a goal from a cross in three straight matches. Salt Lake will provide a great challenge for San Diego as SDFC tries to turn the season around before the World Cup break.
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