The both win-less MLS Western Conference teams will go head-to-head at the Utah's Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night, while already battling a mix of injury worries, match suspensions and other malaise brought about the lack of performances from them, as the starting of the 2017 year has not been favorable for both clubs who were consistently at-or-near the summit of the league's table in past seasons.
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake have so far taken just one-point from two matches, but amply out-played Toronto FC at home in Matchday 1 and had their portion of chances on-the-road against Chicago in Matchday 2 despite playing-through a host of injuries on the back and front lines.
Bad-luck and poor finishing have pointed-the-way towards this barren start, and now there should be at least a bit of reasonable hope that this is the-week for turn-around. - It seems like this will actually happen without “Designated Player” Joao Plata as-well-as first team-regular central defenders Aaron Maund, Chris Schuler and Justen Glad.
The good-news is that the both USMNT U-20 forwards, Sebastian “Bofo” Saucedo and Brooks Lennon, should be available and integrated into the team, which could help-boosts the RSL attack on the flanks.
LA Galaxy
La Galaxy without both Dave Romney and Jermaine Jones resulted to their last weekend's 1-0 devastating home defeat to Portland Timbers, as both players were out of last week's action due to match suspensions served.
They'll return to action this week, but this time they will be without team's skipper and center-back Jelle Van Damme, who was booked with a red card against the Portland Timbers last week. Galaxy are also still missing first team regular attacker Gyasi Zardes as-well-as both regular full-backs, Robbie Rogers and Ashley Cole, due to a lingering-injuries.
Joining them on the side-lines is Designated Player forward Giovanni Dos Santos, who was subdued-out against Portland Timbers.
Sure, things aren't great now for LA Galaxy. But the silver-lining could be that this is a great opportunity for Homegrown strikers like Ariel Lassiter, Jose Villarreal and Jack McBean to break through and prove their worth in this trying moments for Galaxy.
