Ahead of Saturday's game (7:30 p.m. CT) against Real Salt Lake, SportingKC.com caught up with RSL broadcaster Brian Dunseth to preview the match at Children's Mercy Park.
Real Salt Lake has lost their lost two matches 1-0 and currently are sixth place in the Western Conference. How would you assess the club's recent form?
Like a lot of teams in this league, RSL is one that has dealt with injuries. In the last two games they've had a little bit of a hiccup in terms of not generating enough chances as they had in previous games. They went to Colorado and it was a lackluster performance. It was kind of an ugly game and that's where Colorado's done really well this year. And then at Houston, out of all of their five games on the road, that was in my mind the most disappointing. They had three good looks they went missing. It's not as if they're playing horrible, they're just not finishing opportunities. like they were earlier in the season.
What did you notice from these two sides earlier meeting in which RSL earned a 1-0 victory at Children's Mercy Park?
I thought it was a smash and grab in a lot of ways. I think if we compared strength of the starting XI (in that match), there's very few people, outside of RSL fans, that thought they'd have any chance of walking out Children's Mercy Park with a single point, much less three.
For me, looking at that game, I think there were a lot of good things to take from that match for RSL but at the same time made glaring mistakes that they weren't punished for. And while it's a great a result on the road, it's a perfect example of MLS never being what you think it is. For Real Salt Lake to be able to go to Sporting Kansas City and get three points with that starting XI but then go full strength at Houston (last place in West) not get three points shows you the depth of the Western Conference.
Back in April, both teams were missing several players due to suspensions and injuries, including Sporting KC's Roger Espinoza and Real Salt Lake's Kyle Beckerman. What are your thoughts on that match-up and the overall battle expected in the midfield?
I love it as a broadcaster. For me, it's fun to watch those battles because they're elite players in this league and you can tell legitimately don't like each other. I think it's two teams who will chase each other up and down the field while at the same time showcase an incredible amount of skill. Without a shadow of a doubt, there will be controversial moments and some great, fantastic individual play. For Real Salt Lake, not only will they be concerned about Sporting Kansas City because of the bounce back but because they beat them earlier this season and also be concerned that Sporting KC generated 34 shots against Orlando last Sunday.
What's will be the keys to the match for Sporting KC and Real Salt Lake?
I think for Sporting Kansas City fans they'll want to pay attention it to see if it will be Aaron Maund back in the starting XI or if it will be Jamison Olave and Justin Glad. If I would have told you three years ago Aaron Maund would be the most important centerback for Real Salt Lake, people would have told me I'm absolutely crazy. But he's proven to be the most consistent centerback that this team has. I think he'll be available but if he's not what does that relationship between Glad and Olave look like.
For Real Salt Lake, they've gone back to back games without scoring and now they get Plata back with Javier Morales, Burrito Martinez, and Yura Movsisyan. Now they've got that quartet back and they'll be looking to replicate that early success where they not only were creating chances for themselves for collectively for their teammates as well.
