Orlando City SC (7-6-5, 26 points) will visit Real Salt Lake (5-11-2, 17 points) to finish its three-game road stretch on Friday, June 30, at Rio Tinto Stadium. Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. ET.
The match will be nationally televised on ESPN and transmitted in English on Real Radio 104.1 FM and in Spanish on La Nueva 990 AM.
“Salt Lake is near and dear to my heart and Utah in general. It’s where I got my start as a coach,” Lions Head Coach Jason Kreis said. “[RSL is a] very good team at home, as all teams are. The altitude causes some consideration as well as a team that just like every other team in this league on their day can be very, very good.”
Kreis will face his former team of nine years on Friday. Kreis was RSL’s first ever player ahead of its 2005 expansion season and later became the first player to score the first goal for two clubs, after having scored the Dallas Burn’s first MLS goal. Kreis retired from his playing career after being offered the head coaching position in the summer of 2007 and led RSL to its first playoff appearance in 2008, the MLS Cup championship in 2009 and an MLS Cup Final appearance in 2013. Kreis was hired as Orlando City’s second MLS coach on July 2016.
Additionally, Lions midfielders Will Johnson and Luis Gil both played for the Royals under Jason Kreis from 2008-2012 and 2010-2015, respectively. Donny Toia was RSL’s first ever Homegrown signing in 2011. City assistant coaches C.J. Brown and Miles Joseph also worked under Kreis at RSL.
Orlando City is 0-0-2 all-time against Real Salt Lake. On the Fourth of July, 2015, Kaká got City on the board in the fifth minute but Sebastian Jaime equalized in the 28th. Kaká earned his first ever straight red card just before the half and 10-man City held on for the point. Then on Opening Day 2016, the Lions trailed, 2-0, going into the fourth minute of stoppage time but Cyle Larin brought them within one. Less than 60 seconds later, Adrian Winter finished off Servando Carrasco’s Hail Mary for Orlando City’s second stoppage-time equalizer in two MLS home openers.
Orlando City is coming off a 4-0 loss against Chicago Fire. David Accam gave the Fire an early lead scoring the first two goals within the first 10 minutes of the match. Richie Laryea made his MLS debut when he was subbed on for Kaká in the 64th minute. It was both teams’ second encounter of the season after a thrilling scoreless draw with Orlando City battling down two men.
The Royals are 2-3-0 in their last five games. Most recently, RSL fell, 2-1, to the San Jose Earthquakes. José Hernández scored a consolation goal in stoppage time to avoid the clean sheet.
The Lions return to Orlando City Stadium on Wednesday, July 5, to host Toronto FC. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
