Our prediction for this MLS match:
A place in the MLS playoffs semis will be at stake when Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake face each other at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday evening. The Wizards did well to beat Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 in the last 16, with Khiry Shelton scoring his fourth goal of the season. The 28-year-old attacker should continue to lead the line for the hosts, while both Hernandez and Lindsey continue to miss out.
The Royals, on the other hand, shocked Seattle at Lumen Field, with the team setting up a meeting with Sporting Kansas City after penalty shoot-out. Real Salt Lake are likely to adopt yet another cautious approach, but preventing the Wizards from scoring at Children’s Mercy Park is easier said than done. Defender Zackery Farnsworth remains in the recovery room, but he should be the only absentee in the away team.
Highlighted Player (Felipe Gutierrez):
Filipe Gutierrez is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga side Real Betis. The Chilean international is capable of playing as both attacking and left midfielder as well and he started his senior career at Universidad Catolica.
He scored 19 goals in 65 appearances for los Cruzados, but in 2012 he decided to move to Europe. Gutierrez signed a deal with Eredivisie side Twente in June 2012 for a fee of $4 million. After making 94 league appearances for Twente he joined La Liga team Real Betis on 6 July, 2016. Felipe Gutierrez won Copa America with Chile in 2015 as La Roja defeated star-studded Argentina in the title game. Speaking of his club honours, Gutierrez won the 2010 Primera division de Chile trophy with Universidad Catolica.
It has to be noted that he was named Most Valuable Player of the Eredivisie for the 2013/2014 campaign. Felipe Gutierrez earned his 27th cap for Chile in a 4-1 win over Venezuela in the World Cup qualifiers in March 2016.
Highlighted Team (Real Salt Lake):
Real Salt Lake joined Major League Soccer in 2005 as an expansion team of the league and four years later they won their first MLS Cup. The Royals faced star-studded Los Angeles Galaxy in the title game at Qwest Field in Seattle and Jason Kreis’ troops defeated David Beckham and Co. on penalties.
In 2013 Real Salt Lake made it to the MLS Cup final for the second time in the club’s history, but they were beaten by Sporting Kansas City on penalties this time out. The Royals participated in the CONCACAF Champions League final in 2011 as well, but Monterrey of Mexico eventually won the title. Real Salt Lake footballers wear red shirts and blue shorts when playing at home, while the colour of their away kit is white.
The likes of Clint Mathis, Jeff Cunningham and Eddie Pope are some of the notable footballers who played for the club in the past. Jeff Cunningham scored 19 goals in 32 appearances in the league for the Royals.