Toronto FC-Real Salt Lake Preview
Drawing in two entirely different matches, Real Salt Lake will likely have to adjust its approach again without three starters due to international duty.
Salt Lake will try to maintain its historical home-field edge over Toronto FC, which will also be without two stars for Sunday's match.
Neither team played last weekend, leaving RSL (0-0-2) waiting for a chance at its first victory. The club had won one of its first two matches every year since 2008 and hasn't gone winless in its first three since starting 0-5-6 in 2007.
Salt Lake played a scoreless tie at Portland in its opener, then a 3-all home draw with Philadelphia on March 14. Alvaro Saborio scored an 86th-minute equalizer on a penalty.
"You've seen two different games from us and that's pretty much the sign of a team that's doing new things, right?" coach Jeff Cassar said. "The more that we get better, on both sides of the ball ... We're going to be a very, very good team heading down the stretch, that's for sure."
Toronto (1-1-0) is playing its third of seven straight road matches as BMO Field undergoes expansion. It has lost all six visits to Salt Lake, including a 3-0 defeat last season, since winning its first trip there in 2007. RSL is 8-0-4 in its last 12 home games overall.
TFC is also burdened by the absences of captain Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore, who are with the U.S. national team for a pair of international friendlies. Altidore scored twice in a 3-1 win over Vancouver on March 7.
Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando will join Bradley and Altidore with the U.S. squad, while Saborio is away representing Costa Rica. Midfielder Luis Gil is playing with the Under-23 U.S. team.
RSL's depth has already been tested with Joao Plata, who scored a team-best 13 goals last season, still sidelined due to a broken foot.
"It seems to always be the case. You're going to get tested at some point. This year, it's coming a little earlier," captain Kyle Beckerman told the team's official website. "I'm excited. Guys are willing to step up and these are the opportunities that come around."
The same goes for Toronto, which also will be without starting defender Justin Morrow after he was shown a red card for a hard tackle late in the first half of a 2-0 loss to Columbus on March 14. Both goals came with Toronto a man down, and the club surrendered 21 shots, including seven on target.
"The guys are disappointed," coach Greg Vanney told the league's official website. "They're not happy because they're fighters. They have that character and they hate losing.
"We're two games into the season, so there are areas where we definitely need to get better."
Salt Lake is 7-2-1 in the last 10 meetings with three straight victories.