Whitecaps FC-Real Salt Lake Preview

The Vancouver Whitecaps will have to end their drought at Rio Tinto Stadium without their captain, though they could get several other key players back to help out.

Coming off their first defeat in over a month, the Whitecaps hope to overcome the loss of Pedro Morales to a suspension Saturday night when they go after their first win at unbeaten Real Salt Lake.

Morales was sent off for his role in an altercation in the 88th minute of a 1-0 loss at San Jose last Saturday that snapped a 4-0-1 stretch. The midfielder lost his appeal of the red card and is suspended for this match.

It could be a big loss after Morales provided both tallies in a 2-1 home win in the most recent meeting with RSL (2-0-3) on Sept. 27. The Chilean has three assists in seven matches so far this season.

Vancouver (4-2-1), which has a league-best 13 points, is hoping midfielders Mauro Rosales and Gershon Koffie, forward Robert Earnshaw and new midfielder Cristian Techera can help make up for Morales' absence.

Rosales has missed five games with an ankle injury, Koffie has sat out the past three with an MCL sprain and Earnshaw has been out 18 due a sore knee. All three returned to practice this week and expect to play.

Techera, a winger on loan from the Uruguayan Primera Division, will contribute if his paperwork is in order by game time.

"He's small, but he's so fast.," midfielder Nicolas Mezquida, who played with Techera while growing up in Uruguay, told the team's official website. "His quality is very good. I think he'll be able to help the team."

Octavio Rivero, an Uruguayan with a MLS-leading five goals, will try to help get the offense on track. That isn't likely to be an easy challenge facing Salt Lake, which seeks its third consecutive shutout.

Goalie Nick Rimando has three shutouts in four matches after last Saturday's scoreless draw with Sporting Kansas City.

The Whitecaps have totaled four goals while going 0-3-3 in six all-time visits to Rio Tinto, where RSL is 15-1-8 in its last 24.

RSL, the only Western Conference club without a defeat, has totaled five goals in two home games while scoring only once in three road contests. Javier Morales has either scored or assisted on five of the squad's six goals.

Salt Lake is playing without 2014 leading scorer Joao Plata due to a broken foot, and designated player Sebastian Jaime has been sidelined the past two games because of a fractured tibia.

Kyle Beckerman is expected to participate against Vancouver, which has given up just one score in three road matches. The midfielder sustained a thigh bruise while playing for the U.S. men's national team against Mexico on Wednesday.

"I think he's going to be fine," coach Jeff Cassar told the team's official website. "Now it's making the best choice for him and the team, but it's going to be hard to keep him off the field, that's for sure."