After Real Salt Lake suffered home defeats to the Crew in each of their first two MLS seasons (2005-06), its lost only one of the last 10 home matches against Columbus (W6 D3, incl. playoffs). The only meeting between the teams at Rio Tinto Stadium in the last five seasons was a 1-0 RSL win in July 2019.
Real Salt Lake has won four straight home matches and has 19 points through seven home games (W6 D1), the best home start in the club’s MLS history. RSL hasn’t allowed a goal in its last two home games, last keeping three straight home clean sheets in 2019, which included a 1-0 win over the Crew.
Columbus has won two of its last 11 MLS matches (D4 L5), with one of those wins a 2-1 victory at Atlanta in its last road game. The Crew haven’t won consecutive away MLS matches since victories over Cincinnati and Atlanta in 2019, and in fact have won just four of 36 on the road since those wins (D15 L17).
Jefferson Savarino recorded a goal and an assist last time out, in his first start with Real Salt Lake since 2019. Savarino attempted three shots and set up four chances for teammates as only Damir Kreilach (8 in April vs. NYCFC) has been involved in more shots in a single match for RSL this season.
Erik Hurtado has scored three times in his five MLS appearances this season, including in each of the last two matches, after not scoring in 16 games for Montreal and the Crew last season. This is the first time Hurtado has scored in consecutive matches since a run of four games with a goal with Vancouver in 2014.
