San Diego FC at Real Salt Lake
When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: America First Field, Sandy, Utah
On the air: Apple TV+ / San Diego Sports 760.
Records: San Diego FC is 1-0-1 (4 points); Real Salt Lake is 1-1-0 (3 points).
San Diego FC update: SDFC will be without star forward Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, who did not practice this week and will not play against Real Salt Lake. Lozano left last week’s match in the 28th minute with a hamstring injury. “We will be managing him week-to-week,” SDFC coach Mikey Varas said after Thursday’s practice. Varas didn’t appear overly concerned, calling the injury a “minor lower leg injury.” The coach said he was still making decision on who will replace Lozano in the lineup. “The whole team (has to step up),” SDFC captain Jeppe Tverskov said. “It’s a chance for another guy to get his spot and his chance.” SDFC, LAFC and St. Louis City SC are the only three teams that have not allowed a goal through two games. SDFC had 15 shots last week against St. Louis, but couldn’t convert. “The goals are going to come more often than not if you do the right things, but there’s going to be times in football if the opponent doesn’t want you to score and they put that many players that low, it’s a razor’s edge between a goal and not a goal,” Varas said. SDFC will host a pair of San Diego watch parties beginning at 5 p.m., one at El Chingon and the other at The Field Irish Pub.
Real Salt Lake update: Salt Lake split its first two matches, losing 4-0 two weeks ago at San Jose before winning 2-0 last week at home against Seattle. RSL benefited from an own-goal eight minutes into the match; forward Forster Ajago scored the other goal. A capacity crowd of 20,213-seat is expected at America First Field. Real Salt Lake, in its 21st season, is 9-3-3 over the past 15 years against expansion teams making their first visit to Utah. RSL is aiming for its conference-best fifth straight playoff appearance, seventh in eight seasons and 15th in 18 years. The club won the 2009 MLS Cup and lost in the final in 2013.
Injury report: San Diego FC midfielder Manu Duah (lower body) and defender Andrés Reyes (lower body) are out. Lozano was not listed. Real Salt Lake forward Matthew Bell (hamstring) and goalkeeper Zac MacMath (shoulder) are out; defender Alex Katranis (arm) and forward Ari Piol (hamstring) are questionable.
Next up: San Diego FC returns home March 15 to take on Columbus. The match begins at 7:30 p.m. inside Snapdragon Stadium.
— KIRK KENNEY
