Pre-Match Notes: RSL v. Seattle, Leg One (A)

Seattle Sounders v. Real Salt Lake, 8 p.m. MDT, NBC Sports

Pre-Match Reading & Viewing

• RSL Soapbox: Defensive questions mire RSL preparation
• RSL Soapbox: Periphery players could make big impact on Friday
• RSL Soapbox: VIDEO: New "Believe" rendition debuted
• RSL Soapbox: VIDEO: Saborio's 2011 backheel goal
• RSL Soapbox: Playoff experience could factor in MLS Cup chances
• RSL Soapbox: Three questions with Sounder at Heart
• Sounder at Heart: Three questions with RSL Soapbox
• Sounder at Heart: CenturyLink Field to have Seahawks logos
• Real Salt Lake: Tactical preview (by me!)

Projected Lineup

GK: Nick Rimando; DF: Tony Beltran, Jamison Olave, Nat Borchers, Chris Wingert; MF: Kyle Beckerman, Ned Grabavoy, Will Johnson, Javier Morales; FW: Alvaro Saborio, Fabian Espindola

PRE-MATCH NEWS: Kwame Watson-Siriboe starts ahead of Jamison Olave. Subs: Reynish, Mansally, Olave, Alvarez, Gil, Steele, Paulo Junior

Injuries and Absences

(From MLSSoccer.com) OUT: GK Lalo Fernandez (R wrist fracture); QUESTIONABLE: DF Chris Schuler (R quad strain); PROBABLE: DF Nat Borchers (L quad strain); MF Ned Grabavoy (R quad strain); DF Jamison Olave (L hamstring strain); FW Paulo Junior (R foot contusion)

Suspension worries

Yellow card accumulation slates are wiped clean upon entry of MLS Cup playoffs. As such, there are no current yellow card worries.

Vital Stats

• Real Salt Lake has not lost to Seattle in the three matches played this season. In fact, they hold the second best MLS record playing at Seattle all-time, with two wins, two draws, and two losses.
• Alvaro Saborio is RSL's active leading goalscorer in the playoffs with three scored, one behind former RSLer Robbie Findley.
• Javier Morales leads the way with six assists in playoff action — not quite enough to reach the all-time assists charts. One more would put him in a five-way tie for 10th place; three more would tie him with RSL original Andy Williams.
• Nick Rimando has started 24 playoff games in goal (unsurprisingly, none outside of goal, despite his fine footwork) — the third-most in MLS history.
• Only two current Seattle Sounders players have scored in the playoffs: Osvaldo Alonso and Steve Zakuani.