This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Sandy • Jeff Cassar took notice of how a starting lineup constructed mainly of second-team players could waltz into a visiting stadium and assert itself against his home team. For 60-plus minutes Wednesday night, the youthful visiting New York Red Bulls took it to RSL's first-teamers.
It eventually went sideways, but not for lack of trying. The young group dwindled, RSL found a first wind, then a second wind and won its eighth game of the season.
So is there something to learn from that kind of effort put forth by an opponent? Might have to be. RSL's cramped summer schedule continues Saturday night on the road against FC Dallas (8-5-4, 28 points), which sits a single point above RSL (8-4-3, 27 points) in the Western Conference table.
Tipping his hand ever so slightly, Cassar said RSL "might look a little bit different with our starting lineup" against FC Dallas.
"But," Cassar added, "we are going to have a lot of heat on the bench."
Much of RSL's first-choice starting lineup has seen significant minutes the last eight days. The stretch kicked off when the club was forced to go 120 minutes in its U.S. Open Cup match against the Wilmington Hammerheads on June 14. Those same faces were again featured against the defending MLS Cup champion Portland Timbers when they needed to claw their way back at home. Most recently on Wednesday against the Red Bulls, RSL conceded just seven minutes into the match, but bounced back.
RSL reversed course on its sluggish start and earned three points, but legs began looking heavier and heavier as the match wore on. And the schedule keeps on tightening. Cassar said before the match against New York that you can't wrap your starters in bubble wrap. But when it comes to the vaunted away trips to Dallas, it might be the ideal time to start giving out breathers.
"I think we're going to have the leadership that we need out on the field and we will have some young players," he said, "but I think the players that are surrounding them will help them out, as well."
Earlier this week, Cassar said first-round draft pick Omar Holness is inching closer to possibly making his league debut. The 22-year-old Jamaican midfielder saw his rookie season suffer a severe setback when he suffered a seizure on the field during his first match with Real Monarchs in late March.
"Now when he's stepping out on the field, he's looking like he belongs," Cassar said. "I think his time is coming."
Should RSL choose to go very young, it could also offer 2016 season debuts to defenders Phanuel Kavita and Boyd Okwuonu. Kavita, 23, graduated from Highland High and started two matches during his rookie year in 2015. Okwuonu, RSL's draft pick a year ago, made a few appearances last season, but like Kavita has been primarily featured with Real Monarchs.
Whoever starts, history will be against them. RSL's past in Frisco, Texas, is dreadful. The club is 1-11-2 all-time at FC Dallas. In 26 regular-season games in the state of Texas, RSL is 3-20-3. Should Cassar and the coaching staff trot out its youngsters in the blistering heat and humidity, it will be as stiff a test as any in MLS.
"They deserve an opportunity," Cassar said.
That doesn't alleviate the reality, though. Cassar spent some of his playing days with FC Dallas, so he knows what late June in the Lone Star State can feel like.
"It's going to be roasting hot," he said. "It's a difficult team, [FC Dallas has] got speed, they didn't have a midweek game, the whole nine yards. But I like it. I really do. We're going to be fresh. There shouldn't be any guys dragging from that. I also like how we could possibly finish the game."
Twitter: @chriskamrani —
Real Salt Lake at FC Dallas
At Toyota Stadium, Frisco, Texas
Kick off » 6 p.m.
TV » KMYU
Radio » 700 AM
Records » RSL 8-4-3, FC Dallas 8-5-4
Last meeting » FC Dallas 1, RSL 0 (Oct. 18, 2015 at Rio Tinto Stadium)
About RSL » Captain Kyle Beckerman expected to rejoin RSL after the U.S. men's national team wraps up its Copa America Centenario tournament in Saturday's third-place match against Colombia. … Midfielder Sunday Stephen suffered a likely orbital fracture in the win over NYRB Wednesday and is out indefinitely. … RSL remains unbeaten at home at 5-0-1. … RSL is 1-11-2 all-time on the road at FC Dallas. … RSL's lone win in Frisco came in June 2013.
About FC Dallas » Enters Saturday's match against RSL riding a 13-game home unbeaten streak, the second-longest in club history. … FC Dallas is coming off a 2-0 loss at Sporting KC Sunday. … Like RSL, FC Dallas is undefeated at home in 2016 at 5-0-3. … Forward Tesho Akindele and midfielder Michael Barrios lead FC Dallas in goals scored this year with five each. … Playmaker Mauro Diaz has a team-high five assists.