Real Salt Lake (Home)
- Real Salt Lake have won just one of their last five USA MLS matches, losing three including a pair of 4-1 defeats to Los Angeles FC, which brings into focus the Real Salt Lake vs Austin FC prediction for this crucial encounter.
- RSL sitting at the bottom in 22nd after taking 34 points from their opening 30 games.
- Pablo Mastroeni has made Salt Lake a more flexible team in his system, which is usually based around sitting deep, absorbing pressure and transitioning into the attack with direct balls, set-pieces and the occasional burst forward.
Austin FC (Away)
- Austin FC have won four of their last five games, including consecutive victories over Minnesota United (U.S. Open Cup) and Seattle Sounders (MLS).
- 15th-placed Austin have amassed 44 points after 30 games and are ahead of Salt Lake in the West by ten points.
- However, Nico Estevez has got Austin FC ticking nicely since he took charge of the club, particularly on the wings where they overload in numbers and press the opposition into errors, adding an interesting angle to the Real Salt Lake vs Austin FC prediction for this round.
- Austin’s 6-1-8 away record shows how tough it has been for them on the road, having conceded 24 times, and they have 2 wins and 1 loss in their last 3 away fixtures.
Head-to-Head
Our Real Salt Lake vs Austin FC preview shows that a draw, which has come in two of the last five head-to-heads, looks much more likely at +270 , although it should be a very close and hard-fought contest.
Key Players
- The team with the most goals for Salt Lake this season is Diego Luna, who has nine in 24 USA MLS appearances, and his ability to drive the play, break lines and take on defenders in tight spaces makes him a constant threat.
- Myrto Uzuni is the best finisher in this side, as well as their top scorer with six MLS goals in 25 appearances, but he needs to be given the time and space in the box to do his magic.
Betting Insights
- However, as Austin have momentum coming into the game and Salt Lake have only won one of their last three home MLS contests, the +300 line on the away team looks a bit short for us, placing importance on this Real Salt Lake vs Austin FC betting tips discussion.
- With goals at both ends more likely than not, take Over 2.5 at -138.
Prediction
There will be a chess match on for much of the match between Austin’s patient build-up and RSL’s counter-attacking style, so the midfield battle could decide it.
