Dallas and Real Salt Lake will clash at the Toyota Stadium this weekend in their gameweek 12 MLS encounter.
Fresh from a 3-1 victory over Alta in the US Open Cup, the home side will aim to return to winning ways in the league, while the visiting side will go in search of their fifth top-flight victory in 2025.
Match preview
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Dallas brought their three-game winless run to a halt when they came from two goals down to claim a 4-2 win over Inter Miami in gameweek 10, but they were brought back to earth after a 5-0 defeat at the hands of San Diego in their last outing.
Eric Quill‘s team had gone into the fixture looking for their first back-to-back victories since the end of March, but the outcome of the encounter highlighted their defensive struggles this season.
With 19 goals conceded so far, the home side have the joint-third worst defensive record in the Western Conference, and if they are to enjoy a resurgence in their form, improvements will be needed at the rear.
Despite their inconsistency in the league, the hosts are making steady progress in the US Open Cup reaching the last 16, following a 3-1 victory against Alta on Thursday.
Ahead of this fixture, Quill will still be pleased with his team’s position in the league standings, as they could move level on points with third-placed Portland Timbers with a triumph this weekend.
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Elsewhere, Real Salt Lake will come into this match off the back of a narrow 2-1 loss to leaders Vancouver Whitecaps last weekend.
That result leaves them with just two wins in their last seven league matches, a run of form which has seen them slide down the table.
Currently 11th in the standings with 12 points, the Claret and Cobalt have earned three more points this term than at the same stage in the 2024 season.
However, a lack of consistency has been their bane this term, with Pablo Mastroeni‘s team failing to build on any of their four previous victories.
With four losses in six away fixtures in 2025, RSL are underdogs heading into this contest, but they can take encouragement from the fact that they have lost one of the last three meetings between the pair.
Although the Salt Lake-based side have suffered four losses in six away fixtures in 2025, RSL have only lost once in their last three meetings against the hosts.
Team News
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Quill and his Dallas team will have to cope with the absence of several regulars for this fixture, especially in the defensive area, where Marco Farfan and Geovane Jesus are sidelined with leg and knee injuries, respectively.
Midfielder Sebastian Lletget has not featured for the home side since coming off injured against Atlanta United on April 6, while forward Leo Chu is recuperating from a knee issue.
Enzo Newman is also out of contention here, as he is currently sidelined with a knee injury.
For the away side, the Jamaican duo of Mathew Bell and Javain Brown are confined to the treatment room with hamstring and knee issues, effectively ruling them out this weekend.
American Kobi Henry is also out with a hamstring injury, while Zac Macmath is inactive, as he is currently out with a back injury.
Dallas possible starting lineup:
Paes; Urhoghide, Abubakar, Ibeagha; Moore, Ramiro, Kaick, Julio; Pedrinho; Acosta, Farrington
Real Salt Lake possible starting lineup:
Cabral; Glad, Vera, Junqua, Katranis; Eneli, Ojeda; Gozo, Luna, Goncalvez; Piol
We say: Dallas 1-1 Real Salt Lake
Both sides are yet to find their footing in the current season, and they could do with some consistent run of positive results; however, there is not a lot between these sides, and we reckon the contest will end in a 1-1 draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
