Real Salt Lake will play a crucial match Saturday night on the road against Charlotte FC, a matchup between teams that rarely are on the same pitch together.

Real Salt Lake (9-12-4, 31 points) will make their first visit to Charlotte, N.C.

Charlotte (13-11-2, 41 points) will aim to build on a five-match winning streak in MLS play after Sunday’s 1-0 decision at FC Cincinnati.

“You continue to move yourself up the table and try to solidify a playoff spot,” Charlotte defender Tim Ream said.

Real Salt Lake most recently lost 2-1 Sunday at the New York Red Bulls.

“Really focusing on our transition to attack and making sure we’re moving six seconds after we win the ball to make sure we’re able to keep it,” Real Salt Lake coach Pablo Mastroeni said of this week’s training sessions.

Charlotte forward Wilfried Zaha has scored or assisted on four of the team’s last six goals.

This will be only the second-ever meeting between the teams, with Real Salt Lake winning 3-1 in 2023 at home. Eight players from the winning team that night remain on the RSL roster.

“It’s a team this late in the year that we haven’t played,” Ream said. “We need to worry about ourselves and what we’re doing.”

In Charlotte, Real Salt Lake will be without midfielder Diego Luna, who’ll serve a suspension for Saturday’s red card against the Red Bulls. Rwan Cruz was a substitute last week, but his role might increase because of Luna’s absence.

“He has been awesome,” Mastroeni said of Cruz. “Looking toward this week I think it’s a great opportunity to start him. I think it’s as good of an opportunity as ever to kind of get him in there, gain some minutes, gain some confidence and continuing sharpening those actions that I think will be really, really good for us.”

Striker Victor Olatunji might be in line to make his debut with the team.

Charlotte’s roster could be flowing with additional players. The team acquired Australian striker Archie Goodwin this week.

As of Thursday, Charlotte was uncertain about the availability of defender Harry Toffolo for Saturday’s match. Coach Dean Smith called it a 50-50 chance he’ll play.

“Harry Toffolo is trying to get his visa sorted as we speak due back in the country (Friday),” Smith said.

–Field Level Media