Real Salt Lake will aim for their first two-match winning streak this season when they host the Colorado Rapids in the 20th edition of the Rocky Mountain Cup on Saturday.

Salt Lake (1-1-1, 4 points) is coming off a 3-0 win over LAFC last weekend and has points in back-to-back games after a season-opening loss to Miami.

On Friday, the club announced it had signed midfielder Diego Luna to a five-year contract extension. Luna registered five goals and three assists for Salt Lake last season.

“This new deal just shows that one gets rewarded for hard work and persistence,” Luna said. “I’ve continued to buy into the club and buy into the team. You work hard, and if good things happen, you get rewarded.

“This has been a smooth process, and what has happened off the field is very genuine. Both sides walked through everything. We made it very clear on what we’re looking for and what we want for the future, for me individually as my aspirations and dreams to play in Europe, so we made it very reasonable and fair for both parties.”

Colorado (0-1-1, 1 point) opened the season with a 4-1 loss in Portland before earning a 1-1 draw last weekend against Nashville.

Midfielder Cole Bassett says the key to taking points from RSL will be the Rapids’ start.

“I think what we’ve normally done against Salt Lake is we kind of kill ourselves quite early on in the game, and then it’s tough to get back into the game,” Bassett said. “The first 30 minutes for me, especially away from home, is very important, and we can’t let the game get away from us.”

–Field Level Media