Real Salt Lake vs. FC Cincinnati 9/17/22 - Major League Soccer Picks & Predictions

Real Salt Lake hosts FC Cincinnati on Saturday in a MLS inter-conference fixture. Real Salt Lake is seventh in the Western Conference table at 11-10-10 on 43 points with a goal difference of -3. Real Salt Lake was defeated on the road on Wednesday by Austin FC 3-0. Real Salt Lake failed to score for the third consecutive match and is at risk of falling out of the top seven and missing out on the postseason. 

Real Salt Lake has been held without a goal for three straight matches which is the first time RSL has not scored in three matches since 2017. RSL has not been held scoreless in four consecutive regular season MLS matches since 2005. Sergio Cordova is the leading goal scorer for Real Salt Lake with eight, while Justin Meram is the leader in assists with six. 

FC Cincinnati is sixth in the Eastern Conference table at 10-12-8 on 42 points with a goal difference of +5. Cincinnati is coming off a 6-0 rout of San Jose last Saturday. Cincinnati's Brenner scored a hat-trick with goals in the 47th, 90th 90’+5’ minute. Also scoring for Cincinnati were Alvaro Barreal, Luciano Acosta and Yuya Kubo.

FC Cincinnati is unbeaten in 15 of its last 16 matches in MLS play with four wins and 11 draws. Cincinnati is coming off a big victory over San Jose but has not won two straight matches during its span of 16 matches with just one loss. Brandon Vasquez is the leading goal scorer for Cincinnati with 16 and Brenner has scored 12. Luciano Acosta is the leader in assists with 13.