Diego Luna seeks to extend his goal streak to four matches when Real Salt Lake host the Portland Timbers on Wednesday.
For RSL (4-7-1, 13 points), it’s pretty much been the U.S. national team midfielder or bust in terms of scoring.
He has four goals in the past three matches and his seven for the season are not only one behind the MLS lead held by four players, but they represent more than half of Real Salt Lake’s production.
They have 13 goals, including an own goal, and no other player has scored more than once. Luna, 21, has also contributed two assists.
“I don’t think we can talk about Diego developing anymore,” Real Salt Lake coach Pablo Mastroeni told Soccer America. “He’s the guy. He’s the guy that plays with the chip on his shoulder. He’s one of our best defenders. He’s obviously the guy that’s putting the ball in the back of the net. He’s doing it all for our group.”
RSL will be without forward William Agada and defender Justen Glad. Agada was issued cautions seven minutes apart in the second half of the 1-1 tie vs. FC Dallas last Saturday while Glad sits because of yellow-card accumulation.
Portland (6-3-3, 21 points) has won two of three to move to third place in the Western Conference after a 1-0 victory against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.
Timbers coach Phil Neville is confident his team’s depth can handle a busy schedule with the always intense rivalry match against the Seattle Sounders looming Saturday.
“We’ve got real competition in places,” he said. “It’s a marathon and we’re going to need every single one of them (players) over the next three or four weeks and over the rest of the season.”
One player Neville is counting on is Ecuadorian midfielder Joao Ortiz, who has one assist in his first 10 matches in MLS.
“I honestly think we’ve got a really good player on our hands,” Neville said. “His composure on the ball, he’s different than the other midfielders we’ve got and he’s improving every single week.”
