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Saltair and Swansea

When Seattle Sounders FC travels to face Real Salt Lake the two biggest challenges are summed up in those two words - Saltair and Swansea.

Saltair is the name of a resort on the Great Salt Lake, but also a reminder of the elevation there (`4300 feet). The air is dry and while it shouldn't be as hot (forecast for 80 and dry) as it was for the USA-Honduras match, the conditions there are rough. Players will tire out, subs will be needed and while burst speed will be stable long runs are a bit less effective.

Take those conditions and one of the best possession teams in the world (EPL twin is Swansea and Big 5 is Inter Milan). Not only do the conditions from location tire a visitor out, so do the tactics of the squad. They force opponents to chase the ball through their short passing while in the attack.

There are weaknesses, but this is a trip against the fourth best home team in the league this year and historically one of the best at home.

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