If Diego Valeri is to make history this weekend, he will have to do so against an opponent that has proven quite stingy against him.
Valeri tied the MLS record for consecutive matches with a goal by netting the winner in the Portland Timbers' 1-0 road victory vs. New York City FC this past Saturday. The Argentine playmaker's goal at Yankee Stadium made it seven straight fixtures in which he has scored, but in order to extend that streak and make the record solely his, he will have to find the back of the net away against Real Salt Lake on Saturday (9:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE).
While that may not seem like a tougher task than usual for the in-form midfielder, Valeri has historically had a tough time cracking RSL. The veteran midfielder scored in his first meeting against them on Aug. 21, 2013, but has not netted in his ensuing 11 appearances against the Claret-and-Cobalt.
The good news for Valeri, however, is that RSL have conceded 1.76 goals per game this year. That mark is currently 20th in MLS, and Valeri is no stranger to scoring on the road as seven of his 17 goals this season have come away from home.
That said, the Timbers' previous match-up with RSL this season ended with Portland suffering a 4-1 loss at home on July 20. Valeri had three shots and only one went on target that day.
Even if Valeri is unable to strike, he is in good company with regards to his current goalscoring tear. Not only has he tied the MLS mark previously set by Raul Diaz Arce, Wolde Harris, and Carlos Ruiz, but he also has joined Lionel Messi (La Liga), Jamie Vardy (English Premier League), Gabriel Batistuta (Serie A), Gerd Muller (German Bundesliga), and Serge Masnaghetti (Ligue 1) for most goals in a row in their respective leagues. Messi did so over 21 matches, Vardy and Batistuta in 11, Muller in 16, and Masnaghetti in 13.
