Crew at Real Salt Lake

10 tonight, Sandy, Utah TV: Fox Sports Ohio Radio: WBNS-FM (97.1) Fresh faces: The Crew will rotate several players in the starting lineup as first-year coach Caleb Porter hits what might be the last phase of figuring out who he can count on from the roster he inherited. Porter has said players need to perform better; now, he will give a shot to several reserves in the second of three games over eight days. Westerville native Aboubacar Keita is expected to make his MLS debut.

Playoff line: For the third straight game, the Crew is facing a team below the playoff line. Unlike the Crew, Real Salt Lake has gotten some consistent scoring. Sam Johnson has seven goals and Albert Rusnark six. Salt Lake has not beaten the Crew in the previous five meetings and is starting a stretch of seven of its next 10 games at home. The Crew has won just once in the last 12 games and sits in 11th place in the East. Crew wants in a striker behind Zardes.

“When Gyasi’s gone or when we need to rotate, we need to make sure we’re still able to score goals, able to play well and maybe win games and we’ve not done that,” Porter said. “For me it’s nothing negative, it’s just we’re going to keep building.”

Porter also said these moves weren’t reactionary to the Crew having lost 10 of its past 12 games.

“They’ve got nothing to do with how we’ve done,” he said. “We’re always going to look to get better, even when we’re winning every game.”

Porter and the front office is still looking to add to the roster in the summer transfer window, hoping to build a roster that can push for a playoff spot and build toward being a contender for seasons to come. Even with Diaz, the Crew will still be looking for a winger or a replacement for Federico Higuain, as well as a goalkeeper to replace Zack Steffen.

As for who will play Wednesday night at Real Salt Lake, Porter said he will rotate several players into the lineup that haven’t played a ton, including homegrown player Aboubacar Keita of Westerville in what would be his MLS debut.

“We’re still figuring what we have and who we can count on and who’s going to be able to do it,” Porter said. “I’m excited to see with some new guys a little bit what they can bring to the table, but we still have to win games, too.”