REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
RIO TINTO STADIUM
SANDY, UT
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
MAY 26 2012 7:00PM MT RIO TINTO STADIUM SANDY, UT
RSL PROBABLE STARTERS v DALLAS
DOWNLOAD 2012 RSL MEDIA GUIDE HERE: For more in-depth player profiles, stats and club history, please visit: http://pressbox.mlssoccer.com/ content/2012-club-media-guides
2 BELTRAN
RSL v DALLAS BROADCAST INFO TV: CW30 w/ Bill Riley (@espn700Bill) & Ian Joy (@JOYPAULIAN)
4
RSL INJURY REPORT
OUT: DF Chris Schuler (L foot bone bruise) DOUBTFUL: DF Chris Wingert (L hamstring strain) QUESTIONABLE: MF Javier Morales (R quad strain) PROBABLE: FW Cody Arnoux (L adductor strain)
RSL DISCIPLINARY REPORT
next Yellow
RSL INTERNATIONAL DUTY
MF Kyle Beckerman - UNITED STATES - NOW through 6/13 GK Nick Rimando - UNITED STATES - NOW through 6/13 MF Will Johnson - CANADA - 5/27 through 6/13 FW Alvaro Saborio - COSTA RICA - 5/27 through 6/13 MF Luis Gil - UNITED STATES U-20 - 5/30 through 6/13
RSL RETURN TO LEAGUE PLAY (BRIEFLY):
RSL returns to MLS action Saturday against Western Conference rival FC Dallas with its collective batteries recharged following last weekend’s hiatus, with only the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on tap in the coming weeks due to the League’s break during FIFA dates ... RSL is 2nd in the overall table (trailing San Jose’s 27 pts) with an 8-3-2 record, courtesy of a five-game unbeaten streak following the 1-0 win at Seattle back on May 12, a win which improved the club’s 2012 road record to 3-2-2, with wins at LA, at Portland and at Seattle ...
INT’L DUTY BECKONS FOR RSL QUINTET:
A total of five MLS players could miss the club’s action in the next few weeks, as RSL captain and MF Kyle Beckerman & GK Nick Rimando were called into the United States’ camp by manager Jurgen Klinsmann and have been gone since May 15, forcing the duo to miss the FC Dallas match ... Canadian MF Will Johnson & Costa Rican FW Alvaro Saborio each depart immediately following Saturday’s FC Dallas contest to report to their respective senior teams in preparation for CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying, while young MF Luis Gil will also join the U.S. U-20 camp on May 30, meaning that four of the five players will not be available for Tuesday’s 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup contest ...
ESPINDOLA
24
14
21
REYNISH
ALVAREZ
GIL
6 BORCHERS
20
15 SABORIO
GRABAVOY
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RADIO: La Gran D 102.3 FM / 1600 AM (SPN) w/ Nelson Moran & Fernando Hortal
- SUSPENDED
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OLAVE
RADIO: ESPN700 w/ James Rust (@espn700James) (ENG) & Brian Kamler (@espn700Kam) (Pre-Game show kicks off at 6:00p MT)
MF Kyle Beckerman - ON WARNING
8 JOHNSON
TANAKA
RSL ALL-TIME HISTORY v FC DALLAS:
RSL last defeated long-time nemesis FC Dallas on July 9, 2011 at Rio Tinto Stadium, winning 2-0 on goals by Andy Williams & Fabian Espindola ... However, three days later, Dallas returned the favor with a 2-0 U.S. Open Cup win at the Quarterfinal stage ... Earlier last season, RSL drew 0-0 at what was then known as Pizza Hut Park, the first time in RSL history to have earned a point in North Texas, a feat repeated on April 25 of this year in a 1-1 draw between the sides, when rookie FW Emiliano Bonfigli’s 2nd-half goal allowed RSL to overcome a bizarre 1st-half PK award ...
Real Salt Lake v FC Dallas - All-Time Results Real Salt Lake record: 7-13-4 (29 GF / 36 GA)
Home games: 7-3-2 (22 GF, 13 GA; includes 1-1 Playoff draw) Road games: 0-10-2 (7 GF, 23 GA; includes 1-2 Playoff & 0-1 Open Cup losses)
04/23/2005 06/04/2005 07/23/2005 09/18/2005 04/08/2006 07/22/2006 09/16/2006 09/23/2006 04/07/2007 05/20/2007 06/14/2007 05/10/2008 05/24/2008 10/18/2008 07/24/2009 09/26/2009 07/17/2010 10/16/2010
RSL RSL RSL RSL RSL RSL RSL RSL RSL RSL RSL RSL RSL RSL RSL RSL RSL RSL
05/22/2011 07/09/2011
RSL 0 at DAL 0 T RSL 2 vs DAL 0 W
Pizza Hut Park Rio Tinto Stadium
04/25/2012
RSL 1 at DAL 1 T
Pizza Hut Park
10/30/2010 11/06/2010 07/12/2011
0 at DAL 3 0 vs DAL 2 3 vs DAL 0 1 at DAL 2 1 at DAL 2 0 vs DAL 1 3 vs DAL 2 1 at DAL 2 2 vs DAL 2 1 at DAL 2 0 vs DAL 1 2 vs DAL 1 1 at DAL 2 3 vs DAL 1 4 vs DAL 2 0 at DAL 3 0 at DAL 2 2 vs DAL 0
L L W L L L W L T L L W L W W L L W
RSL 1 at DAL 2 L RSL 1 vs DAL 1 T
RSL 0 at DAL 2 L
Cotton Bowl Rice-Eccles Stadium Rice-Eccles Stadium Pizza Hut Park Pizza Hut Park Rice-Eccles Stadium Rice-Eccles Stadium Pizza Hut Park Rice-Eccles Stadium Pizza Hut Park Rice-Eccles Stadium Rice-Eccles Stadium Pizza Hut Park Rio Tinto Stadium Rio Tinto Stadium Pizza Hut Park Pizza Hut Park Rio Tinto Stadium
Pizza Hut Park (Playoffs - West SF Leg #1) Rio Tinto Stadium (Playoffs - West SF Leg #2) Pizza Hut Park (U.S. Open Cup QuarterFinal)*
Following RSL’s record-setting 2010 season - one that saw the club achieve numerous club and league marks RSL fell to Dallas in the Western Conference Semifinals by a 2-3 aggregate scoreline, Dallas moving on to upset Supporters’ Shield winner LA and advance to MLS Cup 2010 in Toronto, where it ultimately lost to RSL rival Colorado ...
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
RIO TINTO STADIUM
SANDY, UT
KREIS v ELLINGER, SIDE-BY-SIDE:
SEITZ WITH FRONT-ROW VIEW OF BOTH:
FC Dallas assistant coach John Ellinger was RSL’s inaugural head coach, manning the sideline for 72 games from 2005 until four games into the 2007 season, when he was moved to technical director following the firing of Steve Pastorino, and Kreis was named the team’s second-ever Head Coach ... Kreis has managed 193 games at the helm in MLS, Open Cup and CONCACAF competition ... The comparison:
RSL traded Seitz to Philadelphia just hours after winning MLS Cup 2009 on the eve of the Union’s expansion draft, with the SoCal native landing in Dallas prior to the 2011 season ... Seitz earned his first-ever MLS win and shutout in August of 2009 with RSL in a 1-0 victory at Kansas City ...
MLS: Other Comps: Ellinger (‘05-’07) 15-37-16 .338 2- 2- 0 .500 Kreis (‘07-now) 65-53-45 .570 12-12-8 .500
For former Dallas Burn striker Jason Kreis, the eight days from July 4-12, 2011 marked a walk down memory lane, starting with the July 4 post-game retirement of the iconic #9 jersey worn for RSL (and earlier for Dallas) by one of Major League Soccer’s pioneers … Jason’s family, friends and his legendary youth coach, Gary Williamson, who now calls North Texas home, were all on hand for the occasion … Five days later, RSL defeated Kreis’ former team, FC Dallas, 2-0 in a critical match for RSL before heading to the MetroPlex for a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinal match at Pizza Hut Park, one that saw RSL lose 0-2 …
RSL and FC Dallas are connected via members of each coaching staff, as RSL boss Jason Kreis scored 91 MLS goals for the Dallas Burn from 1996-2004, while assistant coaches Jeff Cassar and Miles Joseph and GM Garth Lagerwey also played for Dallas in their MLS careers ...
KREIS BURNED UP THE DALLAS NETS:
Kreis played nine seasons in Dallas, winning the MLS MVP Award in 1999, becoming the first American-born player to do (and one of only three in the League’s first 16 years) … Kreis is FC Dallas’ all-time leader in every significant scoring and service category, leading RSL against the team for which he played 247 games from 1996-2004 …
The man perhaps most qualified to compare and contrast the excellence of both Hartman and Rimando could be current FC Dallas backup ‘keeper Chris Seitz, who was actually drafted by RSL #3 overall in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft out of the University of Maryland by former boss and current Dallas assistant John Ellinger ...
“THIS IS YOUR LIFE, JASON KREIS”:
RSL Assistant Coach Jeff Cassar also played and coached for Dallas at various stints between 1996-2007, while RSL GM Garth Lagerwey joined Kreis and Cassar for Dallas’ lone championship – the 1997 U.S. Open Cup side … RSL Assistant Coach Miles Joseph also played in Dallas during the 2001 MLS season …
KREIS WEEK CONTINUED:
Both of Kreis’ sons – Jake and Kason – were born in Dallas, where Jason scored 91 of his 108 career goals, and helped bring the Burn its lone title of any kind, the 1997 U.S. Open Cup …
After signing with Real Salt Lake on November 17, 2004 (acquired from Dallas for future considerations), Kreis became the most iconic figure in Real Salt Lake’s now eight-year history, with his milestones on the playing field in Claret-and-Cobalt from 2005-2007 including scoring the first goal in club history on April 9, 2005 (vs. LA) and becoming the first MLS player to score 100 goals in league play (Aug. 13, 2005 vs. KC) …
RIMANDO v HARTMAN - VETS IN THE NETS:
Manning the nets for these two perennial West powers are MLS goalkeeping icons Nick Rimando (RSL) and Kevin Hartman (Dallas), a duo with a combined 200 clean sheets, 306 wins, 2,540 saves and nearly 63,000 minutes in MLS regular-season play ... The pair of veteran ‘keepers own five MLS Cup rings between them, Hartman winning all three of his with the Los Angeles Galaxy (1999, 2001, 2005) and Rimando backstopping both D.C. United (2004) and Real Salt Lake (2009) to league titles ... The Tale of the Tape, with all-time MLS ranks in parentheses: KEVIN NICK HARTMAN RIMANDO Games Played 392 (1st) 301 (15th / 3rd) st Games Started 387 (1 ) 301 (7th / 3rd) Minutes 35,100 (1st) 28,153 (3rd) st Wins 174 (1 ) 131 (3rd) Shutouts 107 (1st) 92 (2nd) Record 174-134-80 131-103-68 MLS Cup Titles 3 (‘99, ‘01, ‘05) 2 (‘04, ‘09) Nickname “El Gato” “Wall of the Wasatch”
RSL Founder Dave Checketts and Co-Owner Dell Loy Hansen joined members of the Kreis family and other figures from the legendary striker’s soccer career to share their memories of RSL’s first-ever player, Original Captain and second-ever Head Coach …
Kreis would give up the captain’s armband and hang up his cleats for good on May 3, 2007, as the League’s all-time leading scorer with 108 career goals, making a player’s ultimate sacrifice by going from the field to the sideline in order to become Real Salt Lake’s second-ever head coach … Now in his sixth season as RSL’s sideline boss, the Omaha, Neb., native has flourished in the role, the Utah side’s steady ascension from league doormat to MLS powerhouse … Highlights include Kreis leading the team to its first postseason berth in 2008, becoming the youngest coach to win an MLS Cup title in 2009, and helping the squad to unprecedented heights for an MLS team by reaching the Finals of the 2010/11 CONCACAF Champions League last April …
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
RIO TINTO STADIUM
SANDY, UT
TIME TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FORTRESS:
YET ANOTHER SELLOUT AT THE RIOT:
REPEAT PERFORMANCES, FIRST OF MANY:
Starting Saturday, 7 of RSL’s next 10 MLS contests will be played at its Rio Tinto Stadium home, with 8 of the next 10 games allowing RSL to see an opponent for the 2nd time this season ...
With FC Dallas’ visit to Rio Tinto Stadium Saturday, it becomes the first of several teams that RSL wll see for the second time in the 2012 unbalanced schedule ... Back on April 25, first-year RSL FW Emiliano Bonfigli struck home from 18 out to erase a dubious penalty converted by DAL MF Brek Shea, who is suspended Saturday ... June sees RSL face Chivas, LA and San Jose for the second occasion this year, while July brings Seattle, Portland, San Jose (again) and Colorado to the slate, meaning that front-running RSL can take advantage of the familiarity of opponent and the preponderance of home games in next 60 days to further the road of Supporters Shield dreams and expectations ...
RIO TINTO STADIUM - A HEROIC HOME:
The early May 2-1 win over New England - courtesy of Alvaro Saborio’s brace and GK Nick Rimando’s heroics improved RSL to 53-8-17 in its last 78 home games since the beginning of 2008, Jason Kreis’ first full season at the helm ... In that span, RSL has outscored opponents by 97 goals (153-56), with a 43-6-15 reg. season mark (127/47), 5-1-0 CCL record (15/5), 3-1-1 playoffs (5/2) and 2-0-1 int’l exhibition (5/2) ... All-time, RSL is 5825-32 in MLS regular-season play during 7+ seasons at home, outscoring opposing sides 188-112 ... Against teams from the Eastern Time Zone, RSL is 23-7-8 alltime, with a +42 goal differential (78-36) ...
SHOCKINGLY RARE LOSS AT RIO TINTO:
By no means should RSL take visiting teams lightly, as Chivas USA came to Utah in week 3 of the 2012 season and escaped with a 1-0 win ... The extended run of success on Utah soil for RSL since 2008 makes a setback all the more bitter, with the Chivas loss back on March 24 marking just the team’s eighth since the inception of the 2008 season, the Kreis-led team now 53-8-17 on the Wasatch Front across all competitions in that span ... Those losses: 8/26/08 v CHV L 0-1 Rice-Eccles finale 11/02/08 v NY* L 0-1 West Conf Final 5/16/09 v KC L 0-2 Wolff double dooms RSL 4/27/11 v MTY* L 0-1 CONCACAF Champions League Final 5/28/11 v SEA L 1-2 Sounders snap MLS-record streak 7/30/11 v CLB L 0-2 Crew rides dual Rogers assists 9/28/11 v CHI* L 0-3 Worst home loss in club history 3/24/12 v CHV* L 0-1 Dominant performance wasted
HOME - WHERE THE CLEAN SHEET IS:
Three times in six home games in 2012, RSL’s defense has pitched a shutout, the last coming on April 7 against Colorado, as it had back in the home opener vs New York and April 4 against Montreal ... The clean sheet on April 7 v COL was RSL’s 34th at home across all competitions since moving into Rio Tinto Stadium back in October 2008, a total of 69 games in MLS regular-season and playoff games, CONCACAF and U.S. Open Cup matches ...
Unfortunately for RSL, four of those eight home losses have come in front of sellout crowds at Rio Tinto Stadium, with RSL posting only a 6-5-4 mark when “The RioT” is packed to capacity, as it is expected to be once again Saturday ... 2012 sellouts in claret:
9/28/11 v CHI 3/26/11 v LA 10/19/10 v CAZ 3/24/11 v CHV 10/22/11 v POR 4/27/11 v MTY 10/16/10 v DAL 4/4/12 v MTL 10/9/08 v NY 11/15/08 v NY 9/17/11 v KC 5/16/09 v KC 6/6/09 v COL 7/24/10 v CHV 7/22/11 v SJ
20,762 20,507 20,463 20,415 20,378 20,378 20,236 20,191 20,008 20,008 19,888* 19,340* 19,546* 19,469* 19,429*
L 0-3 W 4-1 W 3-1 L 0-1 T 1-1 L 0-1 W 2-0 W 1-0 T 1-1 L 0-1 W 1-0 L 0-2 T 1-1 T 1-1 W 4-0
* sellout w/ diminished “concert stage” capacity
All-time, the club is is 19-12-16 across all competitions when playing before 18,000+ fans at home, at either Rice-Eccles Stadium (4-6-9 from 2005-08) or Rio Tinto Stadium (15-6-7 from 2008-present) ...
LAST IRON MAN FALLS AFTER 13 GAMES:
Due to early-season injury concerns, schedule congestion and disciplinary situations for RSL, only three players have appeared in every game thus far, with only two starting all 13 and only Captain Kyle Beckerman playing every one of 1,170 minutes thus far (whose streak will come to an end Saturday) ... The list: Player GP GS MIN MF Kyle Beckerman 13 13 1170 DF Tony Beltran 13 13 1154 GK Nick Rimando 12 12 1080 FW Alvaro Saborio 13 9 909
GAINING A BIT OF ROAD REDEMPTION:
With the lockdown defense displayed in the May 12 1-0 win at Seattle - holding the vaunted Sounders’ attack without a shot on goal - Real Salt Lake’s all-time MLS regular season road mark is now 22-65-29 (.304; 109 GF / 190 GA) through 116 road contests in League play … Since Jason Kreis took over in May, 2007, RSL’s MLS road mark is 18-41-24, with the new team mark of five road wins in 2011 exceeding the four achieved in 2010, and more than doubling the two earned in each of the 2007-09 seasons … Last year’s 5-8-4 road mark was good for 19 points, matching the 2010 team-record total (4-4-7 in 2010) … The April 25 draw at FC Dallas allowed RSL to snap a two-game road losing streak at Kansas City and at San Jose ... However, RSL still has never won in Dallas (0-102 in MLS, playoff and Open Cup, outscored 7-23), only earning points with draws each of the last two years ... RSL remains unable to scratch Dallas off the list of places the team has never won, which includes Philadelphia (2 attempts), Canada (7) & all of Texas (18) ... RSL travels to Vancouver (Aug. 11), Philly (Aug. 24) and Houston (Sept. 6) later this year in attempts to remedy ...
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
MURKY OPEN CUP PICTURE CLEARED UP:
Earlier this week, RSL secured the right to host its 3rdround entry into the 99th edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tues., May 29, facing the Minnesota Stars FC (NASL) ... RSL PRIDE Season Ticket Holders able to purchase their seats – plus unlimited extras – for only $10 each, with the general public able to buy for just $15/seat … The RSL / Minnesota winner will face the victor of Ft. Lauderdale Strikers (NASL) at San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) on Tuesday, June 5; SJ will host if the Bay Area MLS team wins, otherwise Ft. Lauderdale will travel to either RSL or to Minnesota ...
CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW:
CONCACAF, however, will hold its 2012/13 Group Draw on Wed., May 30, as RSL finds out its 2 group opponents, as well as dates, times, venues, bye weeks & TV info for Aug/Sept/Oct matches ... The 24 teams from the region will compete in a new format this go-around, split into 3 pots - A, B or C - with one team from each pot forming one of eight groups ... In order for a team to advance to the Championship Stage next March, it MUST WIN its four-game group (homeand-home with each opponent) ... Countries that could place a team in RSL’s group are: Canada, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala & Panama ... The four teams each from U.S. and Mexico will be kept separated from each other in the group stage ...
ESPINDOLA TAKES SOLE POSSESSION:
With his game-winning goal on May 12 at Seattle, FW Fabian Espindola overcame his tie with former teammate Robbie Findley, the Argentine scoring 30 career regularseason goals in 106 games with RSL ... Current RSL striker Alvaro Saborio has 27 in only 63 games, hot on the trail of Findley (29 goals) ...
REYNISH REIGNS ONCE AGAIN:
Back on May 9 in Chicago, backup GK Kyle Reynish made his 2012 debut and the RSL rearguard posted its fourth clean sheet of the season, drawing 0-0 at CHI ... Reynish was forced to make just 2 saves, the draw improving his all-time MLS statline to 1-0-4, with 3 shutouts and 3 goals allowed in 505 minutes for a GAA of 0.53 ... Since being drafted by RSL in Jan. 2007 out of NCAA Champion UC-Santa Barbara, the former Gaucho has constantly pushed Rimando in training and has seen time during the Claret & Cobalt’s U.S. Open Cup forays ... In Sept. 2010 - also at Seattle - Reynish earned his first-ever MLS shutout, making 2 saves against the Sounders, in a game that was also DF Chris Schuler’s first MLS start ... A month later, the veteran backup to perennial MLS GK of the Year nominee and USMNT backup Nick Rimando won the CCL Group A clincher at home against Mexican power Cruz Azul, before notching his first career MLS win in April 2011 at NE in a 2-0 win 3 days after RSL emerged from the Saprissa CCL series ...
RIO TINTO STADIUM
SANDY, UT
THIRD OF FIVE “3-GAME WEEKS” IN BOOKS:
The May 12 trip to Seattle secured 7 of a possible 9 points for RSL as it concluded the third of five “3-game weeks” for RSL this season, the only one of the quintet to start at home, with RSL visiting CHI and SEA in the following days ... Should RSL progress through the first 2 Open Cup rounds (May 29 & June 5), the 2012 Lamar Hunt USOC Quarterfinal Rounds would be on Tues, June 26, a 7th game in the 23-day span from June 16 to July 7 ... 3/31 @ POR (3-2 W); 4/4 v MTL (1-0 W); 4/7 v COL (2-0 W) 4/21 @ SJ (1-3 L); 4/25 @ DAL (1-1 T; 4/28 v TOR (3-2 W) 5/5 v NE (2-1 W); 5/9 @CHI (0-0 T); 5/12 @ SEA (1-0 W) 6/16 @ CHV; 6/20 v LA; 6/23 v SJ 6/30 @ CLB; 7/4 v SEA; 7/7 v POR
-> 3-0-0 -> 1-1-1 -> 2-0-1
April’s SJ / DAL / TOR trio of games saw RSL haul in 4 of a possible 9 points in the second of at least five stanzas this year that sees RSL play 3 games in 8 days, testing depth, travel legs and stamina for the roster ... The sweep of the maximum 9 points through 3 games against POR / MTL / COL in early April marked the 2nd time in 24 possible weeks all-time that RSL went a perfect 3-0-0 ...
THREE-GAME WEEKS PILE UP: In the Jason
Kreis era, RSL has played 3 games in a week a total of 24 times (in all competitions), registering a 31-22-19 record … As indicated in RED below, RSL is now 8-9-7 when opening a 3-game week at home followed by two on the road … The overall list: 2011: 4/5 @ SAP (1-2 L); 4/9 @ NE (2-0 W); 4/13 v COL (1-0 W) 6/4 v VAN (2-0 W); 6/8 @ CLB (1-2 L); 6/11 @ PHI (1-1 T) 6/18 v DC (1-1 T); 6/22 @ CHI (1-1 T); 6/25 v TOR (3-1 W) 7/4 v NE (3-3 T); 7/9 v DAL (2-0 W); 7/12 @ DAL (0-2 L) 7/30 v CLB (0-2 L); 8/3 @ KC (0-2 L); 8/6 v NY (3-0 W) *9/17 v KC (1-0 W); 9/21 @ NY (3-1 W); 9/24 @DC (1-4 L) *9/28 v CHI (0-3 L); 10/1 @ LA (1-2 L); 10/6 @ VAN (0-3 L) *6 games in 19 days from Sept. 17 – Oct. 6
-> 2-1-0 -> 1-1-1 -> 1-0-2 -> 2-1-0 -> 1-2-0 -> 2-1-0 -> 0-3-0
4/10 v SEA (2-2 T); 4/14 @ SJ (3-3 T); 4/17 @ LA (1-2 L) 5/29 v KC (4-1 W); 6/2 @ DC (1-2 L aet); 6/5 @ DC (0-0 T) 8/7 @ KC (1-1 T); 8/11 @ PHI (1-1 T); 8/14 v CLB (2-0 W) 9/15 v TOR (4-1 W); 9/18 v CHI (1-0 W); 9/22 @ AUO (3-2 W) 9/25 v COL (1-1 T); 9/28 @ TOR (1-1 T); 10/2 @ NE (2-1 W) 10/16 vDAL (2-0 W); 10/19 vCAZ (3-1 W); 10/23@ COL (2-2 T)
-> 0-1-2 -> 1-1-1 -> 1-0-2 -> 3-0-0 -> 1-0-2 -> 2-0-1
5/2 @ COL (0-2 L); 5/6 v LA (2-2 T); 5/9 @ CHV (0-1 L) 8/23 @ NE (1-3 L); 8/26 v CHV (4-0 W); 8/29 @ KC (1-0 W) 10/10 v GUA (1-1 T); 10/14 v NY (2-0 W); 10/17 @ TOR (0-1 L)
-> 0-2-1 -> 2-1-0 -> 1-1-1
4/26 @ DC (1-4 L); 4/30 v SJ (4-0 W); 5/3 @ LA (2-2 T) 5/24 @ DAL (1-2 L); 5/27 @ CLB (0-2 L); 5/31 v SJ (3-1 W) 6/14 @ CHV (1-0 W); 6/18 v SJ (0-0 T); 6/21 v NE (2-1 W)
-> 1-1-1 -> 1-2-0 -> 2-0-1
4/14 v CLB (0-0 T); 4/18 v KC (2-1 W); 4/21 @ CHV (0-4 L) 5/20 @ DAL (1-2 L); 5/23 @ COL (1-2 L); 5/27 @ CHI (0-0 L) 7/14 @ KC (0-1 L); 7/21 v EVE (2-0 W); 7/24 v BOC (1-1 T) 8/26 @ CHV (0-1 L); 8/29 v KC (3-1 W); 9/01 @ LA (2-1 W) * doesn’t include the 5 games in 15 days in late 2007: 9/8 @ HOU (3-4 L); 9/12 @ DC (1-2 L); 9/15 @ TOR (0-0 T); 9/19 v LA (2-2 T); 9/22 v COL (1-0 W)
-> 1-1-1 -> 0-2-1 -> 1-1-1 -> 2-1-0 -> 1-2-2
2010:
2009:
2008:
2007:
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
SABORIO BRACE SENDS MESSAGE:
When FW Alvaro Saborio scored his two-goal ‘brace’ May 5 vs NE, RSL saw its 33rd multi-goal game in RSL history, across 266 games in all competitions [MLS (231), Playoff (11), CCL (12) & Open Cup (12)], with 22 of those 33 multigoal games coming at home … Saborio’s club-high 9 career multi-goal performances in 72 MLS/CCL/Open Cup/Playoff competitions places him ahead of Jeff Cunningham (5) and Javier Morales/Robbie Findley with 4 “braces,” while “Sabo” owns the club’s lone postseason multi-goal match, last Fall against SEA in the West Semis ... Other RSL players to score 2+ goals in a game include: Espindola, Movsisyan and Kreis (2x each), along with Paulo Junior, Will Johnson, Kyle Beckerman, Atiba Harris and Chris Brown, who have each also scored twice in a game … When an RSL player scores 2 or more goals in a game, the team has posted a 24-3-4 all-time mark … Besides the 4-5 loss at Cruz Azul in CCL play and the 4-6 loss at Minnesota in Open Cup action, when was the lone MLS loss? … June 17, 2007, when Chris Brown’s brace @LA was wasted in a 2-3 loss: G 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2
Player Álvaro Saborío Álvaro Saborío Fabian Espindola Álvaro Saborío Álvaro Saborío Javier Morales Javier Morales Álvaro Saborío Paulo Junior Will Johnson Álvaro Saborío Álvaro Saborío Javier Morales Álvaro Saborío Álvaro Saborío Javier Morales Robbie Findley Yura Movsisyan Robbie Findley Robbie Findley Yura Movsisyan Fabian Espindola Kyle Beckerman Robbie Findley Chris Brown Jeff Cunningham Atiba Harris Jeff Cunningham Jeff Cunningham Jeff Cunningham Jeff Cunningham Jason Kreis Jason Kreis
* CONCACAF Champions League
Date 05/05/2012 10/29/2011 09/21/2011 07/23/2011 06/25/2011 03/26/2011 03/01/2011 10/23/2010 10/18/2010 09/25/2010 08/25/2010 08/18/2010 08/14/2010 07/02/2010 05/13/2010 03/27/2010 04/02/2009 07/24/2009 08/26/2009 10/24/2009 09/27/2008 08/29/2008 04/12/2008 06/23/2007 06/17/2007 04/07/2007 09/30/2006 08/09/2006 07/29/2006 06/03/2006 05/13/2006 07/13/2005 04/30/2005
& U.S. Open Cup
Opponent v NE v SEA @ NY v SJ v TOR v LA v CLB @ COL v CAZ @ AUO @ CAZ v AUO v CLB v NE v HOU @ SJ v CLB v DAL v CHV v COL @ SJ v COL v DC v DC @ LA v DAL @ KC @ COL v DC v CHI @ LA @ MIN v SJ
% Playoffs
Result W 2-1 W 3-0% W 3-1 W 4-0 W 3-1 W 4-1 W 4-1* T 2-2 W 3-1* W 3-2* L 4-5* W 2-1* W 2-0 W 5-0 W 3-1 W 3-0 W 4-1 W 4-2 W 4-0 W 3-0 W 3-2 W 2-0 W 4-0 W 2-1 L 2-3 T 2-2 T 3-3 W 4-1 W 2-1 W 3-1 W 3-0 L 4-6& T 2-2
FOUR MORE TO GO FOR EVEN ALL-TIME:
Real Salt Lake’s all-time MLS reg. season goal differential is back within shouting distance, as this year’s +7 total has the club to only -4 after 231 games over 8 seasons ... Last year, with 20 min remaining in a Sept. game @NY, RSL was even all-time with a 3-0 lead ... But Lindpere pulled a consolation one back, the team lost 4-1 @DC & 0-3 v CHI to fall back underwater ... The accomplishment is all the more impressive considering RSL was MINUS-57 after a 1-3 loss @DAL exactly 4 years ago today ...
RIO TINTO STADIUM
SANDY, UT
SABORIO STRIKES BACK IN RUN OF PLAY:
On May 5, RSL FW Alvaro Saborio slammed home a loose ball in the box in the 33rd minute to equalize for RSL at home against New England ... Just 10 minutes into the 2nd half, the Costa Rican international buried a header past Matt Reis off a Javier Morales free kick for what proved to be his club-record 11th career game-winning goal, tops in RSL history after just 63 MLS games ... With the strike against the Revolution, RSL now improves to 23-3-5 in games in which Saborio - who has 38 goals in 72 games across all competitions since arriving in Utah in early 2010 - finds the back of the net ... (the last loss coming in the 2011 West Final at LA, and the only loss prior to 9/24 at DC was the rain-soaked 4-5 loss at Cruz Azul), compared to the 15-17-15 mark when he plays and does not score, as well as RSL’s 7-3-4 record when Sabo is unavailable … On March 31 at Portland, “Sabo” set up MF Ned Grabavoy in alone on the ‘keeper, but a defensive handball in the box was whistled for the late first-half penalty, setting the stage for Saborio to slot home the resultant PK, making him a perfect 9-for-9 from the spot in an RSL uniform (6-for-6 in reg. season games, 3-for-3 in CONCACAF) ...
BENCH HEROICS - STEELE THE LATEST
RSL MF Jonny Steele’s game-winner off the bench April 28 in the 3-2 victory over Toronto marked the 4th time in 13 games this year that RSL saw one of Kreis’ late-game subs find the back of the net ... Just 3 days earlier (on 4/25 at DAL), another firstyear player, FW Emiliano Bonfigli, became the 3rd road substitute to salvage away points with a goal off the bench, as Javier Morales’ game-winner 3/10 at LA and Steele’s equalizer 3/31 at PDX also brought RSL from a losing position into the spoils ...
YELLOW PERIL FOR BECKERMAN - AGAIN:
In the April 21 1-3 loss at San Jose, RSL Captain Kyle Beckerman earned his fourth yellow card of the year, placing the 13-year veteran in danger of a one-game suspension with his fifth caution, per league regulations ... However, as Beckerman appeared in three consecutive games without a booking since, the MLS “Good Behavior Incentive” kicked in, reducing the Crofton, Maryland native’s total to three ... By virtue of his running commentary in Chicago on May 9 with official Jair Marrufo, the RSL Captain earned a 72’ yellow card, again placing the critical fulcrum on notice for suspension with his next booking ... 2010 MLS Defender of the Year and 2010/11 MLS Best XI Defender Jamison Olave also has 3 cautions on the season, as does MF playmaker Javier Morales, each will enter “yellow peril” with their next bookings ... Unlike Beckerman, however, both are still eligible for the “Good Behavior” reduction ...
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
LATE DRAMA PART OF RSL DNA:
MF Jonny Steele’s 93+’ game-winning goal April 28 against Toronto marked the 18th all-time go-ahead goal scored by RSL in the final 15 minutes of a regular-season MLS or CCL game ... The heroics were the 2nd in a month, after the Claret & Cobalt went nearly a year without the late drama ... On 3/31 in Portland, it was Steele’s 89’ equalizer that pulled RSL back, setting the stage for MF Kyle Beckerman’s 93+’ game-winner … RSL’s last previous late game-winner came on May 7, 2011, when MF Will Johnson finally broke through in the 87’ after RSL had a 2-man advantage for nearly 50 minutes in the game most remember due to the horrific ankle injury suffered by playmaker Javier Morales … All-time lists for equalizers and GWG:
RSL GAME-WINNERS AFTER 75’ (18 total) 93+.................. Steele, 04/28/12 v TOR (3-2 W) 93+.......... Beckerman, 03/31/12 @ POR (3-2 W) 93+............ Espíndola, 04/13/11 v COL (1-0 W) 92+.......... Saborío (PK), 8/18/10 v DAU* (2-1 W) 92+ ........ Cunningham (PK), 7/29/06 v DC (2-1 W) 90’................... Talley, 8/16/06 @ CLB (2-1 W) 89’............... Espíndola, 05/22/10 @ CHV (2-1 W) 88’............. Torres (OG), 7/24/09 v DAL (4-2 W) 87’.................. Johnson, 5/7/11 v CHV (1-0 W) 87’................. Findley, 7/28/08 v TOR (2-1 W) 87’................. Findley, 10/20/07 @ COL (1-0 W) 84’................... Saborío, 10/2/10 @ NE (2-1 W) 84’................. Findley, 8/04/07 v HOU (1-0 W) 81’................. Dunseth, 4/16/05 v COL (1-0 W) 80’.................. Morales, 6/09/10 v LA (1-0 W) 80’................ Williams, 10/14/09 v NY (1-0 W) 80’ ................. Morales, 4/11/09 v DC (2-1 W) 80’............... Cunningham, 5/20/06 v KC (2-1 W)
RSL EQUALIZERS AFTER 75’ (19 total) 95+ ................ Saborío, 10/23/10 @ COL (1-1 T) 94+ ............... Saborío, 04/10/10 v. SEA (2-2 T) 93+ .............. Borchers, 09/25/10 v. COL (1-1 T) 92+ ................ Johnson, 8/25/10 @ CAZ* (4-5 L) 92+................. C. Brown, 5/05/07 v. NY (3-3 T) 91+’ ............ Leitch (OG), 7/03/09 v. SJ (1-1 T) 90’ .............. Movsisyan, 10/15/08 @ COL (1-1 T) 90’.................. Cunningham, 7/29/06 v. DC (2-1 W) 90’......................... Kreis (PK), 7/4/05 v. NY (2-2 T) 89’..................... Steele, 03/31/12 @ POR (3-2 W) 89’.................. Morales, 04/20/11 @ MTY* (2-2 T) 89’................................ Soto, 10/15/06 @ CHV (1-1 T) 89’.................................... Kreis, 4/15/06 v. NY (1-1 T) 88’............................... Kreis, 5/27/06 v. COL (2-2 T) 86’.............................. Morales, 9/19/07 v. LA (2-2 T) 83’............................ Espindola, 7/4/11 v. NE (3-3 T) 81’.................................. Kreis, 9/30/06 @ KC (3-3 T) 78’....................... Ballouchy, 5/20/06 v. KC (2-1 W) 75’................................ Klein, 8/16/06 @ CLB (2-1 W)
FLIPSIDE OF STOPPAGE TIME IS A KILLER:
However, RSL has seen the flipside of those late heroics, as 4 consecutive goals allowed at San Jose and at Dallas were conceded during added time in either the first half (47+ at SJ, 46+ at DAL on a disputed PK) or second half stoppage (92+ and 93+ with only nine men on field at SJ) ...
RIO TINTO STADIUM
SANDY, UT
100% HEALTHY - FOR 1 GM, 1ST TIME IN YEAR:
May 5 against NE, RSL boss Jason Kreis rolled out his presumed “first-choice” XI for the only time in 13 games, a scenario which lasted only 59 minutes due to the Will Johnson red card ... Following offseason surgeries for MF Javier Morales, DF Nat Borchers, MF Will Johnson and FW Alvaro Saborio, RSL boss Jason Kreis spent the early part of this season searching to see who would step up in the group of traditional starters’ absences ... Young players Luis Gil, Chris Schuler, Sebastian Velasquez and Paulo Junior stepped up in the early going and have performed yeomen’s work, contributing mightily to the team’s 8-32 mark and 26 points through 13 games ...
“KB5” CONVERTS 8TH SHORTHANDED GOAL: The sensational 53’ goal by RSL Captain Kyle Beckerman at San Jose on April 21 - ultimately named the MLS Goal of the Week - gave RSL its eighth short-handed goal in its now 231-game MLS regular-season history, and its first-ever away from home ... the others: PLAYER Jason Kreis Chris Klein Jason Kreis (OG) Chris Leitch Nelson Gonzalez Will Johnson Alvaro Saborio Kyle Beckerman
DATE / OPP. 7/4/05 v NY 9/16/06 v DAL 9/16/06 v DAL 7/3/09 v SJ 5/28/11 v SEA 7/3/11 v NE 7/3/11 v NE 4/14/12 @ SJ
RESULT 2-2 T 3-2 W 3-2 W 1-1 T 1-2 L 3-3 T 3-3 T 1-3 L
SEEING RED ONCE AGAIN:
RSL MF Will Johnson saw straight red in the 59th minute May 5 v NE, the team’s third ejection of the season and the Canadian midfielder’s 2nd red card in now 97 career MLS games ... The Johnson red card was the 3rd of the year for RSL, giving Jason Kreis’ team a total of 10 red cards (Olave 2, Borchers 2, Johnson 2, Beltran, Beckerman, Warner, Espindola) in the last 45 regularseason matches, in contrast to the total of 4 ejections (Olave 2, Grabavoy, Mathis) in the prior period of 45 games dating back to August of 2009 ... The club suffered an RSL-record 7 ejections in 2011, after a team-best ZERO during the 2010 campaign until Javier Morales received two yellow cards at Dallas in Leg #1 of that year’s West Semis ... All-time, RSL now has been victim of 40 red cards, succumbing to a -14 goal difference in a total of 970 minutes playing a man down … Incredibly, SIX of those nine goals came in one game, the 0-6 loss @NY in August 2006 when DF Jack Stewart was tossed in the 8th minute … With the ejections of FW Fabian Espindola and DF Jamison Olave on April 21 at SJ, RSL was reduced to nine men for the first time in the eight-year organization’s now 230game MLS history, and just the second in 280 games overall (including MLS postseason matches, CONCACAF Champions League games, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and exhibition matches) ... Ultimately, the valiant nine-man RSL side held firm for the final 21 minutes of the match, until the full-strength San Jose side was emboldened by a lengthy six minutes of added time ...
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
LONGEST-TENURED CORE IN MLS HISTORY:
The Kreis/Lagerwey “Team is the Star” mantra has long been lauded for its simple, unselfish approach that has redefined the culture of an organization and enabled a small-market club to compete annually with DP-laden payrolls ... The philosophy that the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts is perfectly epitomized by the fact that TEN players return this year, with the 2012 MLS season marking the group’s fifth or sixth campaign in Claret & Cobalt ... The list: Player Acquisition Date GK Kyle Reynish Jan., 2007 GK Nick Rimando Feb. 2007 DF Chris Wingert June, 2007 MF Kyle Beckerman July, 2007 MF Javier Morales August, 2007 FW Fabian Espindola August, 2007 DF Tony Beltran Jan., 2008 DF Nat Borchers Feb., 2008 DF Jamison Olave March, 2008 MF Will Johnson July, 2008
RSL GP 6 155 133 133 107 106 68 127 110 97
Back on 3/10 at LA, this group marked 5+ seasons together and set a new MLS record, breaking the current one held by New England, which saw 8 players compete together from the 2003-07 seasons ... That group was: Joe Franchino, Jay Heaps, Shalrie Joseph, Marshall Leonard, Pat Noonan, Steve Ralston, Matt Reis & Taylor Twellman ...
IDENTIFYING NEW BLOOD, THE RSL WAY:
The most notable absence from RSL’s locker room is that of MF Andy Williams, whose seven-year tenure as an “RSL Original” came to end with his retirement in December, 2011 ... Williams played 14 years in MLS, bouncing from Columbus, to New England, to New York, to Miami and finally to Chicago in his first 7 seasons, the 1998 Jamaica World Cup veteran coming to RSL in November, 2004 as the club’s top expansion draft pick ... Williams went on to play a club-record 189 games for RSL, with 14 goals, 29 assists and one MLS Cup ring marking his time on the Wasatch Front ... The RSL time for “Bomma” is not over, however, as Williams immediately accepted a position as the club’s Head Scout, working with Lagerwey, Kreis and the technical staff to identify players of all ages for RSL’s senior, academy and youth teams, including many of the new faces beginning their MLS and/or professional careers now ... Those players include: GK Lalo Fernandez (signed as Home Grown) DF Terukazu Tanaka (Discovery - Jan. 2012) DF Leone Cruz (via trade from SEA 1/17/12) DF Chris Estridge (via trade from VAN 4/11/12) MF Jonny Steele (Discovery - Feb. 2012) MF Sebastian Velasquez (MLS SuperDraft 2012) MF Enzo Martinez (MLS SuperDraft 2012) FW Emiliano Bonfigli (MLS Supplemental Draft 2012)
RIO TINTO STADIUM
SANDY, UT
OPEN CUP ROAD CONTINUES:
For RSL to achieve its goal of utilizing an Open Cup title as a means back to the CONCACAF Champions League, it will have to emerge victorious in five games, starting with next Tuesday’s home tilt against Minnesota … RSL could then be paired on June 5 in the Round of 16 against the winner of San Jose (MLS) v Ft. Lauderdale (NASL) … The four 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinal Round games will be played on June 26, followed by a pair of Semifinal Round games on July 10 and the 99th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final on August 7 or 8 ...
OPEN CUP ROAD POSSIBLE RETURN TO CCL:
For only the second time since 2006, Real Salt Lake participates in the official Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tourney, after failing to emerge from MLS qualifying rounds in 2007-10 … As has been the case in recent years, the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Champion receives entry into the 2013/14 edition of CONCACAF Champions League … All-time in Open Cup-related play, RSL is just 5-7-0, scoring 20 goals and conceding 24 … Against lowerdivision teams, RSL is now 2-1-0 in Open Cup action, losing 4-6 at Minnesota in 2005 (despite a Jason Kreis hat trick) before defeating the USL Virginia Beach Mariners 2-1 at home in 2006 and the Wilmington Hammerheads 2-0 a season ago … Each of the 2005 and 2006 games went 120 minutes after being tied in regulation …
THE RING IS THE THING:
While Real Salt Lake might not have seen much success during its first 7 runs in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, that doesn’t mean some of its roster has not had the chance to lift the coveted Dewar Trophy before … RSL Assistant Coach C.J. Brown won an incredible four U.S. Open Cup titles during his 13-year career with the Chicago Fire, in 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006 … One of his teammates in 2003 – MF Andy Williams – is now the team’s Head Scout after retiring as the last remaining “RSL Original” from the team’s 2005 expansion year … Williams won a ring in 2003 with the Fire, as did MF Ned Grabavoy during his rookie season in LA in 2005 … A trio of RSL Technical Staff members – GM Garth Lagerwey, Head Coach Jason Kreis & Asst. Coach Jeff Cassar – were all members of the 1997 U.S. Open Cup-winning Dallas Burn … RSL Captain Kyle Beckerman and GK Nick Rimando each played for the ring with the 2000 Miami Fusion, which lost in the final to Brown and Chicago …
Current RSL Open Cup finalists: MF Ned Grabavoy: 2005 (LA)* MF Kyle Beckerman: 2000 (MIA) GK Nick Rimando: 2000 (MIA)
(*won title)
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
ALL YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE OPEN CUP, BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK: Dating back to 1914, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest cup competition in United States soccer and is among the oldest in the world … Open to all affiliated amateur and professional teams in the United States, the annual U.S. Open Cup is a 98-year-old single-elimination tournament … The U.S. Open Cup is similar to domestic cup competitions popular throughout Europe, South America and the rest of the world … Cup competitions, which usually run concurrent with a country’s league season, are open in the early stages to any club that can qualify, giving local amateur teams a chance to compete against the best teams a country has to offer …
This year again guarantees the “David vs. Goliath” match-ups tournament fans have desired, as all 16 U.S.-based MLS teams enter the 64-team tournament proper in the 3rd round and will take on survivors from the USL and amateur ranks … Since its inception in 1996, Major League Soccer teams have won 15 of the last 16 U.S. Open Cup titles, with Seattle Sounders FC aiming to become the first-ever team to win FOUR consecutive titles in 2012 …
MLS TEAMS IN THE “PRO ERA” OPEN CUP: Year Champion Score Runner-Up 2011 Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
2010 Seattle Sounders FC (MLS) 2 : 1 Columbus Crew (MLS) 2009 Seattle Sounders FC (MLS) 2 : 1 D.C. United (MLS) 2008 D.C. United (MLS) 2 : 1 Charleston (USL-1) 2007 N.E. Revolution (MLS) 3 : 2 FC Dallas (MLS) 2006 Chicago Fire (MLS) 3 : 1 L.A. Galaxy (MLS) 2005 L.A. Galaxy (MLS) 1 : 0 FC Dallas (MLS) 2004 K.C. Wizards (MLS) 1 : 0 Chicago Fire (MLS) (asdet) 2003 Chicago Fire (MLS) 1 : 0 MetroStars (MLS) 2002 Columbus Crew (MLS) 1 : 0 L.A. Galaxy (MLS) 2001 L.A. Galaxy (MLS) 2 : 1 N.E. Revolution (MLS) (asdet) 2000 Chicago Fire (MLS) 2 : 1 Miami Fusion (MLS) 1999 Rochester Rhinos (A) 2 : 0 Colorado Rapids (MLS) 1998 Chicago Fire (MLS) 2 : 1 Columbus Crew (MLS) (asdet) 1997 Dallas Burn (MLS) 0 : 0 D.C. United (MLS) (5 : 3 PKs) 1996 D.C. United (MLS) 3 : 0 Rochester Rhinos (A)
YOU GOTTA FOLLOW THE RULES:
In the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, some rules and regulations differ from the MLS regular season … Should a match finish tied at the end of regulation, the game will go to a 30-minute added time session (split into two 15-minute halves) which will be played in their entirety (i.e., NO golden goals) … Should the added time period not yield any scores, the match will be decided by the traditional “kicks from the penalty spot” tiebreaker as mandated per FIFA guidelines … RSL went to extra time and PKs in April, 2010 in its initial MLS play-in match at San Jose, blowing a 2-0 lead late in regulation (the Earthquakes paced by future RSL player Arturo Alvarez) ... After SJ took a 3-2 lead, it was a Nat Borchers goal in the 118’ that knotted the score at 3-3, RSL then rode GK heroics by Kyle Reynish, winning the shootout 5-3 ...
RIO TINTO STADIUM
SANDY, UT
IN SEARCH OF A TROPHY:
In its history, Real Salt Lake has registered a 5-7-0 alltime Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup record (20 GF / 24 GA) in the competition’s games/qualifiers across 2005-11 … That record includes five qualifiers: the June, 2010 1-2 (aet) loss at D.C. United; that April’s 3-3 draw (5-3 PKs to advance) at San Jose; the 1-4 road loss at Seattle to the eventual Open Cup champions in 2009; and 2008’s 4-0 home win over then-expansion Earthquakes and the subsequent 0-2 loss @ Columbus … As RSL pursues its possible five-game road to the 2012 title, following is a year-by-year rundown of RSL’s previous runs in U.S. Soccer’s national championship tourney:
2011: Jason Kreis’ team opened the 98th LHUSOC
tourney at home against the Wilmington Hammerheads, winning 2-0 on late first-half goals by Tony Beltran and Jean Alexandre ... The Beltran goal was the fourth-year defender’s first in an RSL uniform in any competition since being drafted 3rd overall by the Claret-and-Cobalt in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft, the former UCLA Bruin still looking to snap a 91-match scoreless streak to kick off his career in MLS action ... An impressive crowd of 7,620 came out on short notice, the tournament’s largest attendance prior to the Seattle Semifinal gate ... The club’s reward? - a Quarterfinal trip to Pizza Hut Park in Dallas ... After RSL controlled the balance of play in the MLS encounter just three days prior at Rio Tinto Stadium, it was FC Dallas taking similar control at home in the Open Cup Quarter, outshooting RSL 7-1 in the first half en route to a 1-0 lead at the break ... The Dallas advantage would come via a dead ball opportunity by Jair Benitez, who curled a 30-yard free kick straight out from goal into the upper right corner and past diving RSL GK Kyle Reynish in the 18th minute ... RSL would come out of the locker room with renewed energy, and came close to leveling the match in the 54th minute when FW Fabian Espíndola’s left-footed bender for the far left post missed a foot wide ... Off the ensuing goal kick it was Jackson running onto FW Eric Alexander’s flick-on header and past the last RSL defender before sending a perfectly-weighted chip over Reynish and under the crossbar to double the Hoops’ lead at 2-0 ... From there the home side would effectively put a chokehold on the contest, with RSL MF Collen Warner’s audacious volley from the edge of the area that struck off the crossbar in the 74th minute counting as the visitors’ best chance to mount a comeback ...
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
2010: Despite entering the year as the defending
MLS Cup Champions, RSL was forced on the road to pursue Open Cup hardware due to its 11-12-7 regularseason MLS mark in 2009 … On April 14 at San Jose, RSL stormed out to a 2-0 lead at Buck Shaw Stadium with goals by FW Robbie Findley and MF Nelson Gonzalez, but it was former Earthquake and current RSL player Arturo Alvarez that led the SJ comeback, scoring in the 88’ to force overtime and assisting on a goal in 103’ to give the ‘Quakes the lead … RSL battled back in OT, DF Nat Borchers heading home a Robbie Russell cross in the 118’ to force PKs, where RSL won 5-3, GK Kyle Reynish saving the Alvarez effort in the 1st frame to make the difference … In June, RSL played at RFK Stadium against D.C. United to determine the final MLS spot in the Open Cup proper, just days before visiting the White House to celebrate its MLS Cup win in 2009 … With FW Robbie Findley away at the World Cup, captain Kyle Beckerman and perennial starters Andy Williams and Chris Wingert unavailable, RSL started a 4-5-1 with new faces and players in new positions … After a scoreless first 60 minutes, both sides wilting in extreme heat and humidity, RSL inserted MF Javier Morales, FW Fabian Espindola and FW Alvaro Saborio in the 63’ to inject life into the RSL attack, switching back to the 4-4-2 diamond … D.C. scored first, however, on a 75’ PK, as rookie MF Collen Warner was adjudged to have handled a Chris Pontius shot following a stellar Reynish save … RSL MF Will Johnson answered back with a PK of his own just 8 minutes later, and the sides went to extra time … Teenage RSL MF Luis Gil made his debut for the squad entering to start the OT, but it was another teen phenom – United’s Andy Najar – that came on for the final 15 minutes and provided the goal that sent D.C. on to the tourney proper …
2009: RSL kicked off its qualifying road for the 2009 LHUSOC at Starfire Complex in Tukwila, WA, the Sounders’ training field … Expansion Seattle won a coin toss to host RSL, the Western Conference finalist from the year prior … The Sounders scored goals three minutes apart – in each half – to tally a 4-1 win over RSL, Sebastian LeToux tallying two goals and two assists … MF Will Johnson scored an unassisted goal in the 32nd minute to cut the Sounders lead in half after goals by LeToux (24’) and Sanna Nyassi (26’), but Roger Levesque (53’) and LeToux (55’) followed up in the 2nd half …
2008: RSL kicked off its qualifying prospects for the
2008 U.S. Open Cup with a dominating, 4-0 late-April win at Rice-Eccles, as RSL MF Kyle Beckerman got the ball rolling with goals in the 21st and 33rd minutes … RSL would then punish the ‘Quakes off the kick-off seconds later, as FW Yura Movsisyan converted the turnover into RSL’s second goal inside the minute to put the game out of reach … RSL MF Andy Williams made sure he maintained his Open Cup scoring mastery, slotting home in the 90th minute to close out the scoring … GK Chris Seitz saw his initial first-team action of 2008 and recorded his first career clean sheet with his four-save effort … A month later in Columbus, Crew goals by Steven Lenhart (26’) and Robbie Rogers (53’) sandwiched around a 49th-minute Dema Kovalenko red card ended RSL’s 2008 Open Cup chances …
RIO TINTO STADIUM
SANDY, UT
2007: RSL kicked off its run to the 2007 U.S. Open
Cup on by taking a 2-1 overtime victory over the Kansas City Wizards in a “play-in” contest … A Jeff Cunningham penalty kick a dozen minutes in appeared as if it would stand tall, but a goal by KC’s Sasha Victorine in the 88th minute would send the match to added extra time … In the game’s 109th minute, Andy Williams again was the hero, finishing a nifty give-and-go from 15 yards out to lift RSL … In the next round, however, for the second consecutive season, RSL’s Open Cup run ended at the hands of the hated Colorado Rapids, as two Jacob Peterson goals, including one 3 minutes into stoppage time, led the Rapids to a 2-1 win over RSL … Chris Klein scored the 64th-minute equalizer in Jason Kreis’ Open Cup coaching debut, but it wasn’t enough to send the game into OT …
2006: Real Salt Lake saw added time once again in its
2006 USOC opener against another USL-1 side, Virginia Beach Mariners, but this time it was RSL getting the goal in overtime, as Andy Williams’ 93rd-minute strike lifted the MLS side to a 2-1 win in the Third Round, marking its first-ever USOC victory … RSL’s run would be a short one, as the Utah side had the better of the play at home against Rocky Mountain Cup rival Colorado, but the Rapids’ Peterson got the only goal in a 1-0 win in a 4th Round affair …
2005: RSL saw its inaugural run in the 2005 Open Cup
end abruptly, as tournament upstart Minnesota Thunder overcame a Jason Kreis hat trick – the only 3-goal performance in RSL history in all competitions, prior to Robbie Findley’s effort in April ‘09 – to post a wild 6-4 upset in a Third Round match the USL First Division side took to a 30-minute added time session thanks to an 88th minute equalizer …
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
RIO TINTO STADIUM
SANDY, UT
2012 REAL SALT LAKE MISCELLANEOUS STATS:
2012 MLS CATEGORICAL W-L-T (GF/GA):
Quickest Goals Scored:
MLS Reg. Season:
Home Road 5-1-0 (10/4)
3-2-2 (9/8)
Overall
One-Goal Games:
3-1-0
2-0-0
4-1-0
In March: In April: In May:
1-1-0 (2/1) 3-0-0 (6/2) 1-0-0 (2/1)
2-0-0 (6/3) 0-2-1 (2/5) 1-0-1 (1/0)
3-1-0 (8/4) 3-2-1 (8/7) 2-0-1 (3/1)
RSL Equalizers after 75’:
vs. East: vs. West:
4-0-0 (8/3) 1-1-0 (2/1)
0-1-1 (0/1) 3-1-1 (9/7)
4-1-1 (8/4) 4-2-1 (11/8)
Opp. Equalizers after 75’:
First 17 games: Last 17 games:
5-1-0 (10/4)
3-2-2 (9/8)
8-3-2 (19/12)
RSL Game-Winners after 75’:
Before All-Star: Since All-Star:
5-1-0 (10/4)
3-2-2 (9/8)
8-3-2 (19/10)
Scoring First: 4-0-0 Opp. Scoring First: 1-1-0
2-0-0 1-2-1
6-0-0 2-3-1
Leading at Half: Tied at Half: Trailing at Half:
4-0-0 1-1-0 n/a
1-0-0 2-1-1 0-1-1
5-0-0 3-2-1 0-1-1
Opp. Multi-Goal Games:
Leading at 75’: Tied at 75’: Trailing at 75’:
5-0-0 n/a 0-1-0
1-0-0 1-1-2 1-1-0
6-0-0 1-1-2 1-2-0
RSL Multi-Assist Games:
Day Games: Night Games:
5-1-0 (10/4)
3-2-2 (9/8)
8-3-2 (19/12)
Opp. Multi-Assist Games:
On Grass: On Turf:
5-1-0 (10/4) N/A
1-2-2 (5/6) 2-0-0 (4/2)
6-3-2 (15/10) 2-0-0 (4/2)
In Red: In White:
5-1-0 (10/4) n/a
2-1-0 (3/2) 1-1-2 (3/4)
7-2-0 (16/8) 1-1-2 (3/4)
On ABC4: On CW30: On NBC Sports: On ESPN2: On Telefutura: Opp. Local TV:
1-0-0 (2/0) 4-1-0 (8/4)
3-1-0 (8/6) 0-1-2 (1/2)
4-1-0 (10/6) 4-1-1 (9/6)
5-1-0 (10/4)
3-2-2 (9/8)
8-3-2 (19/12)
3-2-2 (9/8) 0-2-0 (1/4)
8-3-2 (19/12) 0-4-1 (2/9)
3-4-2 (10/12)
8-7-3(20/21)
7’ - Beckerman; 4/28 v TOR 13’ - Paulo Jr.; 4/04 v MTL (PK) 20’ – Saborio; 4/07 v COL
Quickest Goals Allowed:
20’ - Brettschneider; 5/5 v NE 47+ - Stephenson; 4/21 @ SJ 47+ - Shea; 4/25 @ DAL (PK)
89’ – Steele; 3/31 @ POR
77’ - Henry; 4/28 v TOR
93+’ – Beckerman; 3/31 @ POR 93+’ - Steele; 4/28 v TOR
92+’ - Dawkins, SJ; 4/21 @ SJ
Opposition GWG after 75’: RSL Multi-Goal Games:
Saborio (2); 5/5 v NE Nagbe (2); 3/31 @ POR Beltran (2); 4/07 v COL
Beitashour (2); 4/21 @ SJ
RSL Hat Tricks: Opp. Hat Tricks: Own Goals for RSL:
Francis, LA; 3/10 @ LA, 72’ Eckersley, TOR: 4/28 v TOR, 72’
Own Goals against RSL: RSL Red Cards Received:
29’ - Espindola, 4/21 @ SJ 69’ - Olave, 4/21 @ SJ 59’ - Johnson, 5/5 v NE
Opp. Red Cards Received:
2012 RSL AWARD WINNERS MLS Player of the Week MLS Goal of the Week
Week 5 – FW Alvaro Saborio (20’ v COL) Week 8 - MF Kyle Beckerman (53’ @ SJ)
MLS Save of the Week Week Week Week Week
1 - GK Nick Rimando (88’ @ LA v Keane) 6 – GK Nick Rimando (70’ @ KC v Kamara) 8 - GK Nick Rimando (74’ @ SJ v Baca) 9 - GK Nick Rimando (71’ v NE v Feilhaber)
MLS Player of the Month
MLS Reg. Season: 5-1-0 (10/4) MLS Reserves: 0-2-1 (1/5) U.S. Open Cup: starts May 29 CONCACAF CL: starts July 31 Friendlies: TBD TOTALS 5-3-1 (11/9)
8-3-2 (19/12)
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
RIO TINTO STADIUM
SANDY, UT
RSL INDIVIDUAL LEADERS (ALL-TIME) INCLUDES GAMES OF May 12, 2012 (active players in claret) GAMES PLAY / START Andy Williams Nick Rimando Kyle Beckerman Chris Wingert Nat Borchers Jamison Olave Javier Morales Fabian Espindola Robbie Findley Will Johnson
GP 189 155 134 134 126 111 108 106 96 97
GS 122 155 130 124 126 110 99 88 59 89
MINUTES PLAYED Nick Rimando Andy Williams Kyle Beckerman Nat Borchers Chris Wingert Jamison Olave Javier Morales Will Johnson Fabian Espindola Tony Beltran
MIN 13895 11536 11629 11139 11075 9645 8500 8071 7195 7170
GOALS Fabian Espindola Robbie Findley Alvaro Saborio Jeff Cunningham Javier Morales Jason Kreis Kyle Beckerman Yura Movsisyan Andy Williams Jamison Olave
GP GOALS 106 30 96 29 63 27 38 19 108 18 58 17 134 16 53 15 189 14 111 10
GAME-WINNING GOALS Alvaro Saborio Javier Morales Fabian Espindola Robbie Findley Kyle Beckerman Jeff Cunningham Andy Williams Jason Kreis 6 players tied with 2
GP 63 108 106 96 134 38 189 58
GWG 11 9 9 9 5 4 4 3
HAT TRICKS Robbie Findley
GP 96
HATS 1
MULTI-GOAL GAMES Alvaro Saborio Jeff Cunningham Robbie Findley Javier Morales Fabian Espindola Yura Movsisyan Kyle Beckerman Chris Brown Atiba Harris Jason Kreis
GP 63 38 96 108 106 53 134 60 43 58
2+ G GM 6 5 4 3 2 2 1 1 1 1
PENALTY-KICK GOALS Alvaro Saborio Jeff Cunningham Jason Kreis Robbie Findley Carey Talley Freddy Adu Alecko Eskandarian Fabian Espindola Will Johnson Dema Kovalenko Javier Morales Andy Williams Paulo Junior
GP 63 38 58 96 60 11 17 106 97 22 108 189 24
PKG 6 5 4 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
ASSISTS Javier Morales Andy Williams Kyle Beckerman Robbie Findley Fabian Espindola Jeff Cunningham Clint Mathis Chris Klein Jason Kreis Robbie Russell Carey Talley Chris Wingert
GP ASTS 108 37 189 29 134 18 96 13 106 11 38 11 66 11 43 9 58 9 78 9 60 9 134 9
GAME-WINNING ASSISTS GP Kyle Beckerman 134 Javier Morales 108 Fabian Espindola 106 Robbie Findley 96 Andy Williams 189 Clint Mathis 66 Robbie Russell 78 Jeff Cunningham 38 5 players tied with 2
GWA 11 9 5 5 5 4 4 3
SHOTS / SOG Andy Williams Fabian Espindola Kyle Beckerman Robbie Findley Will Johnson Javier Morales Yura Movsisyan Jason Kreis Alvaro Saborio Jeff Cunningham
SHT 232 208 178 157 154 150 143 132 134 94
GP 189 106 134 96 97 108 53 58 63 38
SOG 83 102 69 69 63 71 65 57 52 52
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
RIO TINTO STADIUM
SANDY, UT
RSL INDIVIDUAL LEADERS (ALL-TIME) INCLUDES GAMES OF May 12, 2012 (active players in claret) FOULS COMMITTED Andy Williams Kyle Beckerman Chris Wingert Javier Morales Jamison Olave Fabian Espindola Carey Talley Atiba Harris Nat Borchers Mehdi Ballouchy
GP 189 134 134 108 111 106 60 43 127 46
FC 198 186 142 139 135 131 95 92 88 82
FOULS SUFFERED Andy Williams Javier Morales Kyle Beckerman Fabian Espindola Will Johnson Carey Talley Ned Grabavoy Robbie Findley Chris Wingert Mehdi Ballouchy
GP 189 108 134 106 97 60 78 96 134 46
FS 269 232 133 109 101 91 86 85 79 75
CAUTIONS (YELLOWS) Kyle Beckerman Jamison Olave Andy Williams Will Johnson Chris Wingert Javier Morales Fabian Espindola Nat Borchers Clint Mathis Carey Talley
GP 134 111 189 97 134 108 106 127 66 60
CAUT 34 29 21 21 20 20 18 14 14 14
EJECTIONS (RED CARDS) Jamison Olave Fabian Espindola Andy Williams Nat Borchers Clint Mathis Will Johnson 20 players tied with 1
GP 111 106 189 127 66 97
EJECT 5 3 3 2 2 2
CORNER KICKS Javier Morales Andy Williams Chris Klein Kyle Beckerman Clint Mathis
GP 108 189 43 134 66
CK 374 225 76 75 52
OFFSIDES Fabian Espindola Robbie Findley Alvaro Saborio Jeff Cunningham Jason Kreis
GP 106 96 63 38 58
OFF 107 60 67 45 44
GAMES PLAYED IN GOAL GP Nick Rimando 155 Scott Garlick 31 D.J. Countess 27 Jay Nolly 7 Chris Seitz 7 Kyle Reynish 6 Brian Kamler 1 MIN PLAYED IN GOAL Nick Rimando Scott Garlick D.J. Countess Chris Seitz Jay Nolly Kyle Reynish Brian Kamler
GS 155 31 27 6 7 5 0
MIN 13895 2745 2422 630 585 505 8
GOALS AGAINST AVG.
PLAYER GP MIN SHT SVS GA GAA W-L-T SHO Nick Rimando 155 13895 686 521 171 1.14 63-51-41 55
WINNING PCT Nick Rimando
GP WON LOST TIED PCT 155 63 51 41 .539
WINS Nick Rimando Scott Garlick D.J. Countess Kyle Reynish Jay Nolly Chris Seitz
GP WON 155 63 31 10 27 4 6 1 7 1 7 1
LOSSES Nick Rimando D.J. Countess Scott Garlick Jay Nolly Chris Seitz
GP LOST 155 51 27 19 31 12 7 4 7 4
SAVES Nick Rimando D.J. Countess Scott Garlick Jay Nolly Chris Seitz Kyle Reynish
GP 155 27 31 7 7 6
SHUTOUTS Nick Rimando D.J. Countess Scott Garlick Kyle Reynish Chris Seitz
GP SHO 155 55 27 4 31 4 6 3 7 1
SAVES PERCENTAGE Nick Rimando
GP 155
SVS 521 112 108 41 19 16
SAVES SOG PCT 521 718 73.5
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
1
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
LALO FERNANDEZ
GOALKEEPER
RIO TINTO STADIUM
2
SANDY, UT
TONY BELTRAN
DEFENDER
HEIGHT: 6-3 WEIGHT: 170 DOB: 12/16/92 HOMETOWN: El Paso, TX ACQUIRED: Signed as Home Grown Player, 1/11/12 LAST CLUB: C.A. Penarol (Uruguay) PRONOUNCIATION: LAW-lo LAST GAME: yet to appear in an RSL league or reserve match
HEIGHT: 5-8 WEIGHT: 150 DOB: 10/11/87 HOMETOWN: Claremont, CA ACQUIRED: PRONOUNCIATION: BELL - trann LAST SEASON: Played 28 games (23 starts) in all competitions, scoring one goal, adding one assist LAST MLS GOAL: yet to score in 91 career MLS games LAST MLS ASSIST: 04/07/12 v COL (20’/57’) - 7 games ago LAST GAME: 05/12/12 - start/90’ in 1-0 W @ SEA
Real Salt Lake’s eye towards the future was bolstered in February with the signing of promising goalkeeper Lalo Fernandez as the club’s third-ever Homegrown Player. The addition of Fernandez marks the second dip into the Homegrown Player well by Real Salt Lake in less than a year, following on the heels of fellow RSL-Arizona Academy product Nico Muñiz (Sept. 2011) and Donny Toia (May 2011).
After playing the second-most minutes of his career in 2011, Tony Beltran again showed why he belongs in the discussion with the best outside backs in Major League Soccer. For the second time in his career the 24-year-old made more than 20 starts and helped solidify a back line that was depleted by injuries all season long – until he unfortunately suffered one of his own, limiting his minutes in the final two months of the season.
The 19-year-old Fernandez has kept busy over the last year-and-a-half, helping the RSL-Arizona Under-18 squad begin its first season in U.S. Soccer Development Academy in October 2010 and going 5-3-3 (1.00 GAA, 4 shutouts) in 11 appearances through the spring
While his staunch 1-v-1 defending continued to be rock solid, the cerebral and supremely fit Beltran has also provided more consistency when jumping into the attack, his flying runs up either flank ending with dangerous service into the area more often than during his previous
of 2011. After initially agreeing to play collegiately at the University of Wisconsin, Fernandez tacked course and tested the international waters, first spending a training stint with Mexican first division side Atlas – based in his birthplace of Guadalajara – before signing with Uruguayan power C.A. Peñarol last August.
two seasons of play. It can’t be long until Beltran sheds the status of one of the most underrated outside defenders in Major League Soccer, but, until then, the RSL braintrust will be more than happy to unleash the mature-beyond-his-years winger upon opponents that may underestimate the UCLA product’s considerable talent and tenacity.
The 6-foot-3, 165-pound Fernandez has been involved in the Youth National Team set-ups of both the United States and Mexico, playing for the Mexican Under-17s and training with the U.S. Under-20s last November. The El Paso, Texas, native’s goalkeeping skills run in the family, as his father, enjoyed a career as a professional netminder in Mexico.
3
DIOGO DE ALMEIDA
DEFENDER
4
JAMISON OLAVE
DEFENDER
HEIGHT: 6-0 WEIGHT: 175 DOB: 1/2/89 HOMETOWN: Piricicaba, Brazil ACQUIRED: 2012 MLS SuperDraft PRONOUNCIATION: dee - OH -go DAY al - MAY - duh LAST SEASON: Played 22 games (all starts) in goal for D.C. United, registering five shutouts and a 1.68 goals-against average LAST GAME: 03/27/12 - start/90’ in 0-1 L @ CHI (reserves)
HEIGHT: 6-3 WEIGHT: 210 DOB: 4/21/81 HOMETOWN: Medellin, Colombia ACQUIRED: March, 2008 PRONOUNCIATION: HAW-miss-son oh-LAW-vay LAST SEASON: Played 31 games (all starts) in all competitions, scoring 3 goals, adding 1 assist and named MLS Best XI LAST MLS GOAL: 07/23/11 v SJ (83’) - 20 games ago LAST MLS ASSIST: 4/28/11 v TOR (7’) - 3 games ago LAST MLS GAME: 05/12/12 - start/90’ in 1-0 W @ SEA
Real Salt Lake’s search for a naturally left-footed fit on its back line may very well have come to an end with its selection of SMU product Diogo de Almeida back in January. Other outside back options were on the board towards the start of the second round, RSL was enamored with the athletic de Almeida’s size and speed, not to mention his technical ability, which was no surprise after his progression from forward to midfielder to defender during his first three years with the Mustangs. While RSL will not expect the 23-year-old to fill in minutes right away, the Brazilian’s progress throughout the year will prove vital to the planned wing-back rotation system that could prove crucial to the Utah side’s late-season success.
It seemed to take a couple of years for MLS fans and pundits to fully appreciate the depth of talent that RSL center back Jamison Olave possessed. However, now that he’s a known commodity, the RSL center back can’t seem to stop the plaudits coming his way, the ultra-athletic center back garnering spots on the MLS Best XI and MLS All-Star teams for a second consecutive season in 2011. He began the year by not only displaying his usual defensive prowess, but also securing himself an even bigger spot in RSL lore courtesy of some offense, as it was his goal at Deportivo Saprissa that would swing the CONCACAF Champions League Semifinal series the Utah side’s way. While RSL fans loved seeing “The Verb” represent the Claret-and-Cobalt against Manchester United in the All-Star Game once again, they were also left holding their collective breath after a sliding tackle sidelined him with an MCL sprain in his left knee. Success, it appeared, might come at a price. However, Olave would return after missing only a month, using his unique blend of size and closing speed – in addition to a growing sense of comfort with the ball at his feet – to keep opposing forwards on lockdown. Olave would again suffer from injury, this time a quadriceps strain, during the 2011 postseason, but the 2012 preseason sees the Colombian fit as a fiddle and ready to lead the RSL backline to more impressive and historic numbers – more specifically the ones in the “W” and “SO” columns. And, speaking of numbers, the 30-year-old Olave will hit a nice round one the next time he sees the field, as his next appearance on the fiels will mark his 100th in MLS regular season play.
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
5
KYLE BECKERMAN
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
MIDFIELDER
HEIGHT: 5-11 WEIGHT: 165 DOB: 4/23/82 HOMETOWN: Crofton, MD ACQUIRED: Trade with Colorado for Mehdi Ballouchy on 6/17/07 LAST SEASON: Played 36 games (34 starts) as Captain, scoring 3 goals & 9 assists (6 game-winners), earning USMNT call-ups and All-Star consideration LAST MLS GOAL: 04/28/12 v TOR (7’) - 3 games ago LAST MLS ASSIST: 04/28/12 v TOR (93+’) - 3 games ago LAST GAME: 05/12/12 - start/90’ in 1-0 W @ SEA Many players start to think about the next stage of their careers after a dozen seasons in the pros, the portion involving final contracts, farewell tours and the like. However, most players aren’t like Kyle Beckerman, whose 12th season only propelled him towards bigger heights both with his club and for his country, as 2011 saw the RSL captain go from a perennial MLS All-Star and part-time U.S. Men’s National Team performer to a legitimate league MVP candidate and First XI stalwart for Jurgen Klinsmann’s USA squad. Beckerman’s ability to step up his game in the absence of main playmaker Javier Morales showed both on and off the stat sheet, his increased leadership role on the field during an adversityfilled 2011 proving just as crucial as his career-best nine assists (including six game-winning helpers) across regular season play. The 29-year-old Beckerman is hitting his peak as he enters 2012, a year in which he’ll likely leap into the league’s all-time top 20 in games played and started while also playing an integral role for the US Men’s National Team as it begins its qualifying journey for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals in Brazil. While an offseason adductor strain might have slowed RSL’s heart-and-soul down temporarily, Beckerman should be ready to set the tone for the Claretand-Cobalt right out of the gates in what he hopes is a lucky 13th season in MLS.
7
FABIAN ESPINDOLA
FORWARD
HEIGHT: 5-9 WEIGHT: 160 DOB: 5/4/85 HOMETOWN: Buenos Aires, Argentina ACQUIRED: 8/07 PRONOUNCIATION: fah - bee - AHN ess - PEEN - doh - lah LAST SEASON: Played 34 games (32 starts) in all competitions, scoring career-high 11 goals & 5 assists LAST MLS GOAL: 5/12/12 @ SEA (51’) - ACTIVE LAST MLS ASSIST: 03/31/12 @ POR (93+) - 7 games ago LAST GAME: 05/12/12 - start/90’/GW GOAL in 1-0 W @ SEA
RIO TINTO STADIUM
6
SANDY, UT
NAT BORCHERS
DEFENDER
HEIGHT: 6-2 WEIGHT: 175 DOB: 4/13/81 HOMETOWN: Pueblo, CO ACQUIRED: Feb. 2008 PRONOUNCIATION: NATT LAST SEASON: Played team-high 37 games (all starts), scoring 4 goals & 1 assist as MLS DF of the Year Finalist LAST MLS GOAL: 9/17/11 v KC (54’) - 13 games ago LAST MLS ASSIST: 05/7/11 v CHV (87’) - 31 games ago LAST GAME: 05/12/12 - start/90’ in 1-0 W @ SEA Ever since he crashed the Colorado Rapids roster as an undrafted camp invitee back in 2003, Nat Borchers has been tough to take off the roster sheet … make that nearly impossible to take off. While missing four of 34 regular season games like Borchers did in 2011 wouldn’t be noteworthy for most players, for the “Ironman of MLS” it was more than a bit out of the ordinary. And even with that said, Borchers’ 30 starts last season allowed him to become the only player across Major League Soccer with at least 29 starts in each of the last four years. Death … Taxes … Borchers, indeed. The big story for Real Salt Lake as it approaches its season opener in Los Angeles might just be if the three-time RSL Defender of the Year winner will be in Jason Kreis’ First XI. The right quadriceps strain the 30-year-old backline staple suffered in last October’s postseason opener against Seattle has forced a cautious approach during this year’s preseason camp, but Borchers vows to be ready to go for rematch of the Western Conference Championship … a game the ever-steady center back would have certainly been a difference-maker in had he been able to give it a go.
8
WILL JOHNSON
MIDFIELDER
HEIGHT: 5-10 WEIGHT: 155 DOB: 1/21/87 HOMETOWN: Woodridge, IL ACQUIRED: July, 2008 PRONOUNCIATION: LAST SEASON: Played 33 games (30 starts) in all competitions, scoring 2 goals & 2 assists LAST MLS GOAL: 07/04/11 v NE (24’) - 23 games ago LAST MLS ASSIST: 04/25/12 @ DAL (72’) - 3 games ago LAST GAME: 05/12/12 - start/90’ in 1-0 W @ SEA
Seemingly overshadowed by other forwards every since he joined Real Salt Lake five years ago, the attention turned Fabian Espíndola’s way in 2011 seemed to increase. Then again, everything involving Espíndola seemed to be ratcheted up a notch last season – his focus, an already-high energy-level and even his notoriety across the league all received noticeable bumps. However, the most important thing the fiery Argentine increased last year was his production, as Espíndola knocked home a career-best 10 goals in league play and added a goal and two assists during RSL’s CONCACAF Champions League run that allowed to Utahns to continue their historic path to the tourney’s finals.
Will Johnson was a busy guy in 2011, but when you’re depended upon to be a stalwart for both your club and country, well, that just goes with the territory. But with Johnson possessing one of – if not the best – motors in all of Major League Soccer, the industrious 25-year-old not only has the stamina to handle the added workload, but the pride and character to relish it. He also has the history to prove he can handle the added miles as well, playing at least 2,000 minutes and in at least 25 regular season contests for the Claretand-Cobalt in each of his first three full seasons … and that’s not counting the additional wear-and-tear (and pressure) endured during Cup competitions.
It’s easy to forget that Espíndola was a part of the massive rebuilding process that Jason Kreis began midway through 2007; and yet, at the same time, it seems hard to think about RSL without the passion and grit of the 26-year-old forward. Re-signing Espíndola was priority #1 for Real Salt Lake this past offseason, and when two sides were able to agree to a four-year pact you could almost hear an audible sigh of relief from Claret-and-Cobalt fans near and far. With his regular up-top running mate, Álvaro Saborío, a question mark for the start of the campaign, the scoring burden will likely fall to Espíndola – then again, that’s something the confident striker will likely pick up as well.
With another round of World Cup qualifying in store for his Canadian National Team and another run in the CONCACAF Champions League on the docket for Real Salt Lake, it’s going to be another chock full calendar in 2012 for Johnson, who will again be depended upon to man the left side of RSL’s midfield diamond. While a procedure to correct a sports hernia issue might slow Johnson down for the first few weeks of the season, the RSL faithful can rest assured his odometer will start spinning furiously sooner rather than later.
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
11
JAVIER MORALES
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
MIDFIELDER
HEIGHT: 5-9 WEIGHT: 165 DOB: 1/10/80 HOMETOWN: Buenos Aires, Argentina ACQUIRED: 8/07 PRONOUNCIATION: HAW-vee-err LAST SEASON: Played 16 games (15 starts) in all competitions, scoring 5 goals & 4 assists in injury-shortened campaign LAST MLS GOAL: 03/10/12 @ LA (80’) - 9 games ago LAST MLS ASSIST: 05/05/12 v NE (55’) - 1 game ago LAST GAME: 05/09/12 - start/29’ in 0-0 T @ CHI (R quad strain) Perhaps no player in Major League Soccer was poised to have a better 2011 than Javier Morales. From the get-go, the Argentine midfield maestro was pulling the strings for a Real Salt Lake side on the cusp of international glory, his infectious attitude, quiet leadership and abundant skill helping a pioneering club earn plaudits from every corner of America’s soccer landscape. So while RSL’s disappointment at the end of its CONCACAF Champions League run in late April was a tough blow for the squad, it’s quite telling that the result’s effect on the team’s season paled in comparison to the loss of Morales to an ankle injury just 10 days after the stinging defeat. It is also telling that, during a stretch of two weeks when clumsy challenges like the one Morales suffered from felled some of MLS’ other brightest attacking talents, RSL’s playmaker vowed to come back before season’s end. Anyone who saw the incident must have thought Morales’ thoughts were wishful thinking at best, but they also weren’t witness to the hard work he put in day after day. While the air was sucked out of the building that day, Morales knew it wasn’t sucked out of the season, and he wanted to make sure he could help the squad finish the challenge it had laid down at the start of the year – add hardware to the trophy case.
RIO TINTO STADIUM
12
SANDY, UT
EMILIANO BONFIGLI
FORWARD
HEIGHT: 5-10 WEIGHT: 150 DOB: 4/15/88 HOMETOWN: Bahia Blanca, Argentina ACQUIRED: 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft PRONOUNCIATION: bone-FIGG-lee LAST MLS GOAL: 04/25/12 @ DAL (72’) - 1 game ago LAST MLS ASSIST: has not assisted in 3 career MLS games LAST GAME: 05/05/12 - sub/33’ in 0-0 T @ CHI
Five years ago, Real Salt Lake brought a young Argentinean striker into its side by the name of Fabian Espíndola … and now the Utah side is hoping it has unearthed a similar talent in his countryman, Emiliano Bonfigli. The lanky striker proved worth taking a flyer on in the MLS Supplemental Draft, the 23-year-old showing more than enough finishing prowess during RSL’s opening preseason camp to earn a spot on the team’s forward depth chart. With a congested schedule ahead, expect Bonfigli to be firmly in the mix for the “spot starter” role up top alongside fellow “young guns” Paulo Jr. and Cody Arnoux.
While that goal wouldn’t come to fruition, the comeback of Morales inspired not only his teammates, but the RSL faithful as well, who could not get enough updates on the status of “Javi” and when – not if – he would return to the field. While Morales was never back to 100% during the final six weeks of the season, he showed plenty enough to make it clear that he was closer than anyone, save himself, might have thought. But, perhaps more than anything, his comeback allowed everyone the opportunity to remember a different image of #11 at Rio Tinto Stadium in 2011 – the thunderous standing ovation he received upon entering the Sept. 28 match against Chicago in front of the largest crowd in the stadium’s history. 20,762 fans, all there to pay tribute to the heart-and-soul of RSL, to see the maestro pick up his baton once again. The start of the 2012 campaign sees Morales continuing to overcome injury, an offseason procedure to clean out bone spurs in his left foot and a right quad strain suffered during the preseason limiting him during the squad’s preparations for the upcoming season. But if 2011 proved anything, it’s that Morales will be able to overcome any challenge thrown at him … and likely sooner than anyone could imagine.
14
YORDANY ALVAREZ
MIDFIELDER
HEIGHT: 5-10 WEIGHT: 165 DOB: 5/24/85 HOMETOWN: Cienfuegos, Cuba ACQUIRED: Sept. 2011 PRONOUNCIATION: jor-DONN-ee LAST SEASON: Played 5 games (4 starts) on loan from Orlando City, where he was named 2011 USL PRO MVP as championship-winner LAST MLS GOAL: yet to score in 9 games LAST MLS ASSIST: yet to assist in 9 games LAST GAME: 05/12/12 - sub/10’ in 1-0 W @ SEA When it came to taking advantage of an opportunity in 2011, nobody did it better than midfielder Yordany Alvarez, who parlayed his USL PRO League MVP performance for Orlando City S.C. into a quasi-starting gig last September shortly after joining Real Salt Lake on loan at the roster freeze deadline. The one-time Cuban international provided quality cover for Kyle Beckerman, whose suspensions and U.S. MNT call-ups across the last quarter of the season forced Alvarez onto the field for five contests. The 26-year-old performed well enough during the impromptu “trial by fire” that RSL sought to secure his services on a more permanent basis, and the Utah side did just that in February by coming to buyout terms with Orlando and locking up the holding midfielder via a new three-year deal. With Beckerman again slated to pull double-duty for club and country during much of 2012, fans can expect to see Alvarez back in the Starting XI mix on many more occasions.
15
ALVARO SABORIO
FORWARD
HEIGHT: 6-0 WEIGHT: 170 DOB: 3/25/82 HOMETOWN: San Carlos, Costa Rica ACQUIRED: March 2010 PRONOUNCIATION: AL-vuh-ro sabb-oh-REE-oh LAST SEASON: Played 29 games (28 starts) in all competitions, scoring team-high 13 goals (incl. 5 game-winners) & 4 assists LAST MLS GOAL: 05/05/12 v NE (33’ / 55’) - 2 games ago LAST MLS ASSIST: 03/10/12 @ LA (85’) - 12 games ago LAST GAME: 05/12/12 - start/80’ in 1-0 W @ SEA As a forward there’s always pressure to perform, and in 2011 the pressure seemed to be both a blessing and a curse for Álvaro Saborío, who began the year with a new contract that heaped on the added weight of becoming Real Salt Lake’s first-ever “Designated Player” (though the title was more a technicality thanks to the transfer fees involved in obtaining his full rights). The roller-coaster season saw Saborío bag goals in bunches and in some critical moments, but also included some droughts and mountains of adversity on the national team front for his native Costa Rica. A part of that ebb-and-flow of output was due to injury, as Saborío rushed back from offseason knee surgery quickly in order to help keep his hot hand in the CONCACAF Champions League going from the prior fall. While he indeed helped carry the squad to the tournament’s finals, his production and availability would suffer in the months to follow, only to ratchet back up during a torrid stretch in mid-summer. When the dust settled, “Sabo” had collected 16 goals across 32 games in all competitions, keeping pace with the 18 tallies in 36 contests the season prior. The wear-and-tear resulted in another surgery on his right knee immediately after the season, making his return to the line-up at the start of 2012 a question mark. However, the “Tico Terror” won’t be sidelined for long, as he has progressed strongly during the club’s preseason camps and is expected to be on the field and creating havoc for the opposition by April at the very latest.
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
16
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
NICO MUNIZ
MIDFIELDER
HEIGHT: 5-10 WEIGHT: 155 DOB: 10/18/92 HOMETOWN: Albuquerque, NM ACQUIRED: Signed as Home Grown player in Sept. 2011 PRONOUNCIATION: MOON-yees LAST GAME: 3/27/12 - sub/17’ in 0-1 L @ CHI (reserves)
NICK RIMANDO
17
SANDY, UT
CHRIS WINGERT
DEFENDER
HEIGHT: 5-11 WEIGHT: 170 DOB: 6/16/82 HOMETOWN: Babylon, NY ACQUIRED: Trade with COL, 6/14/07 LAST SEASON: Played 29 games (28 starts) in all competitions, tallying one assist LAST MLS GOAL: 05/22/10 @ CHV - 52 games ago LAST MLS ASSIST: 08/26/09 v. CHV (85’) - 62 games ago LAST GAME: 05/12/12 - start/20’/ hamstring strain in 1-0 W @ SEA
Real Salt Lake broke new ground last fall when it agreed to terms with Nico Muñiz, making the midfielder the first RSL-Arizona Academy member to jump straight to the “big club” from Casa Grande. While technically unable to perform for the MLS outfit until the new year, the now 19-year-old Muniz joined the first team in Utah upon the announcement in September, giving him a leg up on preparations for his first professional campaign with what amounted to a seven week “sneak peek.” Muñiz started three of his six appearances (346 min.) as a regular call-up for the RSL Reserves in 2011, and the Albuquerque native should expect to see his development continue largely through opportunities in MLS Reserve League fixtures during the 2012 campaign.
18
RIO TINTO STADIUM
GOALKEEPER
HEIGHT: 5-9 WEIGHT: 185 DOB: 6/17/79 HOMETOWN: Montclair, CA ACQUIRED: Trade with NY, March, 2007 LAST SEASON: Played 39 games (all starts) in all competitions in goal for RSL, with 16 wins and 15 shutouts and a 1.08 GAA LAST MLS WIN: 05/12/12 @ SEA - ACTIVE (3-gm streak) LAST MLS SHUTOUT: 05/12/12 @ SEA - ACTIVE LAST GAME: 05/12/12 - start/90’/0 saves in 1-0 W @ SEA Nick Rimando would have been hard-pressed to duplicate the record-setting 2010 campaign he presided over between the posts for Real Salt Lake, but his 2011 season was not all that far behind. Once again finishing at or near the top of Major League Soccer in goals against average, shutouts and wins, Rimando’s 12th MLS season gave credence to the theory that the shelf life of the American goalkeeper is almost limitless … a good sign now that the 32-year-old Rimando is the elder statesman of the Claret-and-Cobalt after the offseason retirement of Andy Williams. That being said, it takes more than age to climb towards the top of MLS’ record books, which is exactly what Rimando has done by ranking second in all-time shutouts (87) and third in wins (121), games played in goal (288), starts in goal (also 288) and minutes in goal (26,073). Much like teammate Kyle Beckerman, Rimando’s international career has also picked up steam once again, as the Southern California native has been a regular call-up under the new regime of Jurgen Klinsmann since his appointment as USMNT’s sideline boss last summer. If Rimando can continue to produce sparkling performances like the first half he turned in against Panama in January, it will be a busy year of shuffling between club and country for the RSL fanbase’s favorite “homeboy.”
The outside back position in RSL’s 4-4-2 system is perhaps one of the most challenging spots in Major League Soccer – to call them “defenders” is simply not doing them justice. The role requires players to have the physicality to defend one-on-one, the speed and stamina to make run after run up and down the flank to provide width in attack and the technical acumen to make things happen with the ball, be it by providing crosses into the area or quick combinations with the midfield. You have to be smart, disciplined and in ridiculously good shape … in other words, you almost have to be Chris Wingert. The 29-year-old Wingert will enter the 2012 season as RSL’s longest-tenured field player, beating out his former ex-Colorado teammate Kyle Beckerman for the honor by three days courtesy of their back-to-back trades in mid-July 2007. That longevity has not only shot him up the RSL all-time rankings in numerous categories, but it’s also allowed him to master the abilities necessary to thrive on the island that can sometimes be the outside back position in Jason Kreis’ preferred line-up. To protect against the wear-and-tear that saw nagging injuries effect the three-man rotation of Wingert, Tony Beltran and the departed Robbie Russell last season, the Claret-and-Cobalt will hope Wingert can mentor whichever two players emerge in the back-up battle out wide during preseason to increase the rotation to four by midseason. If there’s anyone up for the task of mentoring it would be Wingert, a locker room leader who also has the NSCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor from his Senior season at St. John’s in his back pocket.
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ENZO MARTINEZ
MIDFIELDER
HEIGHT: 5-7 WEIGHT: 160 DOB: 9/29/90 HOMETOWN: Rock Hill, SC ACQUIRED: 2011 MLS SuperDraft, 17th overall pick, 1/15/12 PRONOUNCIATION: ENN-zoh LAST GAME: 04/08/12 - start/45’ in 0-1 L v COL (reserves)
Some things are just meant to be, and that seemed to be the general consensus when highly-touted midfielder Enzo Martinez fell right into the lap of Real Salt Lake late in the first round of January’s MLS SuperDraft in Kansas City. Why the key cog for North Carolina’s College Cup-winning side slid to the 17th overall pick will never be known, but what is for certain is that the motivated midfielder’s savvy on the ball, mature decision-making and industrious workrate will make the native Uruguayan a perfect fit in the diamond midfield RSL has perfected under Jason Kreis. While the RSL Technical Staff gushed about the Generation adidas product’s production and ability, it was even more impressed with his maturity off the field, forcing many of the pundits who questioned where the 21-year-old might fit on the field for many teams to also admit that the Claret-and-Cobalt might just have come away with the steal of draft day.
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
20
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
NED GRABAVOY
MIDFIELDER
HEIGHT: 5-7 WEIGHT: 150 DOB: 7/1/83 HOMETOWN: New Lenox, IL ACQUIRED: Waivers from SJ Earthquakes, 3/--/09 LAST SEASON: Played 33 games (25 starts) in all competitions, scoring playoff-series-clinching goal vs SEA in West Semis LAST MLS GOAL: 10/16/10 v. DAL (59’) - 35 games ago LAST MLS ASSIST: 07/31/10 v. DC (13’) - 44 games ago LAST GAME: 05/12/12 - start/90’ in 1-0 W @ SEA
With Williams retiring during the offseason, the versatile Grabavoy will be depended upon even more by Head Coach Jason Kreis to set the tone on the field and in the locker room as one of the team’s core members. The good news for Kreis and fans of RSL is that, thanks to a new offseason contract, the 28-year-old midfielder will put his masterful on-theball ability, vision and tenacity on display at Rio Tinto Stadium for at least the next three seasons.
JONNY STEELE
21
SANDY, UT
LUIS GIL
MIDFIELDER
HEIGHT: 5-10 WEIGHT: 155 DOB: 11/14/93 HOMETOWN: Garden Grove, CA ACQUIRED: Trade with KC, 3/10 PRONOUNCIATION: GILL LAST SEASON: Played 27 games (16 starts) in all competitions, scoring 2 goals LAST MLS GOAL: 3/17/12 v NY (58’) - 10 games ago LAST MLS ASSIST: 05/12/12 @ SEA (51’) - ACTIVE LAST GAME: 05/12/12 - start/80’/GW ASSIST in 1-0 W @ SEA
During his third season in Claret-and-Cobalt in 2011, Ned Grabavoy continued to find more minutes in the platoon system with Andy Williams on the right side of Real Salt Lake’s diamond midfield, but, due to injuries and national team call-ups, the veteran also found himself at other spots in the diamond through necessity. Despite suffering from a nagging hamstring injury of his own late in the campaign, the gritty Grabavoy was able to register the second most appearances, starts and minutes of his eight seasons in Major League Soccer.
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RIO TINTO STADIUM
MIDFIELDER
HEIGHT: 6-0 WEIGHT: 180 DOB: 2/7/86 HOMETOWN: Larne, Northern Ireland ACQUIRED: via discovery option in Jan., 2012 PRONOUNCIATION: LAST MLS GOAL: 04/28/12 v TOR (93+’) - 3 games ago LAST MLS ASSIST: 04/21/12 @ SJ (53’) - 5 games ago LAST GAME: 05/12/12 - sub/10’ in 1-0 W @ SEA
Jonny Steele has squeezed a career’s worth of stops into his first eight professional seasons, but the preseason pact he signed with Real Salt Lake might just allow the 26-year-old midfielder to stop and settle down for awhile … besides, there’s precedence for this sort of thing with the Utah side (see Williams, Andy). After years of hopping between second divisions clubs and indoor teams, the native of Northern Ireland has finally earned the opportunity to display his talents on the North American continent’s top stage, eight years after his stateside journey began with a trial for FC Dallas. While Steele’s presence will ratchet up the amount of bite in the RSL midfield, thinking of him as simply a “hardman” would be a mistake, as the former Wolverhampton performer didn’t win the 2008 USL-1 MVP award for the Puerto Rico Islanders on hard tackles alone.
Real Salt Lake’s philosophy for the development of Luis Gil had always been “slow and steady,” but then Javier Morales’ devastating ankle injury and a slew of national team callups hit in the spring, and the acceleration of Gil’s learning curve soon followed. RSL Head Coach Jason Kreis originally took a committee approach to replacing Morales as the summer progressed, but the rotation would eventually include a heavy dose of the then-17-year-old Gil, who indeed proved capable of rising to the challenge while also doing plenty of “on-thejob” training. While inconsistent, as most teenagers growing up in a professional league tend to be, Gil more often than not showed glimpses as to why he was coveted by some of the world’s top sides prior to joining the Claret-and-Cobalt back in 2010. The physicality of the opposition might not be as much of a problem in 2012, as Gil entered RSL’s preseason camp noticeably bigger and more confident, both on the ball and within the squad. With regular starters Morales and Will Johnson both dealing with injuries heading into the season, Gil may very well find himself a member of the starting XI when March rolls around
23
PAULO JUNIOR
FORWARD
HEIGHT: 5-7 WEIGHT: 155 DOB: 1/23/89 HOMETOWN: Teresina, Brazil ACQUIRED: via loan in August, 2010 (purchased Jan., 2012) PRONOUNCIATION: PAUL-low LAST SEASON: Played 13 games (5 starts) in all competitions, scoring 2 goals & 4 assists LAST MLS GOAL: 04/04/12 v MTL (13’ PK) - 4 games ago LAST MLS ASSIST: 3/17/12 v NY (39’) - 7 games ago LAST GAME: 05/09/12 - start/57’ in 0-0 T @ CHI As explosive as the fall 2010 debut of Paulo Jr. onto the Real Salt Lake scene was, it appeared that the Brazilian’s 2011 was equally as disappointing … but one look at the limited sample size of stats might just prove otherwise. While the swashbuckling striker missed exactly half of the season due to lingering hamstring and hip flexor injuries over the summer, when he was on the field he was able to produce, notching a pair of goals and five assists in what amounted to just under 600 minutes across MLS and CONCACAF play. The diminutive forward’s season got off to a sparkling start, as he recorded a goal, an assist or both during his first four overall appearances. However, the injury bug would strike soon afterwards, derailing a promising start and limiting him to substitute and spot-start duty across the last three months of the season. Despite the health concerns, Real Salt Lake recognized Paulo Jr.’s potential this past offseason and acquired the 23-year-old’s player rights from the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers in February. The Utah side hopes a new three-year contract will provide the stability and confidence the still-developing striker needs in order to perform, which would result in a dangerous complement to first-choice forwards Fabian Espíndola and Álvaro Saborío.
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
24
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
KYLE REYNISH
GOALKEEPER
HEIGHT: 6-3 WEIGHT: 190 DOB: 11/3/83 HOMETOWN: Valencia, CA ACQUIRED: 2007 MLS SuperDraft LAST SEASON: Played 3 games (all starts) in goal for RSL, registering 2 wins, 2 shutouts and a 0.67 GAA LAST MLS WIN: 4/9/11 @ NE (1 career win) LAST MLS SHUTOUT: 5/9/12 @ CHI – 3nd career clean sheet (ACTIVE) LAST GAME: 5/09/12 - start/90’ in 0-0 T @ CHI With the retirement of Andy Williams this past offseason, goalkeeper Kyle Reynish becomes the recipient of the “current longest tenured RSL player” title, as the netminder drafted on Jan. 18, 2007 will begin his sixth full season with the squad in 2012. As the back-up to the 2nd-longest tenured player, Nick Rimando, the UC-Santa Barbara native hasn’t had many occasions to show his stuff in recent seasons, but when he was able to in 2011 he would deliver, notching two shutout wins in his three first-team appearances. The 27-year-old ‘keeper will not only continue to be perhaps the league’s most underrated understudy, but will also be looked at to help mentor young Lalo Fernandez, RSL’s latest Homegrown addition to the roster.
27
CODY ARNOUX
FORWARD
HEIGHT: 5-10 WEIGHT: 170 DOB: 4/13/88 HOMETOWN: Wilmington, NC ACQUIRED: via special MLS lottery in March, 2011 PRONOUNCIATION: arr-KNOW LAST SEASON: Played 2 games (0 starts) in all competitions for RSL, totaling 69 minutes LAST MLS GOAL: yet to score LAST MLS ASSIST: yet to assist LAST GAME: 3/20/12 - start/45’ in 1-1 T v KC (reserves) The 2012 season can almost be considered a fresh start for forward Cody Arnoux, who was injured upon joining Real Salt Lake last February and couldn’t return to the field from injuries until the season was mostly through. However, with a year of seasoning in RSL’s system under his belt, a completely clean bill of health and plenty of work ethic in tow, the former Wake Forest standout will be ready to make up for lost time and contribute major minutes off the bench during the Claret-and-Cobalt’s busy campaign.
RIO TINTO STADIUM
26
SANDY, UT
SEBASTIAN VELASQUEZ
MIDFIELDER
HEIGHT: 5-7 WEIGHT: 140 DOB: 2/11/91 HOMETOWN: Greenville, SC ACQUIRED: 2012 MLS SuperDraft LAST MLS GOAL: none in 5 career MLS appearances LAST MLS ASSIST: none in 5 career MLS appearances LAST GAME: 04/14/12 - start/58’ in 0-1 L @ KC
If you were not aware of Sebastian Velasquez when Real Salt Lake selected him towards the end of the 2012 MLS SuperDraft, well, you weren’t alone … the plucky playmaker was the first Junior College player to be selected on draft day since Kansas City took another member of the RSL family, Yura Movsisyan, six years earlier. The Wasatch Front is a long way from Spartanburg Methodist College in South Carolina, but when word from collegiate scouting contacts about the “diamond-in-the-Upstate” came across RSL’s attention, due diligence by assistant coach Miles Joseph paid off for the now-21-year-old midfielder via an invite to the club’s December combine in Arizona. Velasquez impressed enough there to earn the nod to the next level, where he will be allowed plenty of time to learn how pull the strings on the top of RSL’s midfield diamond behind Javier Morales and Luis Gil.
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CHRIS SCHULER
DEFENDER
HEIGHT: 6-4 WEIGHT: 185 DOB: 9/6/87 HOMETOWN: Aurora, IL ACQUIRED: 2010 MLS SuperDraft (37th) PRONOUNCIATION: SHOO-ler LAST SEASON: Played 23 games (18 starts) in all competitions, scoring 2 goals LAST MLS GOAL: 9/3/11 v PHI (26’) - 15 games ago LAST MLS ASSIST: 4/28/12 v TOR (7’) - 2 games ago LAST GAME: 05/12/12 - sub/70’ in 1-0 W @ SEA What a difference a year made for defender Chris Schuler. After showing a glimpse of promise that was cut short due to injury in 2010, the Chicagoland native returned to the field with a vengeance in 2011, playing in 27 matches across all competitions as injuries and suspensions wrecked havoc at times on the RSL backline. Five months after breaking his foot just the day after RSL clinched a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League knockout phase, it was perhaps fate that Schuler would be called upon to serve in place of the suspended Nat Borchers right off the bat against Columbus in the CCL Quarterfinals. The 24-year-old would pass that test with flying colors, and, as the RSL Technical Staff began to grow more and more comfortable with him, Schuler would also begin to draw assignments at outside back as situations dictated. While some may think it unfortunate to sit behind one of the best center back tandems in league history on the depth chart, it is clear during the 2012 preseason that Schuler has been soaking up knowledge from Borchers and Jamison Olave over the course of his first two pro seasons. Learning the tricks of the trade from those pillars both technically and leadership-wise will certainly pay off with even better performances when called upon down the road, which may occur just as much this season with another congested schedule on the docket for the Claret-and-Cobalt.
REAL SALT LAKE v FC DALLAS SATURDAY
44
MAY 19 2012 7:00PM MT
LEONE CRUZ
DEFENDER
HEIGHT: 6-1 WEIGHT: 170 DOB: 6/13/87 HOMETOWN: Round Rock, TX ACQUIRED: Trade with Seattle, 1/17/12 PRONOUNCIATION: lee-OH-knee KRUZE LAST GAME: 3/27/12 - start/90’ in 0-1 L @ CHI (reserves)
JASON KREIS
53
SANDY, UT
TERAKAZU TANAKA
DEFENDER
HEIGHT: 5-8 WEIGHT: 150 DOB: 7/14/85 HOMETOWN: Ibaraki, Japan ACQUIRED: via Discovery option in Jan., 2012 PRONOUNCIATION: tuh-KNOCK-uh LAST MLS GOAL: no goals in 1 career game LAST MLS ASSIST: yet to record assist in 1 career game LAST GAME: 04/04/12 - start/90’ in 1-0 W v MTL
The path to the ranks of Major League Soccer for Leone Cruz was not a common one, but, in the end, the talented center back appears to have found a willing dance partner in Real Salt Lake the second time around. After failing to stick around with Seattle Sounders FC after being drafted by the Cascadia outfit in 2011, Cruz chose to finish up his studies at Southern Methodist University and stay soccer-sharp by playing in matches in the newly-resurrected Reserve League. Those stints included a pair of games in Claret-and-Cobalt last summer, when RSL reaffirmed its pre-draft assessments of Cruz’s skills and kept the Texas native on its radar through January, when it swung a deal with Seattle during the Supplemental Draft to bring the defender on board. After winning a spot on the roster during preseason, Cruz will be expected to form a solid bond with fellow reservist Chris Schuler – with the added benefit of being able to learn from two of the league’s best “middle men” in Jamison Olave and Nat Borchers.
HC
RIO TINTO STADIUM
HEAD COACH
ALL-TIME RECORD: 65-53-45 (MLS); 80-67-54 (all comps) COLLEGE: Duke ‘94 HOMETOWN: Omaha, NE APPOINTED: May 3, 2007 PRONOUNCIATION: KRYSE LAST SEASON: 15-11-8 (MLS); CCL Finalist; lost in Open Cup Qtrs AS A PLAYER: scored 108 career goals w/ Dallas (1996-2004) & RSL (2005-07)
Real Salt Lake Head Coach Jason Kreis traded in his record-setting boots and captain’s armband on May 3, 2007 to become the organization’s second head coach, overhauling a previously moribund locker room to become just two seasons later the youngest Cupwinning coach in MLS history, guiding RSL to the title in 2009. Under his watch, RSL has also advanced to three of the last four Conference Finals, become the first American side to win a CONCACAF Champions League group and the first U.S. team to advance to the CCL Finals. With back-to-back 15-win MLS seasons in 2010 and 2011, Kreis’ teams have earned points in two out of every three matches they play, as the intense, demanding leader now owns an all-time 80-67-54 mark as a head coach, breaking down as follows: MLS regular-season (65-53-45), CONCACAF Champions League (6-3-3), MLS Cup Playoff (4-4-4), Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (2-5-1) and international friendlies (3-2-1). At the time of his hire, Mr. Kreis became the youngest active head coach in MLS at 34 years and 127 days of age. Kreis works closely with former Blue Devil and Dallas Burn teammate and current RSL General Manager Garth Lagerwey regarding player acquisitions, scouting, the MLS Draft and all player personnel-related matters. The Kreis-Lagerwey partnership has resulted in the implementation of a culture where players, staff and fans work as one for the RSL shield, epitomizing a “Team is the Star” attitude. Kreis, Lagerwey and the team’s coaching staff – Jeff Cassar, Miles Joseph and C.J. Brown – compose the lone technical staff among MLS’ 18 teams comprised entirely of ex-MLS players. This distinction means that the RSL braintrust now boasts cumulative MLS experience of 74,811 total minutes, covering 923 games and including 128 goals and 22 shutouts (the equivalent of nearly 30 complete seasons of service). The RSL staff has the unparalleled ability to tap into personal experience as it guides, assists and develops RSL players.
As proof the RSL Technical Staff is committed to leaving no stone unturned in its search for talent, enter Terukazu Tanaka, an outside back prospect GM Garth Lagerwey spotted during a combine in Tokyo shortly after the end of the 2011 season. The 26-year-old right-sided defender brings five years of professional experience in the Japanese first and second divisions with him across the Pacific, a pedigree he hopes will earn him not only a spot on the RSL roster, but a regular slot in the outside back rotation alongside returning vets Chris Wingert and Tony Beltran.
AC
JEFF CASSAR
ASST. COACH
COLLEGE: Florida International University ‘97 HOMETOWN: Livonia, MI APPOINTED: May 2007 PRONOUNCIATION: cuss-SARR AS A PLAYER: Played 11 seasons as a goalkeeper for Dallas, Miami and New York from 1996-2006 ...
AC
MILES JOSEPH
ASST. COACH
COLLEGE: Clemson ‘98 HOMETOWN: Clifton Park, NY APPOINTED: February, 2010 PRONOUNCIATION: AS A PLAYER: Played in six MLS seasons from 1996-2001 for New York and Dallas, scoring 12 career goals in 125 games ...
AC
C.J. BROWN
ASST. COACH
COLLEGE: Cal-State Hayward ‘96 HOMETOWN: Hayward, CA APPOINTED: January, 2011 PRONOUNCIATION: AS A PLAYER: Won 4 U.S. Open Cups and one MLS Cup during 13-year MLS career with Chicago Fire ... Will be inducted into Chicago’s “Ring of Fire” as part of RSL visit to Toyota Park on May 9 ...