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Friday, October 31, 2008

Playoff Run Has Other Benefits, Too

With the first playoff game in RSL history looming barely a day away, it might be instructive to learn what else the opportunity might afford the team -- such as a place in an international tournament.

By reaching the playoffs, RSL has put itself in position to be included in either the CONCACAF Champions League or the SuperLiga, depending on how it fares in the postseason and how officials might adjust the selection procedures for those tournaments.

Bottom line, RSL could wind up getting to add a handful of home games in one of the tournaments, and perhaps take home a lot more money as a result. If nothing else, reaching one of the tournaments would represent a prestigious step for the franchise.

"The better we do in the playoffs, the more likely we are to ascend to a berth in one of those tournaments," general manager Garth Lagerwey said. "It lays out very clearly for our team that there is something else to fight for here."

Thursday, October 30, 2008

RSL Shut Out Among Award Finalists

Major League Soccer has released its list of awards finalists, and there are no RSL players among the top three potential winners.

That's fairly surprising, considering that RSL finally made the playoffs, and had legitimate candidates in midfielder Javier Morales and defender Jamison Olave, for Most Valuable Player and Newcomer of the Year, respectively. In fact, writer Beau Dure of USA Today recently named them (as well as goalkeeper Nick Rimando) as among his top three candidates for certain awards -- with coach Jason Kreis in the mix, too.

Alas, RSL is one of just two playoff teams -- along with upcoming opponent Chivas USA -- without an award finalist. The Colorado Rapids and Toronto FC also did not land anybody in the final three. Winners will be announced starting next week.

Defender Eager For Redemption Shot

If there's one guy who's especially looking forward to the playoffs, it's defender Nat Borchers.

He has amends to make for RSL against Chivas USA on Saturday.

Borchers, you'll recall, was the one who crashed into goalkeeper Nick Rimando late in a scoreless game the last time the teams met, then watched helplessly as former RSL striker Alecko Eskandarian drilled home the game-winner for Chivas that stuck RSL with its first -- and still only -- home loss of the season.

"You never forget those mistakes, and you always want to make good on those mistakes," Borchers said, "and I'm really excited to be able to come back and do right by the team and play better against Chivas. I was really hoping this series would come out, because I'm really hungry to go against these guys."

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Big DP Move — Just Not for RSL

Well, here's another team that has landed a "designated player" before RSL.

And the Seattle Sounders haven't even played a game.

Yet the newest MLS expansion team has signed former Arsenal superstar Freddie Ljungberg, as the latest addition to what appears poised to be a sensationally successful franchise, what with some 17,000 season tickets already sold and a big sponsorship deal with Microsoft.

"I figured if I'm going to take MLS seriously and want to make it a really good league and develop it, I should come now and not in three years' time," Ljungberg said, after leaving a four-year contract with West Ham United after just one season.

The 31-year-old Swedish star is expected to make $2.5 million per season, immediately making him the league's third-highest-paid player, behind the Galaxy's David Beckham and Chicago’s Cuauhtemoc Blanco.

For their part, RSL officials have said they continue to seek the kind of player who would be worth their designated player spot -- the roster spot whose occupant's salary is allowed exceed the team salary cap -- and fit well into their system.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Ride the Bus to RSL Playoff Game

Looks like the bus trip to RSL's playoff-clinching game at Colorado was so successful, the team is arranging another one.

This time, to the playoffs.

RSL plays Chivas USA at the Home Depot Center on Nov. 8, in the second game of the first-round, home-and-home series. Fans can purchase transportation and a ticket to the game through the team for $105, with hotels available at a special rate of $101 at the Holiday Inn not far from the stadium.

For more information, contact RSL's Teresa Nelson at 801.924.8565.

Preseason Plan Worked to Perfection

When general manager Garth Lagerwey and coach Jason Kreis sat down before the season and plotted how RSL might reach the playoffs, they estimated they would need 40 points in the standings. And given their home-field advantage with the altitude and artificial turf at Rice-Eccles Stadium, they figured the "most appropriate split" would be 30 points at home and 10 on the road.

"Six months later, that's exactly what it took," Lagerwey said. "I can't claim to think I was going to be right, down to the point. But that is, in fact, exactly according to plan, the way it played out. ... It's pretty gratifying to know that you kind of thought about it the right way at the beginning of the season."

That was among the things I learned while talking to Lagerwey and Kreis for today's article on how they have transformed the team from doormat to playoff qualifier. Another is that while Kreis said he had come to grips with the possibility that RSL might not reach the postseason, Lagerwey had felt certain it would make it, for the last month.

"When I thought we would make it, honestly, was when we beat San Jose at San Jose," he said, "because we had just come off the loss at home, and it was really up to the guys, if they were going to respond and point the right direction. We obviously had to get road points at that point, if we were going to make it. And to be down 2-1 down at San Jose with 40 minutes left or whatever it was, and to play at the level we did, with the intensity we did, showed me that our team really wanted it."

Indeed, RSL has not lost a game since then.

The streak stands at five in a row -- two wins and three draws -- heading into the playoff opener against Chivas USA at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday.

"We really gutted those out, and I'm really proud of our players and our coaching staff," Lagerwey said. "I think it bodes well going into the playoffs."

Monday, October 27, 2008

Galaxy's Donovan Could Be Gone

While one occupant will be busy on the field during the MLS Playoffs, the other could be busy off of it.

Looks like the Los Angeles Galaxy could lose Landon Donovan to a top league in Europe, provided an offer comes and Major League Soccer accepts it. The league-leading scorer -- he has scored five goals against RSL, with six assists -- said after the Galaxy's finale that he's ready for a move to La Liga in Spain, the English Premier League or even the German Bundesliga again.

"In my situation, I can't be super picky," he said. "But if it's the right offer and makes sense and if it's the right team . . . from my standpoint, I'm ready to take that step and I want to."

That, amid the continuing speculation that midfielder David Beckham's pending loan move to AC Milan is really a trade in disguise. Should be an eventful offseason for the Galaxy.

RSL Catches Break Against Chivas

Now that the ball finally bounced RSL's way, it's ready to start preparing for the playoffs.

The team had the day off today, but soon will begin striving to make sure it's not just a flash-in-the-pan playoff team. RSL meets Chivas USA in the first round starting Saturday, in a reunion of former expansion rivals and a trio of RSL castoffs who have made a difference for the Goats.

Strikers Alecko Eskandarian and Atiba Harris have combined for three goals in two home victories for Chivas over RSL this season, and defender Carey Talley is a starter on the back line. But the Goats will be forced to play without starting goalkeeper Dan Kennedy in the playoff opener, after he was ejected from their regular-season finale for running into Houston's Nate Jacqua in the penalty area.

Goalkeeper Zach Thornton is expected to start for Chivas, instead.

The 13-year veteran is a five-time all-star and former league goalkeeper of the year, but has not been a regular starter the past two seasons. That would seem to bode well for RSL, which has been averaging nearly two goals a game over the past two months.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Finally, RSL Gets Karmic Payback

Let's face it, Real Salt Lake did not really deserve a result against Colorado tonight. It was a step slow, hesitant, too willing to fire balls over the top rather than play through the midfield. The Rapids pretty much owned it.

But who cares?

The team is off to its first Major League Soccer playoffs in its history, now that it picked up a stunning 1-1 draw with the Rapids on striker Yura Movsisyan's putback goal in the 90th minute at Dick's Sporting Goods Park near Denver. It will play Chivas USA in the home-and-home series, starting at Rio Tinto Stadium next weekend.

Coach Jason Kreis acknowledged that his team didn’t exactly earn the point it needed.

"That's the first point we picked up all year that I would probably say we maybe didn’t deserve," Kreis said.

Conversely, though, it might well have been a just reward for all the times that RSL had played well enough to win or tie, only to suffer short of either. "There's been a lot of points out there this season that we felt we deserved and we didn't get," Kreis said. "For me, this was the first time, perhaps, the ball bounced our way."

No doubt about it.

RSL Reaches Comcast Deal for Finale

The big game is only hours away now, and fans who cannot travel all the way to Colorado to watch RSL fight for its first playoff spot suddenly have another option to see history perhaps be made.

RSL has reached a deal with Comcast cable to broadcast the game on Comcast channel 664 in the Salt Lake City market, in addition to HD Net as originally scheduled. That opens up a much broader audience for the club, and gives many more fans a chance to witness the biggest game in franchise history. Enjoy!

Friday, October 24, 2008

Rivalry Match-Up Tantalizingly Close

The big game is barely a day away, so we take a larger look at RSL's rivalry with the Rapids in a feature in the newspaper today, examining the way one nasty moment fueled the flames.

"The first little thing that went wrong with Colorado and Salt Lake made it such a big deal, right away," RSL's Kyle Beckerman said. "But still, we need some time for it. It's a huge game with two teams that will have a lot of history in years to come."

Meanwhile, four of the Rapids are out of contract at the end of the season, so some of them are extra motivated to reach the playoffs before the team potentially gets shuffled.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Now There's a Point Well-Made

Defender Chris Wingert had a great answer when asked about whether the RSL players are feeling any pressure, needing to win or draw against Colorado on the road (where they're only 2-9-3 this season) to secure the first playoff berth in franchise history.

"Of course, there's pressure," he said. "This is the kind of pressure you want. The only other time we'll have pressure like this, this year, is if we make it to the conference final — or the final. And wouldn't that be great? So it's stress that you want to have."

"If you don't want stress," he added, "you could be on a team like we were last year."

RSL's Beckerman In Online Chat

Want to learn what midfielder Kyle Beckerman is thinking about RSL's make-or-break game against his former team, the Colorado Rapids, on Saturday?

The soccer web site Minute91.com is hosting an online chat with Beckerman today at 2 p.m. Log on and participate in the discussion!

Rival Rapids Better With New Coach

Had a chance to talk with Colorado's Pablo Mastroeni -- I know, I know, "booo! hiss!” -- yesterday as part of the build-up to RSL's big game against the Rapids on Saturday, and he talked a lot about how rejuvenated the team has been since coach Fernando Clavijo left two months ago.

Interim coach Gary Smith has done a great job rescuing the Rapids from what appeared to be a killer spiral. They were 6-10-3 when the former assistant took over, and had won just once in their previous nine games.

Now, they're 5-4-1 under Smith.

"It has been more him giving confidence to the players, and allowing them to express themselves, as opposed to putting players in a position where they’re not comfortable doing certain things," Mastroeni said. "Practices have been more intense, the attitude in the clubhouse has been more positive. Everybody wants to be part of the team. Everyone has bought into it."

Not much of an endorsement for Clavijo, that's for sure. And of course, RSL is hoping the Rapids' wave of success ends on Saturday.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

RSL Working on Another Bus to Game

Well, the first bus is full.

But RSL is still trying to see if there's enough interest for a second one to take fans to the make-or-break game at Colorado on Saturday night. A round-trip ticket and a ticket to the game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park would cost $70 -- yes, the first bus cost only $55 -- and fans can contact RSL's Teresa Nelson at 801.924.8565 if they're interested.

The deadline is Thursday, so don't wait!

Ricchetti Hit for RSL Antagonism

The end of RSL's victory over FC Dallas last weekend turned a little nasty, with the Hoops' Pablo Ricchetti getting red-carded for a savage tackle on RSL's Will Johnson, then getting into it with RSL's Ian Joy before exchanging words with the players and coaches on RSL’s bench on his way to the locker room.

Now, Ricchetti is paying for it.

The MLS disciplinary committee has suspended Ricchetti for two games and fined him $500 for the red-card and for making "unnecessary contact" with Joy's face during their confrontation. Normally, a player picking up a red card is automatically suspended for one game and fined $500, so Ricchetti was awarded an extra game suspension for his shot at Joy.

That means he will mess the meaningless regular-season finale at the Los Angeles Galaxy and the season-opener next season.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

RSL Downplaying Rivalry Aspect

They're playing their fiercest rival for the first playoff berth in franchise history, but Real Salt Lake's players say that won't play much of a role when they meet the Colorado Rapids on Saturday.

"Obviously, it's there," striker Clint Mathis said. "But I think people are going to be thinking more about making the playoffs."

Mathis is one of several RSL players who are former Rapids, including midfielder Kyle Beckerman and defender Chris Wingert. All of them — and coach Jason Kreis — said they believe the stakes of the game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park near Denver will overshadow the sometimes nasty rivalry.

RSL must win or draw to reach the playoffs. A loss, and it's out.

"In the past, the rivalry was all there was to play for," said Beckerman, once among the most hated Rapids. "So this game, it will just be what it is — a playoff game, pretty much. ... The rivalry, yeah, it's great. We get that cup. But it's a bigger thing when that's all you’re playing for."

Kreis agreed.

"That's probably the least important thing, probably the least-focused upon thing by either coaching staff, or either team," Kreis said. "Now, it's not really about who you're playing, it's just that you know you have to get a result to get into the playoffs."

Monday, October 20, 2008

Want to See History? Catch the Bus

Eager to see RSL attempt to clinch the first Major League Soccer playoff appearance in its history?

Here's your chance.

The club is organizing a bus trip for supporters to travel to its make-or-break game against the Colorado Rapids at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park near Denver on Saturday, and there's still time to get on board. Fans can get a ticket for the bus trip and a ticket for the game for $55, and a room at the Hilton Garden Inn near the stadium for $79 plus tax.

The bus is scheduled to leave Rio Tinto Stadium at 6 a.m. on Saturday, and return Sunday, following the reserves game between RSL and the Rapids at noon.

Fans are on their own to make hotel reservations, by calling the Hilton Garden Inn at 303.371.9393 and asking for the RSL block of rooms to get the special rate. They can then secure the bus trip by calling Teresa Nelson in the RSL front office, at 801.924.8565.

Questions can be directed to Nelson, Ethan Gomberg or Merrill Page. Gomberg's phone is 801.783.9377 and his e-mail is primuscomics@gmail.com, while Page can be reached at 801.615.1293 or merrill@theloyalists.com.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

RSL Needing One Last Result

Hold that playoff berth. It doesn't belong to Real Salt Lake just yet.

The Colorado Rapids pulled out a dramatic 2-1 victory over Chivas USA today to force a decisive regular-season finale with RSL at Dick's Sporting Goods Park near Denver next Saturday. RSL must win or tie against its fiercest rival to reach the Major League Soccer playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

"What could be more fun than that?" general manager Garth Lagerwey said.

Certainly, RSL would rather have assured its place in the playoffs already. That would have happened if Chivas had tied or beaten the Rapids, but an 85th-minute penalty kick lifted the Rapids to the crucial victory while the RSL coaches and players watched on television from a suite at Rio Tinto Stadium.

"It was a little bit of an emotional roller-coaster, I guess," defender Chris Wingert said. "We were all pretty disappointed with the [game-winning] penalty-kick call. There was a little bit of a silence in the room."

Things had looked much better earlier, when the Rapids missed a penalty kick and then allowed Chivas an equalizer just five minutes after striker Colin Clark gave them a 1-0 lead. But RSL beat the Rapids on the road in the regular-season finale last season, so its task is hardly an impossible one.

"We expected, going in, that we may have to do the job ourselves," Lagerwey said. "We're up for it. We can do it."

If RSL reaches the playoffs, it will play Chivas USA in the first round. The first game of the home-and-home series will be Oct. 31 or Nov. 1 at Rio Tinto Stadium, with the second game the following weekend at the Home Depot Center.

"We're definitely confident," Wingert said.

RSL Oh-So-Close to Playoff Berth

Great news and potentially bad news for Real Salt Lake after its impressive 3-1 victory over FC Dallas on Saturday night.

On the one hand, RSL has all but clinched the first playoff berth in its history -- needing only a Chivas USA win or draw against Colorado today to secure the third and final automatic berth in the MLS Western Conference.

The bad news?

By virtue of victories by Kansas City and New York -- check out the astonishing first goal in league history by a goalkeeper -- RSL has been eliminated from contention for an at-large playoff spot. That means if Colorado manages to beat both Chivas and RSL, the Rapids will make the playoffs, but RSL will not.

So if the Rapids win today, RSL still needs at least a draw against them in the regular-season finale next weekend.

If it does make the playoffs -- that seems quite likely, too, as the Rapids have not won back-to-back games but once all season -- RSL will play Chivas in the first round of the playoffs, starting Oct. 31 or Nov. 1 at home, with the return trip to the Home Depot Center the following weekend.

Oh, and speaking of astonishing goals, let’s have another look at Will Johnson's incredible game-winning blast for RSL last night.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

All Kinds of Drama in Home Finale

As if there's not enough drama surrounding RSL's game against FC Dallas today -- the agonizingly tight playoff chase, the return of former coach John Ellinger and striker Jeff Cunningham, the regular-season home finale in the new stadium -- the Hoops can add one more element.

Star striker Kenny Cooper can surpass the club record for goals scored in the season, a mark set by none other than current RSL coach Jason Kreis, who scored 18 goals for Dallas in 1999 on his way to team records for career scoring and assists.

"It's fair to say that today it's tougher to score 18 goals than it was when I played," Kreis told the Dallas Morning News, with typical humility. "To Kenny's credit, the level of competition in MLS is a lot higher today."

Though Kreis has cautioned about putting quite everything into tonight's game because even a draw keeps their playoff hopes alive -- "we'll hold back the kitchen sink," he said -- several of his players have said it's a must-win game for them. Indeed, a draw might well feel like a loss, potentially adding to the pressure they would face in the regular-season finale at rival Colorado next weekend.

"We put the pressure on ourselves" by not securing more points earlier, goalkeeper Nick Rimando said, "and we have to step up and take control of this game."

Meanwhile, down at the foot of the MLS Western Conference, a report in the Daily Telegraph in London claims that the Galaxy’s David Beckham is interested in returning to the Premier League after the MLS season, in an effort to extend his international career with England.

"Beckham ... knows he needs top-class first-team football if he is to add to his 107 England caps," the article said.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Morales Has Shot at MVP Award

It's almost time for the end-of-season awards, and RSL is promoting three of its players in particular.

The team has nominated midfielder Javier Morales for the annual comeback player of the year award as well as the fair play award, for which it also has nominated midfielder Andy Williams and defender Nat Borchers.

Morales has a shot at league most valuable player, too.

"Yeah, he should," coach Jason Kreis said. "He warrants a real honest consideration."

In a league with Landon Donovan and Kenny Cooper, Morales has to be considering a dark horse, though, whose candidacy no doubt needs the help of RSL making the playoffs.

"I've kind of always felt that you need to be on a stronger team in the league, to say that you're deserving of the MVP status," Kreis said. "So I think he's relying on us right now, as we are relying on him. And ultimately, I know it's probably not that big a care of his. I know, because I've been there, and it's much, much more important how the team is doing."

Kovalenko Fires Back on Old Coach

Midfielder Dema Kovalenko was not shy about expressing his desire to stick it to former coach Juan Carlos Osorio and the New York Red Bulls last week, and his opinion of the man who traded him to RSL clearly hasn’t improved since then.

"Osario, Osorio? I don't even know who he is," Kovalenko said. "I want to say that. I don't know who you are, and I never heard of you."

Kovalenko sought me out at practice to make sure he could respond after reading what Osorio had to say about him on a popular soccer blog last week.

"Nine months ago when I traded him, I felt that Seth Stammler was more than able to match his production," Osorio told Ives Galarcep of Soccer By Ives. Kovalenko "has a goal and two assists in 17 [starts] this year so I think I made the right decision."

Of course, that did not sit well with Kovalenko.

Not only has New York's Seth Stammler produced only one more assist than Kovalenko this season, in four more games -- though he does earn barely half of what Kovalenko does, $105,000 compared to just over $207,000 -- but Kovalenko said the Red Bulls have grown worse under Osorio than they were when he played there under coach Bruce Arena last season.

The Red Bulls were 12-11-7 last season, but are 9-10-9 -- just like RSL -- with two games remaining this season.

"And the most important thing is not about [expletive] stats and goals and assists," Kovalenko said. "Look at the [expletive] stats, when I played in New York when I was on the field and when I was not on the field. Look at the record of the teams. That's what I want to know, I want to tell him. And the most important thing is not about stats, it's about winning games."

So, we checked.

Kovalenko started 15 games for the Red Bulls last season, when they went 7-4-4. When he did not start and play most of the game, they were 5-7-3 (though they were 1-2-1 in games in which Kovalenko came off the bench near the end). Meanwhile, RSL is 7-6-7 this season with Kovalenko on the field -- he came off the bench in three of the draws -- and 2-4-2 when he has not played.

In any case, Kovalenko apparently isn't finished with Osorio yet, either.

The fiery Ukranian promised that he would have even more to say after RSL qualifies for the playoffs and the Red Bulls get bumped out. The Red Bulls were bumped out of playoff position last night when D.C. United beat New England 2-1 to move into position for a wild-card berth.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Old Coach Ready for Return to RSL

Had a chance to talk to John Ellinger the other day, about his upcoming return to Utah, where he and his new FC Dallas team will try to ruin the playoff hopes of his former team at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday.

Ellinger was cordial, as always -- he really was a great coach to cover -- and acknowledged that while he will have some mixed feelings about coming back, he's not so sentimental that he wants to cede three points to RSL in the heat of the Major League Soccer playoff chase.

"There were obviously some great moments there in Salt Lake, including some of those with RSL," he said. "But you know, being as competitive as I am ..."

He didn't say it specifically, but make no mistake. He'd love to exact some revenge.

Though Ellinger always handled himself with decorum, there wasn't exactly a lot of love lost between him and owner Dave Checketts when Ellinger was fired. And don't think striker Jeff Cunningham isn't going to get fired up for this one, either. He and Jason Kreis never saw eye-to-eye, and trading Cunningham -- then, the reigning MLS Golden Boot winner -- was about the first thing Kreis did when he replaced Ellinger as coach.

Ah, this is going to be fun.

One Rival Falls Away in Playoff Hunt

Finally, somebody is out of playoff contention in the MLS Western Conference.

Well, not totally.

But realistically, the San Jose Earthquakes are finished after their 2-1 loss at Houston last night. Technically, they're still alive for the playoffs, but only by the most impossible of margins -- they must win their last two games, have either Kansas City or New York lose its last two, and have Colorado, FC Dallas and D.C. United all fail to earn maximum points.

Even then, it would come down to tiebreakers.

So we're going to write off the Earthquakes, and concentrate on the teams with which RSL is most pressingly concerned -- FC Dallas, Colorado and Los Angeles. The Galaxy play at Houston while RSL entertains FC Dallas on Saturday, and the Rapids play at Chivas USA on Sunday.

Remember, an RSL win and Rapids draw or loss clinches a playoff spot.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Seven Cities on MLS Expansion List

So who do you like, RSL fans -- Atlanta, Miami, Montreal, Ottawa, Portland, St. Louis or Vancouver?

Those are the seven cities where prospective ownership groups have applied for one of the two expansion teams that Major League Soccer plans to add in the coming years. That will bring the league to 18 teams, after Seattle joins next season and Philadelphia enters in 2010.

Ownership groups had to file proposals to the league by today, describing information such as "details about the applicant's proposed ownership group, stadium plan and financing, and an analysis of the potential expansion market."

Several of the ownership groups will sound familiar.

Arthur Blank, the owner of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and co-founder of Home Depot, has applied for an Atlanta franchise, while NBA star Steve Nash is part of the group trying to land a team in Vancouver. In Miami, the legendary FC Barcelona team has joined with businessman Marcelo Claure, the head of Miami-based Brightstar Corp., the world's largest cell phone distributor and owner of FC Bolivar in his native Bolivia.

By the way, the league is charging a $40 million expansion fee, which makes RSL seem like a tremendous investment in these troubled economic times. Owner Dave Checketts paid a $10 million expansion fee -- but a pittance! -- barely four years ago.

Cross Your Fingers for Playoff Tickets

Not to jinx anything, but the front office is planning to announce soon that tickets to the potentially historic first playoff appearance in franchise history will go on sale next week.

Wanting to afford fans as much time as possible to buy them, RSL will put playoff tickets on sale to season-ticket holders Monday, before opening the sale to the general public on Wednesday.

Presuming RSL qualifies -- and that seems like a pretty decent bet -- it will host the first game of a home-and-home series either Oct. 31 or Nov. 1, with the return trip to their opponent’s field the following weekend. Former expansion rival Chivas USA appears to be the most likely opponent, at this point, because RSL is most likely to secure the third playoff seed in the MLS Western Conference and meet the No. 2 seed, which probably will be the Goats.

FCD's Cooper Targets RSL Game

Well, at least if RSL beats FC Dallas on Saturday night and ultimately wins a playoff spot, it will have earned it.

RSL might have enjoyed an advantage, had star striker Kenny Cooper -- he of the 18 goals for the Hoops this season -- accepted an invitation to play in the U.S. national team's World Cup qualifying game against Trinidad & Tobago tonight in Port of Spain.

Instead, he turned down the invitation.

Cooper said he decided to pass because of the importance of the RSL game, and because he's been nursing a sprained ankle (you wouldn't know it, from his three game-saving goals in the last two games) and picked up a virus.

So instead of maybe being a bit weary from a mid-week game and a long trip, Cooper figures to be well-rested, meaning the RSL defense is going to have its hands full trying to stop him and former RSL striker Jeff Cunnningham.

Monday, October 13, 2008

RSL Can Clinch Historic Playoff Spot

Things could have been a lot worse for RSL over the weekend, and they might be about to get a whole lot better.

Thanks for helpful results by their rivals in the MLS playoff chase, RSL can all but clinch its first playoff berth when it plays FC Dallas in the second game at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night. FC Dallas managed only a draw with Toronto on Saturday -- the Hoops scored the dramatic equalizer in extra time -- while Colorado lost to the Los Angeles Galaxy, meaning that RSL can clinch in a number of ways:

-- If it beats FC Dallas and Colorado either loses or draws at Chivas USA in Los Angeles on Sunday.

-- If it draws with FC Dallas and wins at Colorado in the regular-season finale Oct. 25.

-- If it loses to FC Dallas but wins at Colorado, and FC Dallas loses its regular-season finale at the Los Angeles Galaxy on Oct. 26.

All of those scenarios award RSL the third and final automatic seed in the MLS Western Conference. If the team cannot clinch an automatic spot, its prospects for one of the two "at-large" berths is much shakier. Six teams in the two conferences remain within two points of one another, and RSL would not be in a good tie-breaking position.

RSL can earn an at-large spot, however, even if it loses to FC Dallas. But that would require winning at Colorado and having both New York and Kansas City either lose or tie each of their two remaining games. It also would need D.C. United to fail to win one of its last two games.

In other words?

Beat FC Dallas.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Will World Cup Qualifiers Help RSL?

Having earned only a draw in the inaugural game in its new stadium, Real Salt Lake is at risk of falling behind in the Major League Soccer playoff chase.

Several rivals could leapfrog it in the playoff chase if they win this weekend, when coach Jason Kreis and his players will be watching "on pins and needles."

But while victories for Chivas USA, FC Dallas, Colorado and Kansas City would hurt RSL, several of those teams also will be shorthanded because some of their best players have been called away for international duty at the World Cup qualifying games this weekend. The Rapids, Galaxy and Chivas are among the hardest hit going into this weekend's games.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

It's a Disappointing Draw for RSL

It's a final ... RSL draws with the Red Bulls, 1-1, leaving crucial points on the field.

RSL played the final seven minutes plus stoppage time with a man advantage, but frequently looked disorganized and unable to mount a precise attack. It had a few modest chances in the dying minutes, but nothing serious, and now the pressure will really be on in the home finale against FC Dallas on Oct. 18.

Thanks for reading, and good night!

Final Four Minutes of Historic Game

Four minutes of extra time has been announced, just as RSL's Chris Wingert couldn't quite get a shot from the right side past the Red Bulls defense.

And striker Kenny Deuchar has come on, in place of defender Ian Joy, who moments ago went down after apparently getting hit in the stomach. Let's see if Deuchar can manufacture a great chance and finish it, this time ...

Mathis Out With Head Wound

New York's Juan Pietravallo has been red-carded in the 83rd minute, for kicking RSL's Clint Mathis in the head and opening a deep cut that was bleeding badly when Mathis went to the bench.

The play forced the Red Bulls to prepare for the final seven minutes a man down, and allowed midfielder Dema Kovalenko to come on as a substitute in his first action in weeks.

It's Getting Toward Crunch Time

Now, the pressure's on.

RSL ranks as one of the worst teams in the league at allowing goals in the final 15 minutes, and they're entering that territory still in a 1-1 tie and thousands of fans desperate for it to avoid giving away all three crucial points at home.

It nearly didn't have to worry about it, but midfielder Kyle Beckerman just missed with a laser from nearly 30 yards in the 71st minute, sending his shot just over the crossbar. Moments later, striker Robbie Findley made a nice move to drive into the box on the right side, but his cross was knocked away.

Nothing Changing Yet in Tied Game

At the hour mark, the game remains tied at 1-1, on a night that's getting pretty chilly.

Neither team has really created any serious scoring chances here in the opening part of the second half, though midfielder Will Johnson did get a clear shot from the left side for RSL in the 55th minute. It was an easy shot right at goalkeeper Jon Conway, however.

RSL had two corner kicks back-to-back, but neither amounted to anything. At least, the team seems to be dictating the game again, after going back and forth with the Red Bulls for a good portion of the game.

Findley on as Second-Half Sub

Striker Robbie Findley came on for RSL at the start of the second half, in place of midfielder Robbie Russell, with Clint Mathis apparently sliding back into the midfield.

RSL's Olave Evens the Score

Defender Jamison Olave streaked onto a corner kick from teammate Javier Morales in the 42nd minute, firing home the first RSL goal in stadium history before celebrating with a stomach slide along the grass.

It's nearly halftime now, and RSL has new life.

Morales, by the way, set a franchise record with his assist on Olave's goal, giving him 15 in his short career with the club.

RSL was nearly ahead at halftime, too, instead of just tied.

Striker Yura Movsisyan -- he looks all right, after going down with an apparent back injury earlier -- had a good chance in the 33rd minute, getting goalkeeper Jon Conway out and on the ground on a breakaway. But Movsisyan couldn't quite maneuver clear for a great shot, and New York's Jeff Parke managed to slide in behind Conway to stop the shot.

Red Bulls Score First Goal

Midfielder Kyle Beckerman made a great save of a header off a New York corner kick in the 31st minute, but the deflection fell right to New York's Dave van den Bergh near the top left corner of the box. Van den Bergh then blasted a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Nick Rimando to the far post to give the Red Bulls a 1-0 lead.

Not So One-Sided, Anymore

Half-an-hour in, and the match has started to even out.

The Red Bulls have done a better job dictating the game, and have manufactured several opportunities. They began with a close call for RSL in the 19th minute, when a corner kick by New York's Dave van den Bergh got loose in front of the goal before RSL's Kyle Beckerman cleared it. The Red Bulls produced three more corners after that, as well, though RSL cleared them all more easily.

And just in the 30th minute, RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando had to dive to knock away a long cross into the box by van den Bergh.

Just noticed, too, that it looks like the grounds crew mistakenly painted the end lines and penalty box too far up the field on both ends. You can see the outline of where they tried to erase it or cover it up with green paint ...

Close But Not Quite for RSL Early

Midfielder Javier Morales nearly staked RSL an early lead, when he curled a free kick around a wall but just wide of the post in the seventh minute. Striker Yura Movsisyan earned the free kick when he was pulled down by New York's Seth Stammler.

Now, a quarter-hour in, RSL seems to be controlling the game, with the Red Bulls content to seemingly sit back and let that initial adrenaline surge dissipate.

Coaches will be keeping an eye on Movsisyan, who went down near the New York box in the 13th minute holding his lower back. He rose after a few moments and kept playing, but was limping noticably early on.

And though the game is officially sold out, there is a fair number of empty seats in the east-side upper bowl and in various spots of the lower bowl and the south end.

RSL Officially Opens Rio Tinto

The match is under way!

Striker Clint Mathis made the first touch on a ball in Rio Tinto Stadium, sending the opening kick back to midfielder Kyle Beckerman as RSL works to control possession early. Yellow streamers have cascaded onto the field at the north end -- the goal at which RSL is shooting -- and the Red Bulls have scarcely touched the ball through the opening minutes ...

Historic Introductions on the Field

All right, the moment has arrived.

The players just emerged from the midfield tunnel to a roaring cheer -- the team chose "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins to herald their arrival ... you know "waiting for this moment/for all my life?" -- and the fans waving the little white commemorative towels that were left on their seats.

With the players from both teams lined up at midfield, owner Dave Checketts and others -- including Gov. Huntsman and Sandy mayor Tom Dolan -- worked their way along, shaking hands with every player and referee, before the flag was presented, the national anthem performed, and an Apache helicopter flew over the stadium (not that anybody could see it) to punctuate the moment.

Up next ... kickoff!

Final Moments Before Historic Kickoff

Looks like there's still a pretty good crush going on at the concession stands, at least on the north end. One of my colleagues informed me that he and his son needed some 30 minutes to get through the line at the Millcreek Pizza stand, where they evidently ran out and were taking orders ...

Concessions workers also are removing the caps and lids from the beverages they sell, to keep you unruly hooligans from throwing them out on the field.

Oh, and and Leo the Lion has just run out to midfield, waving the RSL flag as the members of the Utah National Guard and some young soccer players march out for the national-anthem ceremony ...

Kovalenko Back and Ready to Rock

And speaking of lineups ...

Midfielder Dema Kovalenko will get a chance to get back at the man who traded him to RSL, New York coach Juan Carlos Osorio. Kovalenko told me earlier this week that he desperately wanted to return from injury tonight to help beat the Red Bulls and stick it to Osorio, whom Kovalenko said he doesn't like or respect.

However, Kovalenko is the only injured player who's on the 18 tonight. Midfielder Nathan Sturgis and striker Fabian Espindola remain not quite ready.

Having a Look at the Lineup

Trying to get a look at who's on the field for RSL, to figure out who's in the 18 tonight.

Looks like midfielder Kenny Cutler, defender David Horst and strikers Tino Nunez and Kenny Deucher are out there kicking it around together on the far side of the field, so they're probably among the substitutes, along with goalkeeper Chris Seitz and ...

Oh, wait.

They just handed out the lineup, so this will be a little easier.

Looks almost the same as last weekend at New England, except that defender Jamison Olave is back from suspension and -- with midfielder Andy Williams serving a red-card suspension -- defender Robbie Russell has moved up to the midfield, where he has played already for RSL this season and done a nice job.

Pre-Game Warm-Ups Under Way

Well now it's starting to look like a soccer game!

Players from both teams have come out onto the field for pre-game warm-ups, and flags already are flying some of the supporters' sections. The stands are starting to fill in a little bit, too, though the wind seems to really be whipping. The massive flags on the north end of the stadium are completely unfurled, with the gusts coming out of the west.

Players Getting Ready for Big Debut

Players are starting to wander out onto the field to check it out.

Goalkeepers Nick Rimando and Chris Seitz just finished inspecting the north end goal, while striker Yura Movsisyan is having a walk around the ground, seemingly taking it all in. General manager Garth Lagerwey and other team officials are on the phone near midfield, and fans are starting to filter down into their seats -- though most of them seem to be in line for concessions, at this point.

Everybody's Favorite NBA Soccer Man

Seems like everybody is here tonight, including MLS commissioner Don Garber and the entire league executive staff.

One luminary who isn't attending the game, however, is Phoenix Suns basketball star Steve Nash -- the native Canadian who's leading an effort to land an MLS expansion team in Vancouver and in town to play the Jazz in a preseason game at EnergySolutions Arena.

And yes, he's well aware of the big event happening south of town.

"It's great," he said. "I know it's been a long time coming, so I think it's great for the city and the fans and the team to finally have a home."

Nash said he believes MLS has an increasingly bright future, with now seven soccer-specific stadiums.

"The building blocks are there," he said. "I think the fundamentals are laid intelligently so the league can grow and not overextend itself. Maybe it's not scintillating at this point, but at the same [time] it's growing steadily and it's improving steadily and I think it’s setting itself up for an explosion at some point over the next 10 years."

RSL a Heavy Favorite Tonight

Finally found a gambling site that's posting live odds on Major League Soccer games, and it looks like RSL is a solid favorite.

The site SportsPunter.com lists a wide range of gaming sites worldwide, and on those, RSL ranges from a 4-to-5 favorite to a 47-to-50 favorite. The site also offers a match predictor, SportsTron, that is giving RSL a 74.28 percent chance of winning tonight, while the Red Bulls have only a 12.72 percent chance. There's a 13 percent chance of a draw, too.

No Flood of Fans Just Yet

So it wasn't a flood of people waiting to get into the stadium when the gates opened a few minutes ago, but it was a bit of a trickle, with several dozen fans lining up at each of the entrance.

And it occured to me walking past the concession stands that you'll never get a cleaner hot dog than the one you'll get right now ...

Enjoying His Moment in the Sun

Looks like owner Dave Checketts is really enjoying finally having his stadium built.

Not long before the gates open and the stands start to fill up, he has gathered what appears to be his whole family on the patio of the club restaurant for a photo with the east stands and mountains in the background.

Rehearsal on for Historic Opening

The national guard is getting into the action now, taking the field with that enormous flag -- it unfurls into the shape of the United States -- to rehearse for the national-anthem ceremony before the game. Meanwhile, workers are lining the edge of the field holding tall tubes, which I'm told are streamer cannons that will be fired before the game.

Code Red for Media Relations Dept.

Looks like we have the first full-blown scramble of the evening, at least for the media relations department.

Seems the police guarding the south entrance to the stadium on 9400 South are not letting anybody even down the driveway without the proper parking passes. Thing is, apparently very few media members had acquired their parking passes before today, expecting to simply pick them up at the media will-call window ... which, of course, is near the front entrance to the stadium.

So at last check, team officials were working to move the media will-call station out to the street corner, so reporters can acquire their parking passes and proceed normally, rather than having to roam around frustrated and cursing the RSL name ...

Oh, and the military personnel are members of the Utah National Guard, on hand to help unfurl a giant American flag for the national anthem.

Working Out the Pre-Game Kinks

Boy, those coaches are going to get a good workout.

Coach Jason Kreis and assistant Brian Johnson are still running laps (though goalkeepers coach Jeff Cassar bailed after less than three), while workers really start to get ready. An army of security guards in bright yellow jackets are piled into a corner of the stadium getting instructions, and a group of camoflaged military personnel are milling around in one of the tunnels -- though for what, I'm not quite sure.

Maybe they're part of the opening ceremony?

Nothing Exotic at Beer Stands

Now, to answer the question you've all been asking ... looks like only Bud and Bud Light available at the concession stands. I'd heard talk that there would be a wider variety of Anheuser-Busch products available, but apparently that's not the case. And if that doesn't get you, the price will -- $5 for a regular and $8.50 for a large.

Good thing I sneaked mine in ...

One thoughtful touch at the concession stands, however, are flat-screen televisions hanging near the counter, so fans can keep an eye on the action even while they're ordering snacks. Don't want to miss that goal, you know ...

Not All Business Quite Finished

Most fans probably won't get a look inside the depths of the stadium, so I'll give you a little update ...

While the stairways on the west side of the stadium are finished, some of the rooms and offices are not yet complete. The press lounge behind the press box, for example, is entirely empty except for a copy machine against the wall, a phone on the floor and a television. One worker in a men's room was radioing for help because he couldn't get the toilet-paper holder to properly dispense its product (mental note: avoid that men's room).

But on the field, things look pristine.

Oh, and just now, the coaching staff has come out of the tunnel in their matching gray sweatshirts, and have commenced jogging around the field. A few minutes ago, owner Dave Checketts made an appearance on his way to get his coat -- a good reminder for fans that it's going to get chilly tonight ...

Watch That Traffic Off I-15

If you're coming out to the game tonight, you might want to do your best to get an approach from the north or east. The construction eastbound on 9000 South between I-15 and State Street already had produced a long line of cars trying to exit the freeway, and that was a half an hour ago ...

New Stadium Already Busy

Welcome to Rio Tinto Stadium, where we'll be blogging up until and throughout the game ...

We still have nearly four hours until RSL kicks off its first game here against the New York Red Bulls, but the stadium has long been humming. Right this moment, workers are going around the stadium draping little white mini-towels on each of the seatbacks for the fans who will be sitting there, and making all kinds of last-minute adjustments -- from taping down cables in the bowels of the stadium to erecting the flasherboards around the field.

On my way in -- there are red carpets and velvet ropes leading to the main entrances, by the way -- team president Bill Manning was busy trying to clear the media parking lot to the west of the stadium, because it was still full of the vehicles belonging to the all of the construction workers laboring here. But if that's the biggest challenge the team encounters tonight, it will enjoy a rousing success ...

Expect a Thriller at New Stadium

Just hours remain before the opening of the new stadium, so everybody's probably busy painting their faces and trying to figure out where to park, right?

Well, to help get you in the mood, here's an interesting retrospective by senior writer Jeff Bradley of ESPN The Magazine that looks back on various stadium openings around MLS, from the league's inaugural game in 1996 all the way up to the two new stadiums that opened last year.

His conclusion?

"Expect some sort of a thriller" between RSL and the Red Bulls tonight.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Midfielders Earn Valuable Attention

Midfielder Andy Williams has won Sierra Mist Goal of the Week honors for his remarkable blast into the upper 90 against New England last week, while fellow midfielder Javier Morales is starting to get some attention for MLS Most Valuable Player honors.

The "expert panel" at MLSNet.com has ranked Morales third on its list of MVP candidates, after he added another goal and an assist on Williams' strike against the Revs. His "deft touch and timing make RSL increasingly a team to fear," the site said.

Kovalenko Aims for Vengeance

Midfielder Dema Kovalenko has hardly played for RSL since the end of July, on account of a strained left calf that has been aggravatingly slow to heal, so he's naturally eager to get back on the field.

But that's not the only reason.

Kovalenko said he's also pushing to return to the lineup for the opening of Rio Tinto Stadium on Thursday night because he wants to stick it to New York coach Juan Carlos Osorio, who traded him to RSL for a conditional pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft just two months after taking over the Red Bulls late last year.

"I was thinking all year about these two games," Kovalenko said. "There and home, just against this team, because I don't like the guy, at all. And I don't care if I say it. I don't like him. I don't respect him. And I want to play this game, because I want to help my team to win. That's the most important thing, to get three points."

Kovalenko did not play in RSL's 2-1 loss at New York on Sept. 13, after aggravating his injury during a short appearance at Los Angeles the previous weekend. Kovalenko played 23 minutes in the 2-2 draw with the Galaxy, but otherwise has not played in the last eight games for RSL.

Coach Jason Kreis acknowledged there's a chance that Kovalenko and injured teammates Fabian Espindola and Nathan Sturgis could work their way onto the 18-man roster for the game, but that it would depend on the final days of training. For his part, Kovalenko said he wouldn't push to play unless he felt he could contribute and help the team.

"We just have to come out and show people and prove to ourselves that we are the better team," he said. "And we are the better team. I say it. We are a better team than New York. There's no question. We're better."

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Night Workout Exhilarates Coach

Coach Jason Kreis was the first player in Real Salt Lake history, so walking out onto the field at the new Rio Tinto Stadium for his team's first workout under the lights last night was particularly poignant for him.

"I got butterflies in my stomach out here, just waking out with the lights on," he said. "The grass shimmers in the light. Makes me excited. Makes me also extremely jealous of these guys. Might have to kick a few so I can see if I can get myself up."

But, hey, he's the coach. Can't he put just himself in the 18 for the inaugural game against the New York Red Bulls on Thursday night?

"I wish I could, but the rosters are frozen," he said, smiling. "I kept a spot for myself for a long time this year, but we ended up filling it."

His players all seemed nearly as thrilled to work out under the same conditions they expect to find in their first game in the new stadium, and a few of the injured ones could enjoy a return to action.

While midfielder Andy Williams is suspended for the game after getting a red card for shoving New England's Jay Heaps last weekend -- "I wish I would have punched him or something," Williams said, "gotten my money's worth" -- striker Fabian Espindola and midfielders Dema Kovalenko and Nathan Sturgis each has been pushing to be included in the team against Red Bulls, Kreis said. All three worked out at least modestly last night.

"I'm excited," goalkeeper Nick Rimando said. "I think everybody's excited. We've put a lot of hard work into this stadium, from the owners down. We're just happy to be inside a grass field that's our stadium -- not nobody else's."

Monday, October 6, 2008

RSL Knows Its Playoff Equation

The playoff spots are starting to fill up.

Three of the eight have been secured already, with New England the latest to clinch its place in the MLS Eastern Conference after its 2-2 home draw with RSL last weekend. The Revs said that the other results around the league and tie-breaking procedures assure that they will reach the postseason for a record seventh straight year.

Meanwhile, of course, RSL is fighting for one of the five remaining spots.

Houston and Columbus have wrapped up spots, but RSL is among three teams -- FC Dallas and Colorado, among them -- within one point for the final guaranteed playoff spot in the MLS Western Conference. Even the wild-card race is virtually a dead heat, with New York, Kansas City and D.C. United in the Eastern Conference all within two points of RSL's total of 35, with three games left.

Of course, RSL is playing host to New York in the inaugural game at Rio Tinto Stadium on Thursday, and entertains FC Dallas on Oct. 18 before finishing with a road game at Colorado on Oct. 25 -- which means it pretty much controls its playoff destiny.

Win, and it's in, for the first time ever.

Team Working Out Under Lights

It was a long trip home for Real Salt Lake from their weekend game in Boston, but the players will get a little extra rest before resuming training in advance of their inaugural game at Rio Tinto Stadium on Thursday night.

Not until tonight is the team scheduled to return to the field, for a workout under the lights at the new stadium in order to get a feel for what the atmosphere will be like when they take on the New York Red Bulls in a huge game that will be televised nationally.

After that, its schedule will be a bit more normal before the big game -- for which defender Jamison Olave is expected to return, after sitting out the 2-2 draw at New England serving a yellow-card suspension. Midfielder Andy Williams, however, will not play against New York because of the red card he received in the dying minutes of the Revolution game.

Meanwhile, a team spokesman said he doesn't expect any of RSL's players to get called into World Cup qualifying games with their national teams this week, and Williams might have seen the end of his resurgent career with his native Jamaican national team, with the firing of coach Rene Simones last month following a slow start in regional qualifying. The Jamaicans play Mexico and Honduras within the next 10 days.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

RSL Trying Not to Dwell on Late Fade

His team has a "massive" game coming up in just a few days, so coach Jason Kreis clearly was trying not to dwell on the bad parts of Real Salt Lake's 2-2 draw at New England on Saturday night.

Yes, his players blew a two-goal lead in a matter of three minutes late in the game, and once again failed to put away spectacular scoring chances in the dying minutes that could have lifted them to victory.

But RSL still picked up a rare road point and moved into sole possession of third place in Major League Soccer's Western Conference. It also avoided giving away all three points when defender Nat Borchers desperately cleared a ball off the line in the final moments of stoppage time to make up for his earlier failed clearance that allowed the Revs their first score.

"If that goal had gone in, it would have been a different message completely," Kreis said. "You wouldn't have seen even a half-a-smile on anybody's face around here. That was a big play on his part."

Huge, really.

Had the ball gone in, RSL could not possibly have put a happy face on the result, and would have risked having its disappointment cast a heavy pall over preparations for its inaugural game at Rio Tinto Stadium against New York on Thursday night.

Now, RSL can fall back on knowing that after winning just one of its first 12 road games this season, it took four points out of back-to-back away games, and put itself in good position to make its first playoff experience.

"We're all right," midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. "We have to get on with it. ... We have a quick turnaround, so we have to be ready."

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About Michael

Michael C. Lewis has covered Real Salt Lake since its inception in 2005, and hopes to one day see it bring West Ham United to town for a friendly.