By the way, RSL is hosting a bone-marrow match drive at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday, in hopes of finding a match for the wife of midfielder Andy Williams, who is battling leukemia and needs a bone-marrow transplant.

The drive is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Center Circle Club on the ground level of the new stadium.

Testing for bone-marrow compatibility is easy; all it requires is a cheek swab. You can learn more at DKMSAmerica.org, or learn more about Marcia Williams and her fight against leukemia at SoccerUnitesUtah.com. Andy Williams, meanwhile, helped his Jamaican national team qualify for the Gold Cup next summer, starting two of three qualifying games last week.

Real Salt Lake is hoping to play host to a World Cup qualifying match at Rio Tinto Stadium next year, and one report today said it is one of two finalists for the Feb. 11 men's game between the United States and Mexico.

"This is the reason we built this stadium," RSL president Bill Manning said. "To host big events. For our size, I'd say we stack up favorably with any venue in the country."

U.S. Soccer has not announced the sites for the five home games the Americans will play in the final round of regional qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. But ESPN Deportes reported that the U.S. vs. Mexico game will be played either in Seattle or Salt Lake City.

Even if RSL does not land that particular game, it could be in the running for one of the others. "We basically said we would be open to hosting any of them," Manning said.

It's not known when U.S. Soccer will announce its decisions.

The Americans will play each team in its regional qualifying group — Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago, Honduras, El Salvador and Costa Rica — home and away, throughout next year. The top three teams in the group automatically advance to the World Cup, with the fourth-place team advancing to a playoff.

RSL plans to open its new team store to the public at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy at 10 a.m. on Saturday, with a grand opening celebration scheduled for Monday.

Fans will find all RSL merchandise marked off 30 to 60 percent, the team said, with free gifts to accompany purchases of at least $50. Typically, the store -- which obviously had not opened in time for the team's first games at the new stadium -- will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays. It is located on the east side of the stadium.

The team already has moved all of its offices to the new stadium, and closed its old administrative headquarters at Trolley Corners near downtown Salt Lake City.

Four of RSL's most promising players will enjoy an eight-day trip to London starting Friday, as part of a Generation Adidas tour designed to give young players top-level experience and exposure.

Striker Yura Movsisyan, midfielder Alex Nimo, defender Tony Beltran and goalkeeper Chris Seitz will join a dozen other Major League Soccer players for three games against reserve teams from the English Premier League. They also will get to train at Chelsea Academy and attend both an EPL game -- either West Ham vs. Tottenham or Arsenal vs. Wigan -- and the UEFA Champions League game between Chelsea and CFR Cluj Napoca.

The Americans will play the West Ham, Chelsea and Aston Villa reserves before returning home Dec. 14.

Get ready for another big game at Rio Tinto Stadium.

RSL will open its 2009 home season against defending league champion Columbus on April 2 -- a Thursday night that will feature a national broadcast on ESPN2. That will be an exciting way to kick off what is sure to be the most anticipated season in franchise history, with most players expected back from its first playoff team.

The only downside?

RSL is the only team in the league that will have a bye on the official opening weekend of March 21, meaning it probably will not get the benefit of such a break when it might be able to better use it, later in the season.

After that, RSL will open its season on the road, though the opponent (and the rest of the schedule) has not been determined yet.