SALT LAKE CITY - Real Salt Lake is pleased to announce the team's Rice-Eccles Stadium home opener for the 2007 MLS Regular Season, kicking off against FC Dallas on Saturday, April 7th at 4:00 p.m. MT in the season opener for both teams, and the RSL debuts for recent acquisitions Freddy Adu and Luis Tejada.
Dallas boasted the Western Conference's best record last season at 16-12-4 (52 pts), finishing only three points behind D.C. United in the race for the MLS Supporters Shield. Featuring the lethal attacking duo of Carlos Ruiz (13 goals, five assists) and Kenny Cooper (11 g/4 a), FC Dallas was eliminated in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs for the second year in a row by RSL's archrival Colorado Rapids in a penalty kick shootout at Pizza Hut Park.
"The Hoops" have already made some waves this off-season, by acquiring former Houston Dynamo DF Adrian Serioux from Toronto FC in exchange for long-time Dallas Midfielder Ronnie O'Brien. The addition of Serioux has already raised expectation in Dallas, where new Head Coach Steve Morrow will be looking to improve on the early playoff exits that have plagued Dallas over the last two seasons.
FC Dallas captured last season's series with RSL, winning three of the four contests played between the two clubs. RSL's lone win in the series came on September 16th, when RSL battled back from one-goal deficits on two different occasions, all while playing a man down, to come away with the dramatic 3-2 victory.
After opening at home for the first time in the team's brief three-year history, RSL will again be at home the following weekend, as the Columbus Crew visit Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, April 14th. First kick will again be at 4:00 p.m. MT.
The Crew are coming off a disappointing 2006 season in which the team was hit hard with injuries and struggled to a league-worst 8-15-9 record (33 points). But Columbus did turn it on down the stretch, posting a 4-4-1 record in the team's last nine games. With the off-season addition of Ohio native Danny O'Rourke in a trade with Toronto FC, Sigi Schmid's team appears to be much improved for the 2007 campaign.
RSL and the Crew split the 2006 season series, with each team winning on the others home field. The Crew escaped Rice Eccles Stadium with a 1-0 result on May 6th, 2006, while RSL made a late comeback in Columbus on August 16th to defeat the Crew 2-1, RSL's first-ever come-from-behind road win.
RSL HOLIDAY GIFT PACKAGE STILL AVAILABLE: Looking for a great way to celebrate the holiday season? Give the gift of soccer to a loved one by purchasing the "Real Salt Lake Holiday Gift Pack!" For as little as $150 you will receive 10 Flex Passes than can be redeemed for any 2007 RSL regular season game, in addition to a free RSL beanie and a free pair of RSL gloves! Log onto www.RealSaltLake.com or call 866-9-SOCCER to take advantage of this exciting offer today!
