After finishing a five-match road journey over the weekend, Real Salt Lake (0-3-6, 6 pts. in MLS play) will return to its home of Rice-Eccles Stadium for the first time in over a month this Thursday, June 7, when the squad will take on the Chinese National Team in an international friendly. RSL's second match of 2007 against international opposition is slated for a 7:00 p.m. MT kick-off, and fans not in attendance at Rice-Eccles Stadium can follow the contest live over the radio airwaves on KALL-AM 700 "The Zone" (English) and "La Bonita" KXTA-AM 1600 (Spanish). Tickets for the contest are available by visiting the club's official website, www.RealSaltLake.com, or by calling 801-924-8585. Thursday's match will be the sixth for Real Salt Lake against international competition in two-plus seasons of play, in which RSL has compiled a 2-2-1 record against Real Madrid, Monarcas Morelia, Universidad Catolica, Harbour View FC, and, most recently, the Fijian National Team.
China the Buzz in the Beehive State
The Chinese National Team has departed the Bay Area and is slated to arrive in Salt Lake City for its four-day stay in Utah this afternoon via Delta Airlines flight #715 at 3:31 p.m. MT. The Chinese squad will conduct a pair of practices at Rice-Eccles Stadium in preparation for Thursday's friendly, with the sessions slated for Tuesday, June 5, at 4:00 p.m. MT; and Wednesday, June 6, at 7:00 p.m. Thursday's match will serve as the middle game of China's three-match tour of the Western United States, which began with a 4-1 defeat to the U.S. National Team last Saturday evening in San Jose, Calif. and will conclude with an exhibition against the Colorado Rapids this Sunday, June 10, in Commerce City, Colo.
It will not be all business for the Chinese delegation, as three of the team's star players - defender and captain Ji Mingyi, Sheffield United midfielder Li Tie, and Manchester United forward Dong Fangzhou - will visit patients at the Salt Lake City Shriners Hospital for Children (located at 1275 Fairfax Road in Salt Lake City) on Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m. In addition, the entire Chinese delegation - as well as the Real Salt Lake roster and coaching staff - has accepted an invitation from Utah Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. to attend a special "Open House" event at the Governor's Mansion on Wednesday evening from 5:00-7:00 p.m. MT. Media members interested in covering either of these events are asked to contact RSL Senior Manager of Media Relations John Koluder at 801-924-8584 to RSVP and confirm times and media availability. Media RSVP'ing for Wednesday's event must do so by 12:00 p.m. MT on Wednesday.
Chinese National Team U.S. Tour Travel Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): Chen Dong (Dalian Shide), Yang Jun (Tianjin Teda), Zong Lei (Changchun Yatai)
DEFENDERS (8): Cao Yang (Tianjin Teda), Ji Mingyi (Dalian Shide), Xin Feng (Shenzhen Shangqingyin), Xu Yunlong (Beijing Guoan), Zhai Yanpeng (Dalian Shide), Zhang Baofeng (Changchun Yatai), Zhang Shuai (Beijing Guoan), Zhang Yaokun (Dalian Shide)
MIDFIELDERS (10): Du Zhenyu (Changchun Yatai), Hao Junmin (Tianjin Teda), Li Tie (Sheffield United), Li Yan (Shanxi Chanba FC), Shao Jiayi (Energie Cottbus), Sun Xiang (Shanghai Shenhua), Wang Dong (Beijing Guoan), Wang Peng (Dalian Shide), Zhao Xuri (Dalian Shide), Zheng Bin (Wuhan Guanggu)
FORWARDS (3): Du Wenhui (Beijing Guoan), Dong Fangzhou (Manchester United), Qu Bo (Qingdao Zhongneng)
Real Salt Lake Schedule: June 5-10
All times and locations are subject to change. Please contact the RSL Communications Department to confirm times, venues and media availability.
DAY/DATE |
SITE |
TIME (MT) |
|---|---|---|
Tuesday, June 5 |
Training at Rice-Eccles Stadium (Practice CLOSED to media)<br>*** RSL Media availability at approx. 11:45 a.m.<br>*** China to practice at Rice-Eccles at 4:00 p.m. |
10:00 a.m. |
Wednesday, June 6 |
Training at Rice-Eccles Stadium (Practice OPEN to media)<br>*** Media availability at approx. 11:45 a.m.<br> *** China to practice at Rice-Eccles at 7:00 p.m. |
10:00 a.m. |
Thursday, June 7 |
Real Salt Lake vs. Chinese National Team <br>International Friendly at Rice-Eccles Stadium |
7:00 p.m. |
Friday, June 8 |
OFF DAY |
|
Saturday, June 9 |
Training at Lakeside Park in Orem (Practice CLOSED)<br> *** Media availability at RSL Training Center in South Jordan at 12:00 p.m. |
10:00 a.m. |
Sunday, June 10 |
OFF DAY |
RSL Utah's U-16 & U-17 Squads to Scrimmage Prior to Thursday's Friendly
Fans of Real Salt Lake are encouraged to head to Rice-Eccles Stadium early on Thursday night to see the possible future of RSL on display, as the RSL Utah Under-16 and Under-17 United Soccer League (USL) Super Y-League squads will square off in a scrimmage prior to the RSL-China friendly. The RSL Utah U-16 vs. U-17 match, scheduled for two 30-minute halves on the Rice-Eccles Stadium field, will kick-off as the stadium gates open at 5:00 p.m. MT. Thursday's contest between the RSL Utah sides will serve as preparation for play in the newly-created Rocky Mountain Division of the USL Super Y-League, which also includes their brethren from the RSL Arizona program in addition to squads representing MLS's Colorado Rapids and Kansas City Wizards.
RSL and X-96 to Host High School Mixer Following Thursday Night's Match
In keeping true to Thursday night's youth theme, Real Salt Lake and X-96 will host a "High School Mixer" following the international friendly between Real Salt Lake and the Chinese National Team at Rice-Eccles Stadium. High school students with a valid student ID can purchase a special $10 ticket that provides admission to both the RSL-China match and the post-game Mixer. X-96 will be in charge of the music and giveaways, and the station will also raffle off a signed guitar form popular Warner Brothers recording artists My Chemical Romance. Tickets for the RSL/X-96 High School Mixer are now on sale through game day at the RSL offices, located at 515 S. 700 East, Suite #2R in Salt Lake City, and will also be available for purchase on the day of game at the Real Salt Lake Will Call, located at Gate F, or following the game at Gates A & L. For more information on the RSL/X-96 High School Mixer, please call the RSL offices at 801-924-8585.
RSL Moves D/M Jean-Martial Kipré to Senior Roster
Real Salt Lake has announced that the club has moved one of its newest acquisitions, D/M Jean-Martial Kipré, to the team's 18-man Senior roster. The 22-year-old winger from the Ivory Coast was originally signed to a Developmental contract when he was officially added to the club's roster on May 5. Kipré will still occupy one of the team's four Senior International play slots, and RSL now has one spot available on both its Senior and Developmental rosters.
Eskandarian and Hashimoto to Chime in at Jerry Seiner RSL Coach's Show Tomorrow
Newly-acquired FW Alecko Eskandarian and MF Duke Hashimoto will join Head Coach Jason Kreis on Tuesday evening for this week's edition of the "Jerry Seiner RSL Coaches Show" on KALL-AM 700 "The Zone". As always, the radio voice of RSL, Bill Riley, will host the show on location from 6:00-7:00 p.m. MT at the Iceberg Café at the Jerry Seiner Downtown Salt Lake GM Dealership, located at 1530 S. 500 West in Salt Lake City. Fans are encouraged to come down to Jerry Seiner's to ask their questions directly to the RSL trio while enjoying the fine fare offered at the Iceberg Café.
Election 2007... Vote RSL for 2007 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game!
Major League Soccer fans are invited to pick the 11 players they would like to see take on Scottish Premier League Champions Celtic FC in the 2007 Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game. Official online balloting remains open at the league's official website, www.mlsnet.com, giving fans the chance to vote for the MLS All-Star First XI that will take on legendary Scottish side Celtic FC in this year's game. Among those in the running for a spot in MLS's starting squad are a dozen representatives from Real Salt Lake:
GK - Nick Rimando
GK - Chris Seitz
DF - Willis Forko
DF - Eddie Pope
DF - Jack Stewart
DF - Danny Torres
MF - Freddy Adu
MF - Mehdi Ballouchy
MF - Chris Klein
MF - Carey Talley
FW - Alecko Eskandarian
FW - Atiba Harris
Fans can vote for the All-Star First XI online at www.mlsnet.com by selecting up to one goalkeeper, three defenders, five midfielders, and two forwards. Fans can vote up to 10 times per day. The online fan balloting program, which concludes on Monday, June 25, will comprise 25 percent of the total vote for the All-Star First XI, with coaches and general managers, players and media each holding 25 percent of the vote to combine for the remaining 75 percent.
RSL Rewind: Rimando Stands Tall in 0-0 Draw at New England
It was déjà vu all over again for Real Salt Lake (0-3-6, 6 pts.) last Saturday, as the Utah side ended its four-match road trip in League play with a second consecutive 0-0 draw, this time at the New England Revolution (5-2-3, 18 pts.) in front of 16,864 fans at Gillette Stadium. RSL GK Nick Rimando came up big once again, as the netminder made a career-high 13 saves, which placed the eight-year MLS veteran in a three-way tie for the fourth most saves in an MLS game - behind only Tony Meola (15), Aidan Heaney (14), and Scott Garlick (14). Rimando's 13 saves also matched the RSL single-game record in the category, set by D.J. Countess on April 30, 2005, in a 2-2 tie with the San Jose Earthquakes. Rimando now has all three shutouts for RSL in 2007 and has racked up 39 clean sheets during his career.
