RSL Closes Homestand Saturday against West Co-Leader FC Dallas
Real Salt Lake (1-3-2, 5 pts.) will close out its abbreviated three-game homestand this Saturday, May 10, when Utah's side will look to make up ground in the Western Conference standings against division co-leader FC Dallas (2-1-3, 9 pts.) at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Kick-off on the hill is set for 7:00 p.m. for a match that will be carried live on RSL's radio partners KALL 700 Sports (English) and Ke Buena 1600 AM (Spanish), with KALL 700 Sports' coverage beginning with RSL First Kick at 6:00 p.m. No local television broadcast is available, but fans can follow the action live via the MLS Direct Kick (DISH Network, DirecTV & OnDemand) and MLSLIVE.tv pay-per-view packages.
Saturday's contest will mark the first of three meetings this season between RSL and FC Dallas, a series in which the Hoops hold a commanding 8-2-1 advantage. But the proceedings at Rice-Eccles have been much more even as RSL carries a 2-3-1 mark at home against FC Dallas, the two sides each scoring eight goals in the previous six encounters on the Wasatch Front. Last season was the first in which RSL did not collect a win against Dallas, its 0-2-1 record including two results at Rice-Eccles, a 2-2 season-opening draw on April 7 and a heart-breaking 1-0 defeat on June 14, in which FCD stole away a combined three standings points on last second goals by Carlos Ruiz and Dominic Oduro, respectively.
RSL Offers Plenty of Ways to See Saturday's Game
Real Salt Lake is rolling out four special ticket offers for this Saturday's MLS regular season contest against FC Dallas at Rice-Eccles Stadium. To take advantage of any of the below offers, or for more information on how to get the best seats for upcoming RSL home games, please visit the "TICKETS" section of www.RealSaltLake.com, call the RSL office at 801-924-8585, or visit the RSL office in person at 515 S. 700 East, Suite #2R (Trolley Corners building) in downtown Salt Lake City.
Everyone in attendance at last Saturday's thrilling affair vs. the Galaxy is eligible for a $5 "bounce-back" discount on any one ticket purchased for this Saturday's match against FC Dallas. To take advantage of the deal simply stop by the RSL office with your ticket stub from the match between now and Friday during normal business hours (8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.) and you will be eligible for the discounted rate on a ticket for this Saturday. To make sure you remember Mother's Day is this Sunday, Real Salt Lake is offering a special Mother's Day Pack, featuring seats to the RSL-FC Dallas contest on Saturday and a gift certificate to the renowned Landis Lifestyle Salon in Salt Lake City. The Mother's Day Pack is available in two pricing levels - two (2) Premium section tickets and a $25 Landis Salon gift certificate for $50 (a $31 savings) or four (4) Premium section tickets and a $50 Landis Salon gift certificate for just $80 (an $82 savings!). For every 10 tickets purchased at the group rate for Saturday's contest, Real Salt Lake will issue one pass to an exclusive Post-game Autograph Session featuring FC Dallas defender Duilio Davino, a former stalwart of both the Mexican National Team and legendary Mexican side Club America.
As always, the KFC Colonel's Corner offers the most inexpensive seats to Real Salt Lake contests, and this weekend will be no different. Fans wanting to pick up their $14 Colonel's Corner ticket vouchers for Saturday's match against FC Dallas - or any remaining 2008 RSL contest - can stop by any of the 35 KFC locations throughout the Salt Lake Valley.
Real Salt Lake Schedule: May 7-11, 2008 (all times MDT)
All RSL practices are open to members of the media and the general public, with media availability for all players and coaches to immediately follow each session. Those planning on attending any session can confirm the time and location of that day's training by contacting the RSL Communications Department at 801-924-8584.
Wednesday, May 7: Training at XanGo Field in Lehi - 10:00 a.m. & 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 8: Training at XanGo Field in Lehi - 10:00 a.m.
Friday, May 9: Training at Rice-Eccles Stadium - 11:00 a.m.
Saturday, May 10: Real Salt Lake v. FC Dallas at Rice-Eccles Stadium - 7:00 p.m. kick-off
Sunday, May 11: MLS Reserve Division: RSL v. FC Dallas at Quinn's Junction in Park City, UT - 10:00 a.m. kick-off
FW Fabian Espíndola Again up for Sierra Mist Goal of the Week Honor
Real Salt Lake FW Fabian Espíndola is hitting the highlight reels once again, as his 6th minute strike from last Saturday's 2-2 draw against the LA Galaxy is one of five nominees for this week's Sierra Mist MLS Goal of the Week award. The young Argentine striker, whose first goal of the season on April 12 against D.C. United was also a Goal of the Week candidate, got the scoring started last Saturday with a clinical two-touch goal, first settling a pass from countryman Javier Morales with his chest before finishing "five-hole" on LA netminder Steve Cronin to get the thrilling 2-2 draw off to a proper start. Fans can visit www.MLSnet.com through Wednesday morning to vote for Espíndola's goal, which is up against Chicago's Chris Rolfe, New York's Dave van den Bergh, and a pair of strikes from LA's David Beckham.
RSL Reserves Record Runaway Win against Galaxy, Prepare for FC Dallas on Sunday
The Real Salt Lake Reserves used a four-goal first half outburst on Sunday to defeat the LA Galaxy Reserves 5-2 in RSL's 2008 MLS Reserve Division home opener at the Quinn's Junction sports complex in Park City. FW Yura Movsisyan started the scoring just 35 seconds into the affair, followed by MF Kevin Reiman's effort off his own lengthy run (26th minute) and a pair of penalty kicks before the halftime whistle from MF Matias Cordoba (31st) and Movsisyan (46+) to give RSL a commanding 4-0 cushion at the break. The Galaxy Reserves would get one back from the spot thanks to MF Bryan Jordan (48th), while MF Josh Tudela cut the lead in half at 4-2 with his goal in the 67th minute. But RSL would once again put the game out of reach in the 75th minute, when FW Adam Acosta hit paydirt and finished the scoring in an eventual rout of an undermanned LA squad.
The RSL Reserves will get back to action quickly at Quinn's Junction, with the Utah side hosting the FC Dallas Reserves (0-1-1, 1 pt.) this Sunday, May 11, at 10:00 a.m. MT. The match is a rescheduled affair, with the teams originally scheduled to meet on Oct. 19.
Jason Kreis and Robin Fraser to Join KALL 700 Sports RSL Coach's Corner this Evening
The Fashion Place Mall (6161 S. State St. in Murray) location of Real Sports will once again play host to today's KALL 700 Sports RSL Coach's Corner, with RSL Head Coach Jason Kreis and RSL and U.S. U-23 forward Robbie Findley joining the voice of RSL, Bill Riley, for this evening's edition. Real Sports will have plenty of giveaways and deals for fans who want to ask their questions in person to the RSL duo, who will break down last weekend's thrilling draw against the LA Galaxy and look forward to Saturday's clash with FC Dallas.
Real Salt Lake Drawing Well Early On
The 25,571 fans in attendance at Rice-Eccles Stadium for Saturday's 2-2 draw against the LA Galaxy marked the second largest MLS regular season crowd in RSL's history - and its largest in a non-doubleheader event. Last Saturday's attendance boosted RSL's season average through its first three home dates to 19,679, which ranks fourth in MLS behind the Galaxy (24,457), Houston Dynamo (20,080), and Toronto FC (20,027).
Top 5 RSL Single-Game Attendance Figures (all matches included)
1) 45,511 - RSL v. Real Madrid - August 12, 2006 (international exhibition)
2) 40,589 - RSL v. FC Dallas - June 4, 2005 (doubleheader w/ USA v. Costa Rica)
3) 25,571 - RSL v. LA Galaxy - May 3, 2008
4) 25,287 - RSL v. Colorado Rapids - April 16, 2005 (inaugural home match)
5) 24,633 - RSL v. LA Galaxy - Sept. 19, 2007
Real Sports This Week: Soccer Ball Sales in May Benefitting Primary Children's Hospital
The Real Salt Lake Merchandise Department and its Real Sports kiosk locations have done their spring cleaning and are ready to sweep out the best deals on officially licensed RSL/adidas merchandise. Another week of events and specials are on tap, highlighted by a charitable drive for Primary Children's Hospital, with every Real Salt Lake mini ($10) and size 3, 4, & 5 soccer ball ($20) sold through the end of May resulting in a $5 donation to the hospital. The full list of specials and a calendar of events is listed below:
The Item of the Week at the three Real Sports kiosk locations is an RSL hat or visor for just $10. The three Real Sports kiosks are located at Fashion Place Mall (6161 S. State St. in Murray), Valley Fair Mall (3601 S. 2700 West in West Valley City), Provo Towne Centre (1200 Town Centre Blvd. in Provo).
The Real Sports Autograph Series will take its show to the road this Wednesday, May 7, when rookie FW Tino Nunez will sign for fans at the Costco location in Sandy (11100 S. Auto Mall Drive in Sandy, UT) from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Real Sports will host a pair of live remotes this Thursday and Friday featuring KALL 700 Sports' "The Bill Riley Show" from 3:00-7:00 p.m. MT. Both shows will be hosted at Costco locations, with the Thursday broadcast taking place live from the Orem location (648 E. 800 South) and Friday's weekend primer being hosted from the Sandy locale (11100 S. Auto Mall Drive). Real Sports will be on hand selling RSL soccer balls, with $5 from each sale being donated to Primary Children's Hospital.
Fans are also reminded that they can pick up tickets to all of Real Salt Lake's 2008 contests at the three Real Sports kiosks, including this weekend Western Conference showdown at Rice-Eccles Stadium against FC Dallas.
RSL Rewind: RSL's Fast Start not Enough in 2-2 Draw with Galaxy
Real Salt Lake failed to hold onto an early two-goal lead against the LA Galaxy last Saturday, and it was none other than MF David Beckham stealing the show - and a share of the points for the visitors - in a thrilling 2-2 draw in front of 25,571 fans at Rice-Eccles Stadium. RSL got off to a dream start, with forwards Fabian Espíndola (6th) and Kenny Deuchar (18th) each notching their second goals of the season to push RSL to a 2-0 lead in the early going. But Beckham would put his stamp on the match in the final 10 minutes of the first half, first by knocking home a curling effort from 25 yards out in the 36th minute to cut the deficit in half before bending in one of his trademark free kicks just four minutes later to draw the match even heading into the break. The second half would feature good chances on both sides, but RSL's Nick Rimando and LA's Steve Cronin were both up to the task in the second 45 minutes, leaving the match deadlocked at 2-2 until the final whistle.
