Weekly update: New training ground

RSL, Wingert, Beckerman, Sturgis to Call "XanGo Soccer Field" New Practice Home Beginning Wednesday


Real Salt Lake invites fans and media to mark the opening of the XanGo Soccer Field at XanGo World Headquarters in Lehi, Utah, on Wednesday, July 18. RSL will hold its first official practice on the newly constructed natural grass field on the 30-acre XanGo campus from 10:00-11:30 a.m. MT, with dedication ceremonies including a ceremonial "first kick" and a XanGo employee/RSL fan "shootout" against a Real Salt Lake goalkeeper to start at 12:00 p.m. Wednesday's training, OPEN to fans and media, will feature the Utah debuts for recent RSL acquisitions Chris Wingert, Kyle Beckerman and Nathan Sturgis. An advancement of the successful RSL/XanGo partnership, XanGo Soccer Field gives RSL a first-class place to prepare for the rigors of professional soccer competition. For more information on Wednesday's practice and ceremonies, please contact RSL Sr. Manager of Media Relations, John Koluder, at 773-726-0985.

XanGo Cup 2007 Kicks Off Saturday Against Everton FC

The MLS All-Star break will be a short one for Real Salt Lake, as the squad will get back to training on Wednesday in preparation for the first of two matches over Pioneer Day weekend that make up XanGo Cup 2007, presented by KSL TV 5 and Cricket, which kicks off Saturday, July 21, with an international exhibition against Everton FC of the English Premiership. Saturday's match at Rice-Eccles Stadium kicks off at 8:00 p.m. MT, but fans will be entertained before and after the contest, as gates for "Carnival Real" at Rice-Eccles will open at 6:00 p.m., while Cyprus Credit Union will present a post-match fireworks show 10 minutes following the final whistle. The XanGo Cup will continue on Tuesday, July 24, when RSL plays host to reigning Copa Libertadores champion Boca Juniors of Argentina at Rice-Eccles.

Tickets for each XanGo Cup 2007 contest range from $30-$80 and are available in advance by visiting www.RealSaltLake.com or calling 801-924-8585. Fans that wish to take in both XanGo Cup 2007 contests can purchase a special ticket package that includes seats for both exhibitions at a discounted price and a complimentary ticket to one of three RSL regular season contests (August 18 vs. Chicago, Sept. 22 vs. Colorado, or Oct. 6 vs. Chivas USA):

Seating Section Individual Game Prices * Package Price Bronze $30.00 $55.00 Silver $40.00 $75.00 Gold $55.00 $100.00 Platinum $65.00 $120.00 Diamond $80.00 $150.00
* Package includes tickets to Everton FC match, Boca Juniors match, AND one of three RSL regular season contests: August 18 vs. Chicago, Sept. 22 vs. Colorado, or Oct. 6 vs. Chivas USA

RSL DF Eddie Pope to Take Part in Thursday's Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game

The stars have aligned one last time for Real Salt Lake DF Eddie Pope, who will take part in his record 11th Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game this Thursday, July 19, when Major League Soccer's best and brightest take on Scottish powerhouse Celtic FC at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. (7:00 p.m. MT, live on ESPN2 and TeleFutura). The 33-year-old Pope, who was named a Commissioner's Pick by Don Garber along with Los Angeles Galaxy MF Cobi Jones, has seen the field in the League's mid-season showcase on seven previous occasions and was named to the starting XI three other times, but did not appear in those contests. Pope's record 11th All-Star Game appearance will be his last, as the legendary defender announced in June that he will retire at season's end.

RSL Acquires Midfielder Kyle Beckerman via Trade from Colorado Rapids

Real Salt Lake made its second trade in a four-day span with the Colorado Rapids on Monday, as the Rocky Mountain Cup rivals swapped highly-regarded midfielders in a deal that brought Kyle Beckerman to RSL in exchange for Mehdi Ballouchy. Beckerman is expected to join Real Salt Lake Wednesday as the team returns to training after a three-day All-Star break and will be eligible for selection in Saturday's international exhibition vs. English Premier League power Everton FC as part of the XanGo Cup 2007. The 25 year-old Beckerman comes to Salt Lake with 158 MLS games played during both the regular- and post-season, scoring 11 goals and adding 19 assists in his more than 12,000 minutes played since 2000 for the Colorado Rapids and now-defunct Miami Fusion. All three of Beckerman's appearances with the senior U.S. Men's National Team have come in 2007, debuting against Denmark in January before playing the final 11 minutes of the USA's recent 1-3 loss to Paraguay in Copa America and starting and playing the full 90 minutes in the 0-1 loss to Colombia. Ballouchy departs Utah after registering a pair of goals and assists in 46 MLS games (40 starts) since Real Salt Lake made the Santa Clara University product the #2 overall selection in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft.

Real Salt Lake Schedule: July 18-22
All times and locations are subject to change.

Adu, Seitz and Sturgis Return from USA's Quarterfinal Run at U-20 World Cup

The Real Salt Lake trio of MF Freddy Adu, GK Chris Seitz, and D/M Nathan Sturgis and the rest of the United States Under-20 Men's National Team saw their stay at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada cut short last Saturday, as the USA fell 2-1 to Austria in a quarterfinal affair in Toronto. Despite the disappointing result, the USA made its fourth trip to the quarterfinal round during the last three weeks in Canada, its second such feat in its last three appearances in the competition. All three RSL representatives were integral to the USA compiling a 3-1-1 record in the tournament, as Adu (three goals, four assists) and Sturgis played all 510 minutes across the five contests, while Seitz overcame a thigh injury suffered in the U.S.'s group play win over Brazil to put in a gutsy performance against the Austrians over the weekend, ending the tournament with a 2-1-1 record and a solid 1.15 GAA.

RSL U-17s Wrap Up Play in First Annual SUM U-17 Cup in Colorado

Real Salt Lake finished up play in the first annual Soccer United Marketing (SUM) U-17 Cup earlier this week at Dick's Sporting Goods Park outside of Denver, finishing play in the 12-team competition with a 0-3-0 record. The Real Salt Lake squad, which consisted of 14 players from the RSL-Utah U-16 USL Super Y-League squad and five members of the RSL-Florida club program, began play with a 2-1 defeat against the Columbus Crew on Friday before suffering a 2-0 loss to the Colorado Rapids "A" squad on Saturday. RSL would be shut out of points in the competition on Monday after falling 4-0 to Group C's first-place finisher, D.C. United. The SUM U-17 Cup is comprised of the U-17 teams of all MLS clubs excluding Toronto FC and the New England Revolution - and with two teams representing the Colorado Rapids - with the tournament champion taking home the SUM U-17 Cup and earning the opportunity to participate in the 2008 Torneo Quixote in Spain.

For more information on Real Salt Lake's Youth Development system, please visit www.RealSaltLake.com and click on the "Youth Development" link.