Real Salt Lake (8-10-5, 29 pts, 5th West) returns home this week for a pair of matches that could have huge implications in the race for a spot in the Western Conference MLS playoffs. RSL is looking to bounce back from a 6-0 loss at the hands of the New York Red Bulls at the Meadowlands last Saturday.
LANDON DONOVAN AND THE GALAXY IN TOWN ON WEDNESDAY: Landon Donovan and the LA Galaxy visit Rice-Eccles Stadium for the final time in 2006 this Wednesday, August 30th at 7:00 p.m. MT. The Galaxy come to Salt Lake on the heels of handing DC United their first home loss this season in convincing fashion, with a final score of 5-2. RSL and the Galaxy are currently tied for fifth place in the Western Conference with 29 points a piece, but since Donovan returned to his squad from international duty early in July, LA has been a very tough team to beat.
After coming off a rocky World Cup in which much of the blame for the USA's poor showing was heaped on the diminutive striker from rabid fans, journalists and talking heads alike, he has returned to MLS with a vengeance, playing every single minute of Galaxy games since July 1 and scoring six goals in that nine game span. The Galaxy has a 6-1-2 record (as well as two victories in the U.S. Open Cup) during that stretch.
Wednesday's match marks the final time 2006 regular season meeting between the two clubs. The Galaxy currently lead the season series, with two victories to RSL'S one in the three previous matches between the teams. With the two teams tied in the standings and RSL needing a victory to even the season series, the urgency for RSL to bounce back from the team's discouraging loss over the weekend is heightened.
On April 29th, the Galaxy knocked off RSL 3-2 in front of 16,427 fans at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The Galaxy goals came from Landon Donovan (11th minute) Cobi Jones (26th minute) and Herculez Gomez (60th minute). RSL's Jason Kreis started the game off right for the home side with a goal in the games sixth minute, giving RSL a 1-0 lead. But Donovan's strike came just five minutes later and the Galaxy never looked back. Atiba Harris captured RSL'S other his first career MLS goal in the 74th minute.
RSL exacted some revenge on the Galaxy just a few weeks later, capturing the team's first ever road victory, and first victory of the 2006 season, handily beating the LA 3-0 in front of 19,127 fans at the Home Depot Center on May 13th. RSL'S goals came courtesy of Atiba Harris (17th minute) and Jeff Cunningham (72nd and 87th). The victory started RSL on a four game unbeaten streak and snapped an 18 game road winless streak.
Most recently, it was the Galaxy who came away with the victory, a 2-0 result July 8th at the Home Depot Center. LA scored both goals in the early part of the second half, receiving tallies from Herculez Gomez (47th minute) and Josh Gardner (50th minute). The Galaxy defense stymied the RSL attack, holding the team to a single shot on goal.
"ROCKY MOUNTAIN CUP" TO BE DETERMINED SATURDAY: Real Salt Lake is on the verge of capturing the "Rocky Mountain Cup", the trophy awarded to the winner of the season series between RSL and the Colorado Rapids. The Rapids roll into town on Saturday, currently sitting in third place in the Western Conference with 32 pts, just three more than RSL'S 29. With a win or a tie on Saturday, RSL will win the season series and bring the cup to Salt Lake, after Colorado captured it last season. The Rocky Mountain Cup series was the brainchild of a group of fans made up of supporters from both RSL and Colorado. More information can be found by logging onto www.rockymountaincup.com.
On May 27th, in the first game of the series this season, Real Salt Lake twice fought back from one-goal disadvantages before getting a late equalizer despite playing a man down to grab a 2-2 draw with Colorado on a rainy day at Rice Eccles Stadium. Colorado received goals from Jovan Kirovski (33rd minute) and Daniel Wasson (84th minute), while RSL'S goals came courtesy of Jeff Cunningham (73rd minute) and Jason Kreis (88th).
The second leg on the Rocky Mountain Cup took place on June 9th in Colorado, with the Rapids coming away with a 1-0 victory courtesy of a Nicolas Hernandez goal in the games 16th minute. Hernandez's brilliant run signaled the only offense of the game, as both team has trouble connecting passes and finishing chances.
The last time the two teams met, it was RSL who came away with a 4-1 victory in a game that featured some of the most precise offensive execution in RSL'S brief team history. The game was one-sided from the beginning and RSL kept the pressure on throughout as Jeff Cunningham (25th minute, 76th minute) Chris Klein (63rd minute) and Chris Brown (94th minute) all tallied goals for RSL. The lone Colorado goal came in the games 84th minute from Thiago Martins.
Technically, the season series between the clubs is tied at 1-1-1, but RSL has a +2 advantage in goal differential between the two clubs with six goals scored compared to four for Colorado.
Game time for Saturday's clash between RSL and the Rapids at Rice-Eccles Stadium, billed as the final battle for the 2006 Rocky Mountain Cup, is set for 7:00 p.m. MT. Fans are encouraged to call 866-9-SOCCER for ticketing information.
COACH ELLINGER, RSL, LOOKING TO BOUNCE BACK FROM TOUGH ROAD LOSS: When RSL DF Jack Stewart was ejected from Saturday's game against the Red Bulls in only the ninth minute, RSL Coach John Ellinger knew that it would be tough to come away from the game with a victory, but the 6-0 loss that ensued was very tough for the RSL coach to stomach.
"When you go a man down that early in the game, it almost always spells trouble, but obviously in the second half we made some unacceptable mistakes and they took advantage", said Coach Ellinger. "We really have only had two games this season where I thought we were thoroughly outplayed; the first game of the season (3-0 loss to Chivas) and then on Saturday. The good news is that I believe we are a much different team now then we were at the beginning of the year and I am confident we will bounce back and play well on Wednesday against the Galaxy. There is a lot of soccer left to play and we are still right in the middle of the playoff picture. Losing like we did on Saturday is unacceptable; our guys know that, but we don't have time to hang our heads and dwell on it. I have said it since day one: I believe in this group of players, I believe we have a very good team capable of beating any team in the league."
The six goals scored by the Red Bulls matched a franchise record, and the six goal defeat is the largest in Real Salt Lake history.
WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF RACE TIGHTENS DOWN THE STRETCH: With only a handful of games remaining, the race for a Western Conference Playoff spot is wide open. Only ten points separate first place Dallas (39 pts.) and the teams tied for sixth place, LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake (29 pts.), with Houston (35 pts., 2nd place) Chivas USA (34 pts., 3rd place) and Colorado (4th place, 32 pts.) in the middle of the pack. The top four teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs.
RSL TRAINING SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK OF August 28, 2006:
All practices are open to media members. All times and locations are subject to change. Please contact the Real Salt Lake Media Relations Department at 801-577-0633 or 801-870-3150 to confirm times and venues.
2006 RSL TICKET PACKAGES ON SALE: RSL 2006 ticket packages are on sale and fans can now purchase full season, half season, the "High-Five" pack and flex season by visiting the RSL Ticket Office at 515 South 700 East, #2R, SLC, UT 84102, by logging onto www.RealSaltLake.com or by contacting the Real Salt Lake Ticket Office at (866) 9-SOCCER. Fans can also purchase single-game tickets by visiting the Utah Ticket Office at 451 South 1400 East, by logging onto www.UtahTickets.com or by contacting the Ticket Office at (801) 581-UTIX. Finally, fans can purchase The KFC Colonel's Corner $12 ticket voucher, the club's most affordable single-game ticket, by visiting any of the 36 KFC® restaurants in Utah.
MLS CAMPS: The Official Camp and Clinic of Major League Soccer is NOW the Official Camp & Clinic of Real Salt Lake! NEW for 2006, Fantasy Camp and focused Team Training experiences. To find out more about all of RSL's Youth Development Programs, call Scott Reynolds at (801) 924-8575 or by email at SReynolds@RealSaltLake.com. To partner with RSL to host MLS Camps in your community, call us today.
