REAL SALT LAKE (MLS) v VIRGINIA BEACH MARINERS (USL1)
Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah (7 p.m. MT)
Real Salt Lake play the second U.S. Open Cup in club history, a year after they were eliminated by the Minnesota Thunder of the USL First Division in their first. This time, they play at home, taking on another USL1 side in the Virginia Beach Mariners - who have yet to knock off an MLS team in the competition.
REAL SALT LAKE
IN THE OPEN CUP
Real Salt Lake are hoping their second Open Cup experience goes better than their first, when they were dumped out in their first time of asking in last year's second round, falling 6-4 to the Minnesota Thunder of the USL First Division in a wild match in St. Paul, Minn. Real took a 3-2 lead early in the second half as Jason Kreis scored his second of the night, then led 4-3 with 20 minutes left as the all-time leading goalscorer in MLS history completed his hat trick, but Aaron Paye hit for the equalizer two minutes from full time, then Matt Schmidt and Paye scored in extra time (Tarley 15, 66; Menyongar 17, Paye 88, 108; Schmidt 98 - Kreis 9 pen, 50, 70; Watson 38).
VIRGINIA BEACH MARINERS
IN THE OPEN CUP
This is the seventh time the Mariners have been in the U.S. Open Cup proper, the fifth consecutive year. ... They've never advanced past the fourth round, which they reached in 2003 (after entering in the third round). ... The Mariners have also never one more than one match in their U.S. Open Cup runs. ... Five times they've faced MLS opposition, and five times the teams from the U.S. top flight have won: 1998 (MetroStars 3-0); 2000 (Columbus Crew 4-1); 2002 (MetroStars 2-1); 2003 (D.C. United 1-0 aet); and 2004 (Dallas Burn 2-0). Last year, the Mariners defeated Richmond Kickers Future (PDL) 3-0 in the first round, but then lost 2-1 to the USL First Division's Rochester Raging Rhinos in the second.
THIS YEAR
The Virginia Beach Mariners were put into the second round of the competition after finishing 11th in the 12-team USL First Division a year ago. They traveled to Phoenix, Ariz. for their second-round match, defeating the Arizona Sahuaros of the USASA 1-0 on a goal by Gregory Simmonds in the 74th minute.
FORM GUIDE
This year, the Mariners are tied for fifth place in the 12-team USL First Division with 21 points from 15 matches, level with Atlanta Silverbacks and Puerto Rico Islanders, five points out of first place. But Virginia Beach has won just once in its last five games, falling 1-0 to the Atlanta Silverbacks last Saturday in Atlanta. Gregory Simmonds leads the Mariners with six goals; three players are next, all tied with two each.
