SALT LAKE CITY - Real Salt Lake (3-8-4, 13 points, 6th West) hits the road this week looking to end a five-game winless streak and catapult themselves out of the Western Conference basement. Coming off a 0-0 tie against Chivas USA, a match where RSL controlled the flow of the game but failed to finish one of several chances, RSL travels to the Home Depot Center (FSN Utah, tape-delayed 9:30 p.m MT) to take on the Los Angeles Galaxy (4-10-3, 15 points, 5th West) in a battle between the bottom two teams in the Western Conference.
The Galaxy have received a major boost from the returns of Landon Donovan and Chris Albright from U.S. National Team duty at the 2006 World Cup. Donovan has scored three goals in the two games since his return, reuniting with former Earthquakes Head Coach Frank Yallop to lead the Galaxy to back-to-back victories for the first time this season. RSL has two games in hand on the Galaxy, having played just 15 games so far in 2006, compared to 17 games for LA.</p>
RSL returns to The Home Depot Center for the third time this year, with this visit marking its second and final road match with the Galaxy. RSL last visited the HDC on May 13th, a game in which Real Salt Lake captured a 3-0 victory that started the team on a franchise-record 4-game unbeaten streak. RSL notched several firsts to the team record book in the 3-0 road win, including: first-ever road win, first-ever grass win, first-ever Home Depot Center win and first-ever halftime lead on the road. </p>
RSL's first win of the season also closed the chapter on several less desirable marks including: end to 18-game winless streak (August 6, 2005), end to 19-game road winless streak (since inception), end to 21-game grass winless streak (since inception) and ended a five-game all-time losing streak at the Home Depot Center.</p>
The May 13 victory also represented RSL's first win since August 6, 2005 (2-1 come-from-behind victory vs. CD Chivas USA), the first three-goal game and the first defensive shutout since July 23, 2005 (3-0 win vs. FC Dallas), which also represented the last time RSL enjoyed a halftime lead. RSL FW Jeff Cunningham's two-goal performance was RSL's first multi-goal game by an individual since April 30, 2005 (Kreis, 2 goals vs. San Jose). For his efforts, Cunningham became the first-ever RSL player to be honored as the MLS Player of the Week, a feat he duplicated three weeks later.</p>
TALLEY RETURNS FROM YELLOW CARD SUSPENSION: Real Salt Lake MF Carey Talley returns to the lineup this week after his yellow card suspension forced him to miss Tuesday's scoreless draw with Chivas USA. Talley has played very well in his role as holding midfielder for RSL; his five assists currently lead the team and places him in a tie for second place in MLS with seven other players.
RSL FW Jeff Cunningham and FW Atiba Harris remain in yellow card peril; if either player receives a yellow card during Saturday's match, they will automatically be suspended for the following game. Cunningham received a yellow card against Chivas on Tuesday, his first game after receiving credit under MLS' "good behavior incentive" that saw him play three consecutive games without a card, which under league rules automatically reduces his total cards by one.
POPE EXPECTED TO PLAY SATURDAY: Real Salt Lake DF Eddie Pope is expected to be in the lineup Saturday for RSL's match vs. the LA Galaxy despite a reoccurring lower back injury that kept him out of action during the second half of RSL's scoreless draw against Chivas USA on Tuesday. The veteran USMNT defender has been nursing the injury for some time, but was checked by team doctors following the Chivas game and has been declared fit to play for Saturday's match.
REAL SALT LAKE TO HOST THIRD ROUND US OPEN CUP MATCH: Following Saturday's regular-season game at Los Angeles, Real Salt Lake returns home Tuesday to face the Virginia Beach Mariners of the USL (United Soccer League) First Division in the third round of the 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. First kick for the contest will be 7:00 PM MST, with Carnival Real opening at 6:00. Real Salt Lake Season Ticket Holders will be able to gain access to the contest by using their "Game C" tickets, already included in their season ticket package.
Virginia Beach advanced to the third round of the cup by virtue of a 1-0 victory over the Arizona Sauharos on Wednesday, June 28 in Phoenix, Arizona. F Greg Simmonds, the Mariners' leading scorer who has extensive MLS experience, tallied the game winner in the 74th minute.
The Mariners are a USL First Division Team, which places them one division below Major League Soccer in the United States soccer pyramid. Located in Virginia Beach, VA, the Mariners play their home games in their own soccer specific stadium, the 7,000 seat capacity "Virginia Beach Sportsplex." Coached by Jay Hoffman, the Mariners feature eight players who have MLS experience:
F Gregory Simmonds (DC United, Miami Fusion)
M Jeff Bilyk (Miami Fusion)
M Felix Brilliant (New England Revolution)
D Craig Demmin (Tampa Bay Mutiny)
M Ryan Mack (Chicago Fire)
D Christopher Shwarze (FC Dallas)
M/D Steve Shak (NY Red Bulls, Colorado Rapids)
M Roland Vargas-Aguilera (Columbus Crew, New England Revolution)
D Alan Woods (Colorado Raids, New England Revolution)
In another interesting sub-plot to the match, Virginia Beach also features GK Chase Harrison, who Real Salt Lake selected in the 4th round of the 2006 supplemental draft. Harrison is currently on loan to the Mariners, and RSL still retains his MLS rights.
Despite the difference in divisions, Coach John Ellinger knows that the Mariners pose a legitimate threat, and his squad will have to approach the match very seriously if they want to advance to the Cup's fourth round.
"We are pleased to have the opportunity to expose our fans to the tradition and excitement of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup," said Ellinger. "The opportunity to play our third-round game at home in front of our loyal and passionate fans is one we need to capitalize on. Virginia Beach is one of the USL's Division I powers, so the game won't be easy. But we will be motivated and prepared; we want to bring a title home to our fans."
Dating back to 1914, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest cup competition in United States soccer and is among the oldest in the world. Open to all affiliated amateur and professional teams in the United States, the annual U.S. Open Cup is a 90-year-old single-elimination tournament.
In a nutshell, the U.S. Open Cup is very similar to domestic cup competitions popular throughout Europe, South America and the rest of the world. Cup competitions, which usually run concurrent with a country's league season, are open in the early stages to any club that can qualify, giving local amateur teams a chance to compete against the best teams a country has to offer.
In leagues like the English Premier League, the Serie A in Italy and the Bundesliga in Germany, cup competitions are prestigious tournaments waged between a country's strongest teams like Manchester United, AC Milan and Bayern Munich, and smaller teams like Watford F.C. in England, a small-time club that hit it big in 1984 by making it all the way to the F.A. Cup Final. Just two years ago, unfashionable Chesterfield of the Second Division (the third flight in England) advanced to the semi-finals of the 1997 F.A. Cup in England before finally losing.
The winner of each country's domestic cup competition, in addition to taking home the prize money, is automatically placed into a tournament to compete against neighboring countries cup winners. In Europe this tournament is known as the Cup Winners' Cup competition, and in North and Central America it is the CONCACAF Cup Winners' Cup, which was first competed in 1992.
RSL - REAL MADRID TRIPLE CROWN PACKAGE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC: The "Triple Crown Package" is the newest and easiest way to gain access to the August 12th Real Madrid game. The "Triple Crown" package includes a ticket to "The Battle for the Crown" match between Real Salt Lake and Real Madrid, as well as two additional tickets to any remaining Real Salt Lake games of your choice. Prices for this exciting three-game offer start as low as $89 (includes $49 corner flag Real Madrid ticket and equal class ticket for two additional RSL regular-season games). Ticket availability is limited and is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Fans are encouraged to call 866-9-SOCCER to reserve their seats today!
FIDDLERS ELBOW/SALT LAKE PIZZA AND PASTA: YOUR HOME FOR WORLD CUP AND RSL SOCCER ACTION!!!: Fiddlers Elbow / Salt Lake Pizza and Pasta continues to invite fans from all across the Wasatch Front to make Fiddlers your home for the 2006 World Cup and Real Salt Lake away game watch parties. The atmosphere has been intense throughout the tournament as Fiddler's rolls out its famous breakfast buffet in time for all the World Cup action! The excitement continues on Saturday, July 8th at 12:55 p.m. MT as host country Germany takes on Portugal in the third place game. Then on Sunday, July 9th at 11:55 a.m. it's the match that everyone has been waiting for as Italy takes on France in the World Cup Final.
Come join RSL staff and reserve team players on Saturday, July 8th at 7:30 p.m. MT at Fiddlers Elbow/Salt Lake Pizza and Pasta for Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy live from the Home Depot Center. The action gets started at 6:30 p.m. as "First Kick", the official pre-game show of Real Salt Lake, hosted by Spencer Checketts on KALL Sports Radio 700, will be broadcasting live from Fiddlers.
Fiddlers Elbow is a restraint/pub where you must be 21 to gain entrance, while Salt Lake Pizza and Pasta is a family friendly environment where kids of all ages are welcome. The two entities are located in the same building and share the same ownership. Located at 1063 East and 2100 South in Sugarhouse, Fiddlers Elbow/ Salt Lake Pizza and Pasta is also the home for all Real Salt Lake away game watch parties.
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.
ACCESS REAL: Real fans can now receive up-to-date information on the team by signing up for the RSL Weekly Newsletter at the fans section of RealSaltLake.com.
