MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Update

Published on October 7, 2013 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


Real Salt Lake (15-10-6, West #1) is on a bye this week, but results from Wednesday's match between the San Jose Earthquakes and Colorado Rapids could result in a sixth-consecutive postseason berth for RSL. The Claret-and-Cobalt needs a San Jose tie or loss at home against Colorado in order to solidify a spot in the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Should San Jose beat Colorado on Wednesday, RSL would clinch a postseason berth with a win at Portland on Oct. 19. The Claret-and-Cobalt would effectively clinch a spot in the postseason with a tie at Portland through tiebreakers held over San Jose.

A sixth-consecutive postseason qualification would tie RSL for the second longest such streak in MLS history with the New York Red Bulls (six years; 2003-2008), trailing only the New England Revolution (eight years; 2002-2009). RSL's current streak of five consecutive MLS Cup Playoff berths is the longest active run of postseason qualification in the league.

Real Salt Lake will return to action on Oct. 19 when it faces the Portland Timbers at 8:30 p.m. MT at JELD-WEN Field. The match will be broadcast live on CW30, ESPN700 and 102.3 La Gran D FM/1600 AM. CW30 will air the 30-minute Ford Postgame Show immediately after the match; ESPN700 will air an hour-long pregame show before the game and will broadcast a hour-long postgame following the contest.

BECKERMAN, RIMANDO AND SABORIO TO JOIN RESPECTIVE NATIONAL TEAMS FOR FINAL CONCACAF WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

RSL Captain Kyle Beckerman (U.S.), GK Nick Rimando (U.S.), and FW Alvaro Saborio (Costa Rica) have been called up to represent their respective countries for the final two World Cup Qualifying matches in the CONCACAF Hexagonal on Oct. 11 and 15.

Both the U.S. and Costa Rica have already booked their tickets to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The U.S. will host Jamaica in Kansas City on Oct. 11 before traveling to Estadio Rommel Fernandez to take on Panama on Oct. 15. Costa Rica will play at Honduras on Oct. 11 before hosting Mexico on Oct. 15.

The USMNT officially qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup last month when the Stars-and-Stripes defeated Mexico 2-0 in Columbus and Panama drew 2-2 at Honduras, pushing the U.S. to the top of the CONCACAF Hexagonal group. Real Salt Lake's Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando were both with the U.S. national team for its qualification, with Beckerman playing a full 90 minutes in the Americans' win over Mexico.

A regular member of U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann's squad selections, Beckerman has 32 career caps with the United States. He's appeared in nine matches - including eight starts - for the U.S. in 2013, notching two assists for the Stars-and-Stripes this calendar year. Beckerman captained the U.S. in its 0-0 draw against Canada on Jan. 29 in Houston and started in central midfield in the team's first - and only - win over Mexico on Mexican soil on Aug. 15, 2012.

Rimando has 12 career caps with the U.S senior team. The 34-year-old 'keeper has six appearances with the USMNT this year, posting a perfect 6-0-0 record, registering two shutouts and allowing just four goals.

Costa Rica officially qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup with the Panama-Honduras draw as well, putting Los Ticos in second-place in the CONCACAF Hexagonal, one point behind the U.S. In his last appearance for the national team, Saborio subbed on in the last ten minutes of Costa Rica's 3-1 win over the United States on Sept. 6.

The RSL trio will return to the team following the final qualifiers on Oct. 15 and will be available for selection for RSL's Oct. 19 road match at Portland Timbers. Beckerman, Rimando and Saborio will not miss a Real Salt Lake while on international duty.

RSL DRAWS FC DALLAS 1-1 IN FRONT OF SOLD-OUT RIO TINTO STADIUM

Real Salt Lake (15-10-7, 52 points, West #1) earned a hard fought point on Saturday night, tying FC Dallas (10-10-11, 41 points, West #8) 1-1 despite going down a man in the 17th minute in front of a sold-out crowd at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Real Salt Lake started brightly, but went down a man in the 17th minute when DF Abdoulie Mansally was shown a straight red card for a foul on Dallas MF Jackson. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Real Salt Lake scored first, going ahead in the 60th minute through FW Alvaro Saborio. Dallas FW Kenny Cooper equalized 12 minutes after Saborio's goal to send both teams home with a point.

Saturday night's sellout marked Real Salt Lake's seventh sellout in the 2013 season and was the third consecutive full house at the Sandy facility.

RSL ACADEMY PLAYER COREY BAIRD NAMED TO U-18 ROSTER FOR INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT IN FRANCE

U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team head coach Javier Perez named an 18-player roster to travel to Limoges, France, for a four-team international tournament that will take place Oct. 6-14. Included in the call up is Real Salt Lake-Arizona Academy midfielder Corey Baird, who will face U-18 teams from the Czech Republic, France and Poland.

Baird and the other 17 players were selected from a 36-player training camp held the previous week at U.S. Soccer's National Training Center in Carson, California. Three other Real Salt Lake Academy players: Justen Glad, Brooks Lennon and Sebastian Saucedo participated in the training camp and were not selected by Perez for the traveling roster.

The U.S. will begin tournament play on Wednesday, Oct. 9th, against France and will face the Czech Republic on Friday, Oct. 11th. The U-18=1B$B!l=1B(Js wrap up tournament play on Sunday, Oct. 13, against Poland. All matches times are listed in Arizona time and will take place at Parc Municipal des Sports de Beaublanc in Limoges.

Fifteen of the 18 players traveling to France currently play for Development Academy teams and Baird is one of 4 players who play for a MLS Academy team.

REAL SALT LAKE INJURY REPORT

OUT: GK Josh Saunders (L ACL reconstruction), DF Kwame Watson-Siriboe (R ACL reconstruction)

QUESTIONABLE: None

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