MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Update

June 10, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


REAL SALT LAKE TO TAKE ON ATLANTA SILVERBACKS IN US OPEN CUP PLAY ON SATURDAY

Real Salt Lake kicks off its participation in the 101st Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament on the road, taking on the NASL's Atlanta Silverbacks in a fourth-round match at Atlanta Silverbacks Park at 6:00 p.m. MT on Saturday, June 14. The match will be streamed live on RealSaltLake.com and broadcast live on ESPN 700.

Real Salt Lake finished as the 2013 U.S. Open Cup runner-ups, falling 1-0 to D.C. United in the Final held at Rio Tinto Stadium on October 1, 2013. Reaching last year's Final was the furthest the Claret-and-Cobalt had gone in the tournament, besting previous runs to the Quarterfinals in 2006 and 2011.

Saturday's match between Real Salt Lake and Atlanta Silverbacks will be a rematch of RSL's 2013 tournament opening game. The Claret-and-Cobalt defeated Atlanta 3-2 after extra time in a wild third round match on May 28, 2013 at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake took the lead through Captain Kyle Beckerman but allowed a late goal to send the match to extra time. RSL scored twice in the first period with goals from FW Devon Sandoval and former RSL MF Khari Stephenson to secure the win, but not without allowing a consolation goal in the final minutes of the second period. The Claret-and-Cobalt went on to defeat two additional lower division teams before besting MLS foe Portland Timbers in the Semifinals on August 7, 2013 to reach the Final.

Real Salt Lake enters this year's edition of the tournament 9-9-0 all-time in U.S. Open Cup Play, scoring 34 goals and conceding 33 in the tournament. RSL is 5-2-0 against lower division teams in Open Cup action, with both losses recorded against Minnesota. Real Salt Lake currently has six members of its organization who, collectively, have won the Open Cup - MF Ned Grabavoy (LA Galaxy 2005) and DF Abdoulie Mansally (New England Revolution, 2007), President Bill Manning (Brooklyn Italians, 1991), GM Garth Lagerwey and Head Coach Jeff Cassar (Dallas Burn, 1997), and Assistant Coach Andy Williams (Chicago Fire, 2003) - for a total of five Championship wins.

If Real Salt Lake advances past Atlanta on Saturday, the Claret-and-Cobalt will go on the road again to face the winner of the Colorado Rapids-Orlando City Soccer Club matchup on Tuesday, June 24.

The winner of the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will be granted a berth in the 2015-16 CONCACAF Champions League and awarded a $250,000 cash prize. Real Salt Lake competed in the 2010-11 and the 2012-13 editions of the CCL, becoming the first - and still only - MLS club to reach the final in 2011. Alternate ways of qualifying for the 2015-16 Champions League are winning MLS Cup, claiming the Supporters' Shield as the regular season points leader, and finishing first in either MLS Conference at the end of the regular season.

Recognized as U.S. Soccer's National Club Championship, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. This 2014 Open Cup is the 101st edition of the tournament and features a record 80 teams, an increase from the 68 that entered the field last year. The expansion results in both the largest number of amateur teams (42) in the tournament proper as well as the largest contingent of pro clubs (38), with all Division I, II and III professional clubs participating in the tournament for the third-straight year.

For more information on the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup visit www.ussoccer.com or www.TheCup.us.

REAL SALT LAKE FALLS TO PORTLAND TIMBERS 3-1 AT RIO TINTO STADIUM

Real Salt Lake (6-2-7, 25 Points, West #2) lost its second match of 2014 on Saturday, falling 3-1 to Portland Timbers (4-4-7, 19 points, West #6) in front of a sold-out Rio Tinto Stadium.

Saturday's loss ends the Claret-and-Cobalt's 11-game unbeaten run against the Cascadia side. RSL now posts an 8-2-3 all-time record across all competitions and a 5-2-3 all-time regular season record against the Timbers.

Real Salt Lake scored the opening goal in the 23rd minute, when RSL MF Luke Mulholland took down DF Chris Schuler's flick-on header inside the box and half-volleyed a shot past Portland GK Donovan Ricketts. Things didn't go RSL's way after taking the lead, with Portland finding the equalizer in the 36th minute through FW Fanendo Adi who headed home MF Diego Valeri's corner kick. Adi struck again right before halftime, cleaning up the rebound off a save from RSL GK Jeff Attinella on FW Darlington Nagbe. RSL was dealt another blow when it went down a man in the 54th minute after RSL DF Tony Beltran picked up a second yellow card. The Timbers went on to put the match away with a penalty kick goal in the 73rd minute, taken by former RSL MF Will Johnson.

Mulholland went on to give RSL the lead in the 23rd minute. The play started with a Claret-and-Cobalt corner taken by Morales that Schuler flicked on to the middle of the box. Mulholland took down the pass and half-volleyed a right-footed rocket from 15 yards out, beating Ricketts to the near post, for his fourth goal of the season.

Portland was able to find the equalizer in the 36th minute. Portland MF Diego Valeri earned the assist, taking a pin-point corner kick that found the head of Portland's Adi, who was able to send his shot to the far post, beating a helpless Attinella.

Portland got the last word before the half, taking the lead in the 45th minute through Adi again. Portland caught the Claret-and-Cobalt on the counter, springing Portland FW Darlington Nagbe who sped into the box and tried to beat Attinella to the far post. Attinella made a great diving one-handed save that unfortunately deflected off of RSL DF Chris Wingert right into the path of Adi, who easily finished from inside the penalty box.

Real Salt Lake was dealt a blow in the 54th minute when RSL DF Tony Beltran was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Portland's Nagbe. Despite being down a man, the Claret-and-Cobalt continued to stay on the front foot but suffered another blow in the 73rd minute when Portland was awarded a penalty kick. RSL center back Chris Schuler was called for the foul after he appeared to take down the ball with his arm during a slide tackle in the box. Former RSL MF Will Johnson stepped up to the spot and coolly slotted the ball into the left corner to put Portland up by two.

Real Salt Lake now enters its MLS World Cup break, not returning to MLS play until June 28 when it takes on Chivas USA at StubHub center. The Claret-and-Cobalt begins U.S. Open Cup play on Saturday, June 14, taking on NASL's Atlanta Silverbacks on the road. The RSL-Atlanta contest will be streamed live on RealSaltLake.com and kicks at 6:00 p.m. MT.

RSL GK JEFF ATTINELLA UP FOR MLS SAVE OF THE WEEK

Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Jeff Attinella has been nominated for MLS Save of the Week!

Attinella is up for the award for his fantastic one-handed save on Columbus forward Justin Meram's curling shot in the 78th minute of RSL's 1-1 draw at Columbus Crew. His incredible stop is up against Portland goalkeeper Donovan Rickett's denial of RSL's Luke Mulholland, New York goalkeeper Luis Robles' prevention of an own goal against New England, Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy's double save on LA's Landon Donovan and Marcelo Sarvas, and Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei's late stop on Chicago forward Juan Anangono.

This is the fourth time Attinella has been nominated for MLS Save of the Week this year. Attinella has taken home the award twice in 2014, winning for his double save against Colorado in week 11 and his great stop on Seattle's Martins in week 13.

RSL has a total of four Save of the Week wins this season, with regular goalkeeper Nick Rimando taking home the honor in both of the first two weeks of the year.

Voting for Save of the Week runs until 12:59 a.m. MT on Friday morning.

RSL CAPTAIN KYLE BECKERMAN STARTS FOR USMNT IN 2-1 WIN AGAINST NIGERIA

Real Salt Lake Captain Kyle Beckerman made his second appearance in the U.S.'s World Cup Send-Off Series, earning the start and playing 72 minutes in the Americans' 2-1 win over Nigeria in Jacksonville, FL., on Saturday. RSL GK Nick Rimando did not make an appearance, remaining on the bench for the entire match.

The USMNT put in its most complete and dominant performance in its final friendly before heading to Brazil, with U.S. striker Jozy Altidore breaking his scoreless streak and finding the back of the net twice for the Americans. U.S. Manager Jurgen Klinsmann implemented a variation of the midfield diamond formation, opting for a more defensive posture with a 4-3-2-1 formation. The choice to play three defensive-minded midfielders ahead of the back line made room for Beckerman to start and play at the center of the three with Jermaine Jones and Alejandro Bedoya on either side of him. The position allowed Beckerman to excel in his defensive role and provide an extra layer of protection for an inexperienced back line.

The new formation worked well for the U.S. as a whole, allowing the Americans to absorb Nigeria's pressure and then strike with the counter attack. Nigeria's only goal came late in the match after U.S. defender Matt Besler was called for a foul inside the box resulting in a penalty kick for the African side with four minutes left to play.

With the Nigeria matchup an attempt to replicate what the Americans might face when they take on Ghana in its first match of the group stage, the Americans will surely take the positives of the win into its final week of preparation in Brazil. The Americans begin World Cup play on June 16, taking on Ghana in the Group G opener. The U.S. will then play Portugal on June 22 before facing Germany in the Group Stage finale on June 26.

REAL SALT LAKE INJURY REPORT

OUT: MF Jordan Allen (R knee injury), Alvaro Saborio (R fifth metatarsal fracture), Robbie Findley (R knee tendon repair), Ned Grabavoy (Hip flexor)

Check out the Real Salt Lake Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from June 10, 2014


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central