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MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Update

July 7, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


REAL SALT LAKE TO TAKE ON LA GALAXY AT STUBHUB CENTER ON SATURDAY

Real Salt Lake continues its road schedule on Saturday, when it heads to California to take on LA Galaxy at 8:30 p.m. MT at StubHub Center. Saturday's contest will be broadcast live on CW30, ESPN 700 and 102.3 La Gran D FM.

Real Salt Lake saw the return of its U.S. internationals, Captain Kyle Beckerman and GK Nick Rimando last Friday in RSL's 2-1 win over New England Revolution. The duo started and played the full 90 minutes to help lead the Claret-and-Cobalt to its first win in five MLS matches in front of a sold-out Rio Tinto Stadium. The Independence Day match saw two penalty kicks awarded to RSL in the same game for the third time ever in Claret-and-Cobalt history. RSL MF Javier Morales converted the first of the night to make him 3-for-3 in penalty kicks this year. RSL FW Joao Plata went on to finish the second penalty to give him seven goals on the season, now RSL's lone leading goal scorer for the year. RSL had gone 1-3-2 in MLS play while Beckerman and Rimando were on World Cup duty and dropped its initial U.S. Open Cup match at Atlanta Silverbacks on June 14.

Saturday's match will be the third and final regular season meeting between Real Salt Lake and LA Galaxy. The two sides have met twice already this year, with RSL coming away with a 1-0 win its season opener at LA Galaxy on March 8 and drawing 1-1 at Rio Tinto Stadium in the Claret-and-Cobalt's home opener two weeks later. The first meeting saw the Claret-and-Cobalt pull off a dramatic 1-0 win with a goal from Plata in the 80th minute and a second half stoppage time penalty kick save from Rimando to preserve the three points. The second meeting saw FW Alvaro Saborio score Real Salt Lake's goal, half-volleying home a Plata cross in the 19th minute to put RSL up 1-0. Galaxy FW Robbie Keane equalized 15 minutes later, putting a stamp on a long run with a fine finish from 10 yards out.

Saturday's contest will provide RSL veteran goalkeeper Nick Rimando with the opportunity to tie the all-time MLS shutout record with retired goalkeeper Kevin Hartman with 112 clean sheets. Rimando's last MLS shutout came on April 19 in the Claret-and-Cobalt's 1-0 win over Portland Timbers at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Real Salt Lake has a decent history against LA, posting an 11-10-6 regular season record against the Galaxy and a 12-12-7 mark when including MLS Cup Playoff matches. RSL is 6-7-1 in regular season action at LA, and 6-9-1 at the Galaxy in regular season and playoff action. Historically, the Claret-and-Cobalt is 12-17-3 all-time in regular season and playoff action at StubHub center against LA and co-tenants Chivas USA.

RSL will kick off a three-game home slate in the month of July following Saturday's contest in LA. The Claret-and-Cobalt first host Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, July 19 at 8:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium. Tickets to the Vancouver contest can be purchased at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.

REAL SALT LAKE TOPS NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 2-1 AT RIO TINTO STADIUM

Real Salt Lake (7-3-7, 28 points, West #2) broke its five-game winless streak in MLS play on Friday, converting two penalty kicks to top New England Revolution (7-7-2, East #3) 2-1 in front of a sold-out Rio Tinto Stadium.

Morales scored in the 35th minute, converting his third penalty kick of the year to give RSL the lead. But the lead did not last long as New England DF Darrius Barnes pulled one back for the Revs two minutes later in the 37th minute. RSL secured the win in the 65th minute after earning a second penalty kick with Plata converting from the spot for his seventh goal of the year.

RSL welcomed back two of its most important players on Friday, as U.S. internationals Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando made their first appearance and start for the Claret-and-Cobalt since being named to U.S. World Cup roster in mid-May. Beckerman and Rimando were with the U.S. squad until last Tuesday, when the Americans were knocked out of the tournament with a 2-1 loss to Belgium in the Round of 16. Beckerman and Rimando missed a total of six MLS matches as well as RSL's U.S. Open Cup loss to Atlanta on June 14.

Real Salt Lake finally found its long-awaited goal through a penalty kick awarded in the 35th minute. The foul was called on New England DF Darrius Barnes who appeared to take down Schuler in the box on an RSL corner kick. Morales stepped to the spot and coolly finished past Shuttleworth, sending the "˜keeper the wrong way for his fifth goal of the season.

The lead wouldn't last for long however as New England found the equalizer two minutes later through none other than Barnes. New England earned a free kick on the right side from 27 yards out that Revs MF Chris Tierney took, sending in a great ball to the far post that an open Barnes was able to head past Rimando from close range.

Real Salt Lake went on to grab the lead in the 65th minute through another penalty kick. Morales blasted a shot from just inside the 18 yard box on the left side that deflected off of Sandoval inside the six yard box. Stertzer attempted to gather the ball but was taken down from behind by New England's Tierney. Plata stepped up to take the spot kick and buried his shot in the upper corner for his seventh goal of the season.

Real Salt Lake will return to action on the road, travelling to California to take on LA Galaxy on Saturday, July 12 at 8:30 p.m. MT at StubHub Center. Saturday's match will be broadcast live on CW30, ESPN 700 and 102.3 La Gran D FM.

REAL SALT LAKE RESERVES DRAW 0-0 AT RICHMOND KICKERS

The Real Salt Lake Reserves travelled to Richmond, Virginia on Sunday to take on USL Pro side Richmond Kickers in its fourth MLS Reserve League game of the year. The Claret-and-Cobalt played the Kickers to a scoreless tie for RSL's third draw of the season. The Real Salt Lake Reserves now post a 1-0-3 record though its first four matches.

Real Salt Lake had few chances on Sunday, registering eight shots throughout the match compared to Richmond's 15. RSL missed a great opportunity to take the lead in the 29th minute. Claret-and-Cobalt FW Olmes Garcia found himself open inside the box after Richmond DF Shane Johnson mistimed his sliding challenge. Kickers GK Joe Willis came up big though, coming off his line to cut down the angle and making a huge save on Garcia's shot.

RSL's best chance in the match came at the start of the second half. The Claret-and-Cobalt sent a long ball forward that RSL MF Luke Mulholland latched onto and worked his way into space at the top of the 18 yard box. The Englishman blasted off a shot but it went off the crossbar and out of play.

Richmond almost took the lead in the 76th and 88th minutes. Richmond Kickers FW George Davis VI sent a cross into the box that RSL GK Lalo Fernandez came out and attempted to collect but missed, leaving Kickers FW Tishan Hanley open in the six-yard box. Despite the open net, his volley attempt went over the crossbar. Hanley had the next chance as well, back-heeling a shot from inside the area that beat Fernandez but trickled through the goalmouth and out for a goal kick.

The RSL Reserves will return to action on July 25, taking on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Rio Tinto Stadium at 5:00 p.m. MT. Tickets for the Pittsburgh contest can be purchased at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.

REAL SALT LAKE TO HOST MEXICAN SIDE XOLOS DE TIJUANA IN FRIENDLY ON AUG. 12

Real Salt Lake has announced that it will host Mexican side Club Tijuana, commonly known as "Xolos," in an international friendly to be played on Tuesday, Aug. 12 at Rio Tinto Stadium, with kickoff at 8:00 p.m. MT.

The Claret-and-Cobalt's international friendly is already included in the RSL season ticket package and parking pass booklet as "BONUS GAME A." Tickets to the RSL-Tijuana contest will go on sale to the general public next Wednesday, July 9. Prior to public sale, current RSL season ticket holders are able to secure extra seats to the Xolos match. Tickets to the international showcase are available at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.

The August 12 matchup marks the first-ever meeting between Club Tijuana and Real Salt Lake. Club Tijuana qualified for the 2014 Liga MX postseason, the Clausura Liguilla, but fell 3-1 to Toluca in the quarterfinals. The Northern Mexican side also made it to the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League semifinals - after knocking out elite MLS representative Los Angeles Galaxy - but fell 2-1 on aggregate to Mexico City side Cruz Azul.

RSL is 3-4-2 all-time against Mexican teams, including a 3-3-1 mark at home against Monterrey (2011 CCL Final), Cruz Azul (2010 CCL group stage), along with friendlies against Morelia (2005), Santos Laguna and Tigres (2008), as well as Chivas de Guadalajara and Club America (2009).

The last time Real Salt Lake hosted an international side at Rio Tinto Stadium, the Claret-and-Cobalt were eliminated from the 2011-2012 CONCACAF Champions League with a 0-0 draw with Costa Rica's CS Herediano on Oct. 23, 2012. RSL also met a similar fate in the second leg of the 2010-2011 CONCACAF Champions League Final, also held at Rio Tinto Stadium on April 27, 2011. The home side fell 1-0 to Mexican side C.F. Monterrey, ultimately losing the Championship 3-2 on aggregate. The 2010-11 CCL Final is the farthest an MLS team has gone in the revered tournament.

Real Salt Lake has been successful against international teams, posting a 14-8-7 all-time record in international contests. The Claret-and-Cobalt has done fairly well at home against global competition (not including Canadian teams), going 10-6-4 in the Beehive State.

VOTING FOR THE 2014 AT&T ALL-STAR "FAN XI" ENTERS FINAL WEEK

Fan voting for the 2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game has entered its final week. Fans may vote online HERE through July 11 to select the "Fan XI" All-Stars. Real Salt Lake has a total of eight players named to the fan ballot that were chosen by select media members.

The eight Claret-and-Cobalt players on the ballot are GK Nick Rimando, DF Tony Beltran, DF Nat Borchers, DF Chris Schuler, Captain Kyle Beckerman, MF Javier Morales, FW Joao Plata and FW Alvaro Saborio - who is out injured with a broken fifth metatarsal in his right foot.

Eleven players - one goalkeeper, three defenders, four midfielders and three forwards - with the highest combined votes will be named to the All-Star Fan XI.

The 11th player - a forward - will be determined by the AT&T/EA SPORTS €žÂ¢ "More than a Vote" Challenge. Fans have the opportunity to vote one forward into the 2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game by scoring goals in EA SPORTS FIFA 14 on the Xbox One, PlayStation®4, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. The forward with the most votes - one goal equals one vote - on July 11 will occupy the final forward spot on the All-Star Fan XI.

The 2014 AT&T MLS All-Star game will be held at Providence Park, the home of the Portland Timbers, on August 6 at 7:30 p.m. MT. The MLS All-Stars will be coached by Portland Timbers Head Coach Caleb Porter as they take on Germany's Bundesliga Champions Bayern Munich. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Unimas.

2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game Voting Timeline

July 11: Fan voting closes

July 16: Fan XI unveiled

July 19 or 21: Game day roster and Commissioner's picks announced

Aug. 6: MLS All-Stars vs. Bayern Munich at Providence Park at 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2, UniMas, TSN, RDS)

REAL SALT LAKE INJURY REPORT

OUT: MF Jordan Allen (R knee injury), FW Alvaro Saborio (R fifth metatarsal fracture), DF Rich Balchan (Adductor strain)

QUESTIONABLE: MF Ned Grabavoy (R glute strain), MF Sebastian Velasquez (L ankle), FW Robbie Findley (Adductor)

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Major League Soccer Stories from July 7, 2014


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