MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Weekly Update

Published on February 3, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


Real Salt Lake Kicks off California Training Camp

After knocking the rust off last weekend in Utah, Real Salt Lake departed yesterday for the warmer climates of Southern California, where the squad began a 12-day trip to train in the cities of Oxnard and Ventura from Feb. 2-14.

Of the 21 carryover from last year's squad, only two will be absent from the California camp - DF Chris Wingert and D/M Robbie Russell. Wingert will miss at least the first six days of camp while he trains with the U.S. Men's National Team, while Russell remained in Salt Lake City to rehab his right shoulder following offseason surgery. Meanwhile, fellow backliner Jamison Olave returned from his native Colombia to Utah on Sunday, just in time to join the squad for its departure the following morning.

In addition to the '08 carryovers, Real Salt Lake's camp in California will also include the squad's three MLS SuperDraft selections - MF Jean Alexandre, FW Futhi Bhembe, and MF Raphael Cox - and seven non-roster invitees: GK Steve Clark, MF Rachid El-Khalifi, FW Luis Miguel Escalada, DF David Hertel, D/M Jorginho Paulista, DF Kennedy Owusu-Ansah, and D/M Alexander Viveros. The non-roster invitees were all present in Southern California to meet the team on Monday with the exception of Viveros, who is expected to enter camp today.

While training and fitness will be the primary focus of this first leg, RSL also plans on taking part in three scrimmages during its SoCal stay, with matches against the USL PDL's Ventura County Fusion, the former semi-pro home of RSL's top 2009 MLS SuperDraft selection, MF Jean Alexandre; the defending Chinese Super League champion, Shandong Luneng Taishan; and an NCAA Division I squad yet to be determined (UC Santa Barbara or Cal Poly-SLO). To stay up to date during the current California excursion and all of Real Salt Lake's preseason trips across the two months, visit the team's official blog, Behind the Shield, at www.RSLtotheCore.com.

Real Salt Lake 2009 Preseason Schedule (subject to change)

Feb. 2-14: Preseason Trip #1 to Oxnard/Ventura, Calif.

Sun., Feb. 8 - RSL vs. Ventura County Fusion - 8:00 p.m. MT

Fri., Feb. 13 - RSL vs. Shandong Luneng Taishan (China) - 5:00 p.m. MT

Sat., Feb. 14 - RSL vs. UCSB or CSU-SLO - 11:00 a.m. MT

Feb. 15-17: Training in Utah (sites/times TBD)

Feb. 18-28: Preseason Trip #2 to Tampa, Fla.

Sat., Feb. 21 - RSL vs. opp. TBD @ Univ. of South Florida - 5:00 p.m. MT

Tues., Feb. 24 - RSL vs. opp. TBD @ Univ. of Tampa - 5:00 p.m. MT

March 1-3: Training in Utah (sites/times TBD)

March 4-15: Preseason Trip #3 to Charleston, S.C. - Carolina Challenge Cup

Sat., March 7 - RSL vs. D.C. United - 3:00 p.m. MT

Wed., March 11 - RSL vs. Charleston - 5:15 p.m. MT

Sat., March 14 - RSL vs. Toronto FC - 3:00 p.m. MT

Saturday, March 21: Exhibition contest - Opponent/Site TBD

Chris Wingert Recalled to U.S. Camp in Advance of World Cup Qualifier v. Mexico

Real Salt Lake DF Chris Wingert was among the 20 players recalled last weekend by U.S. Men's National Team head coach Bob Bradley to U.S. Soccer's National Training Center at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., to begin preparations for the USA's first match of final round qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The U.S. will take on regional rivals Mexico next Wednesday, Feb. 11 at Columbus Crew Stadium live on ESPN2, ESPN2 HD and Univision beginning at 5:00 p.m. MT. The 26-year-old Wingert, who made his first "cap" for the USA's full team as a substitute in a 3-2 friendly win over Sweden on Jan. 26, will miss at least the first six days of Real Salt Lake's first training camp of the season in the Southern California cities of Ventura and Oxnard from Feb. 2-14 while tending to his U.S. National Team duties.

U.S. Men's National Team Training Camp Roster - Jan. 29 - Feb. 7, 2009 (A Detailed Roster is Available at ussoccer.com)

GOALKEEPERS (3): Jon Busch (Chicago Fire), Will Hesmer (Columbus Crew), Matt Pickens (Colorado Rapids)

DEFENDERS (5): Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Ugo Ihemelu (Colorado Rapids), Chris Wingert (Real Salt Lake), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Brian Carroll (Columbus Crew), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Jack Jewsbury (Kansas City Wizards), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), John Thorrington (Chicago Fire)

FORWARDS (4): Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire)

MLS Jersey Auction to Benefit Soccer Unites Utah Begins Valentine's Day

Real Salt Lake and Soccer Unites Utah have announced that the organizations will sponsor an online auction during the month of February featuring 25 player-worn MLS jerseys from throughout the League's history. All proceeds from the auction, which will launch on Valentine's Day, Saturday, February 14, will go directly to Soccer Unites Utah, a grass roots charitable group raising funds to offset medical costs for Marcia Williams - the wife of RSL MF Andy Williams - who has waged a fight against a rare form of Leukemia since being diagnosed with the disease last summer.

Beginning on Valentine's Day, RSL and Soccer Unites Utah will put up two jerseys a day for auction on eBay, with every jersey available for bidding for seven days. Real Salt Lake's official team blog, Behind the Shield - found online at www.RSLtotheCore.com - will preview each jersey the day before they appear for auction and will also provide direct links to the eBay pages where the auctions will be housed. A full list of the 25 jerseys available for auction is available by clicking here or visiting the Behind the Shield blog.

This MLS jersey auction is just the latest effort by Soccer Unites Utah and the American soccer community at large to assist the Williams family during these difficult times, with the growing list of events on behalf of Marcia including bone marrow drives hosted by Grace Bible Church in Sandy, Real Salt Lake, the Portland Timbers, the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA in just the last 10 days. Please visit www.SoccerUnitesUtah.com for more ways in which you can help assist the Williams family.

Real Salt Lake's 30-Game 2009 MLS Regular Season Slate Announced

Major League Soccer last Wednesday announced the full 225-game slate that will comprise the League's 14th season in 2009. Real Salt Lake will be the lone member of the now 15-team League with a bye during "First Kick 2009" from March 19-22, instead starting its campaign on Saturday, March 28, when the Claret-and-Cobalt will head to the Pacific Northwest for its first-ever contest against MLS' newest club, Seattle Sounders FC. Kickoff from Qwest Field in Seattle is set for 8:30 p.m. MT.

Five days later on Thursday, April 2, Real Salt Lake will begin its '09 home schedule with a marquee match-up at Rio Tinto Stadium against the defending MLS Cup Champion Columbus Crew, a 7:00 p.m. MT contest that will be broadcast LIVE nationwide on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. Other highlights on Real Salt Lake's 2009 home schedule include the team's traditional July 4th (San Jose Earthquakes) and Pioneer Day (FC Dallas) contests - taking place for the first time at the team's new Sandy home - and a pair of Rio Tinto Stadium-based clashes in this year's edition of the Rocky Mountain Cup against the archrival Colorado Rapids, an early-summer clash on June 6 and a season-ending showdown on Oct. 24.

For Real Salt Lake's full 30-game regular season slate, click here or visit the team's official website, www.RealSaltLake.com, and click on the "SCHEDULE" link on the left side of the page.

Secure Your Spot for Opening Night this April with a 2009 RSL Season Ticket Package

The best way to get ready for Real Salt Lake's fifth MLS season - and currently the only way to secure tickets for opening night at Rio Tinto Stadium on April 2 against the Columbus Crew - is to become a Real Salt Lake Season Ticket holder. RSL Season Ticket packages for the club's first full season at its new Sandy home start at just $300, with benefits including:

Tickets to RSL's 15 MLS regular season games, the 2009 MLS All-Star Game and additional exhibitions (TBA)

First right of refusal for additional events taking place at Rio Tinto Stadium throughout 2009

25% off all merchandise purchased at the RSL Team Store at Rio Tinto Stadium

A group rate for any additional tickets to RSL matches

An invitation to the annual RSL Meet the Team event

Access to a Personal Account Service Manager

A free RSL gift (TBD)

For more information on how to become an RSL Season Ticket holder in time for kickoff this spring, contact the RSL Front Office at 801-727-2701 or visit www.RioTintoStadium.com.

Get Down to Business with RSL Team Store's "Item of the Week"

The new "Item of the Week" at the Real Salt Lake Team Store at Rio Tinto Stadium (located on the east side of the stadium at 9256 S. State Street in Sandy) is another package deal this week, but this time it's a special that will help fans represent their team's colors while getting down to business... or at least make them look the part! The RSL Merchandise crew has bundled together an RSL necktie and RSL leather executive folder as this week's special for $40, a deal that will run through the close of business this Saturday, Feb. 7. To take advantage of this deal, and to see the full range of officially licensed RSL and adidas merchandise, drop by the RSL Team Store during regular business hours: Monday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. MT.

The RSL Team Store is also still chock-full of gear that will keep you toasty during this frigid winter, including long-sleeve home and away jerseys, scarves, fleece blankets and hooded sweatshirts. In addition, fans are invited to drop by for "Real Hours" every Friday from 4:00-6:00 p.m., with this week's happy hours featuring any RSL polo on sale for $25. For more information on the Real Salt Lake Team Store - including $10 shipping, phone orders, autographed and personalized merchandise, and how you can get 25% off your purchases - call the RSL Merchandise Hotline at 801-727-2888.

Tickets for the Eagles May 9th Concert at Rio Tinto Stadium Now on Sale to the Public

Following the success of their No. 1 album, Long Road Out of Eden, the Eagles will perform live at Sandy's state-of-the-art Rio Tinto Stadium in the venue's first-ever concert on Saturday, May 9, with the show beginning at 8:00 p.m. MT. Tickets for the historic concert - marking the Eagles' final appearance in the United States before the launch of their European tour - are now on sale to the public for $50-$175, and can be purchased online at www.RioTintoStadium.com, or in person at Rio Tinto Stadium via the west side box office or the RealTix ticket kiosks located in the west/VIP lobby and RSL Team Store from Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. MT. For more information, including how to purchase handicap-accessible seating, please call the customer service call center at 888-4RSLTIX (888-477-5849).

Check out the Real Salt Lake Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Major League Soccer Stories from February 3, 2009


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