Silverbacks Host Major League Soccer Side Real Salt Lake this Saturday

Published on June 10, 2014 under North American Soccer League (NASL)
Atlanta Silverbacks News Release


In what is being billed as one of the biggest home games in franchise history, the Atlanta Silverbacks host Major League Soccer (MLS) side Real Salt Lake in the fourth round of the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Saturday at 8 p.m. at Atlanta Silverbacks Park.

The two teams met in last year's Cup, with Real Salt Lake winning a 3-2 overtime thriller at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. The Claret and Cobalt advanced all the way to the 2013 Cup final, where they fell to DC United, 1-0.

"Saturday's game will be a wonderful occasion for our organization, our players, and most importantly our fans," said Silverbacks Technical Director Eric Wynalda. "Not only are we getting to play against a MLS side in our own backyard - we're also getting the opportunity to play against one of the teams that forged the standard for attractive soccer in their league."

Saturday will mark the first time a MLS team has visited Atlanta Silverbacks Park. Since joining the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 2011, the Silverbacks have played against a pair of MLS teams in the Cup, falling to Seattle Sounders FC in 2012 and the aforementioned Real Salt Lake last year.

Real Salt Lake comes to Atlanta on a bit of a cold streak in MLS play. After opening the season with an impressive 12-game unbeaten streak, head coach Jeff Cassar's team has only picked up one point in its last three games and has been outscored 8-2 by their opposition. The club's most recent result was a 3-1 home loss to the Portland Timbers on Saturday. The visitors will also be without several key players on Saturday, as goalkeeper Nick Rimando (USA), midfielder Kyle Beckerman (USA), and forward Alvaro Saborio (Costa Rica) are in Brazil with their respective national teams for the FIFA World Cup.

"Regardless of the personnel, Real Salt Lake is one of the teams that stays true to its style of play. It's a free-flowing, fast-moving system that causes problems for every team that they play against," Wynalda said. "The results haven't gone their way the last few weeks, but that hasn't altered their mindset. We expect a big challenge from what will surely be a very tough Real Salt Lake side."

While the absences of Rimando, Beckerman, and Saborio shouldn't go understated, this Real Salt Lake team has plenty of firepower and pedigree. Ecuadorian forward Joao Plata is tied with Saborio for the team lead in goals with six. Longtime Real Salt Lake staple Javier Morales pulls the strings in the midfield, and leads the team in assists with five.

Defenders Nat Borchers and Tony Beltran, midfielder Luis Gil, and forward Robbie Findley have all earned caps for the U.S. Men's National Team, with the latter appearing in three games at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Real Salt Lake's roster also features a few familiar faces. Goalkeeper Jeff Attinella, defender Kwame Watson-Siriboe, and midfielder Luke Mulholland have all played against the Silverbacks in the NASL. Attinella started his professional career with the Tampa Bay Rowdies and later played for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Mulholland's first NASL stop was in Minnesota before moving on to the Rowdies for two seasons. Watson-Siriboe was briefly with the Rowdies as well, joining them on loan from the Chicago Fire back in 2011.

For the Silverbacks, they will look to get some revenge after last year's 3-2 loss to Real Salt Lake in the Cup. Only six Silverbacks players that were named in the 18 at Rio Tinto Stadium last year remained with the club in 2014, making Wynalda's side a bit of a mystery for Real Salt Lake. Midfielder Pablo Cruz, who just scored his first goal of the season last Saturday against Indy Eleven, found the net in last year's Cup loss, adding to an earlier tally by forward Kellen Gulley.

The visitors will need to keep an eye on Silverbacks forward Jaime Chavez, whose two goals last Saturday moved him into a tie for the league lead in goals scored with five. The tall California native has turned out to be quite the signing for Wynalda, posting a eye-catching goal return in the World Cup-shortened NASL Spring Season.

While the Silverbacks found the net three times against Indy Eleven last weekend, the fact remains that their back line continues to be among the most porous in the NASL. The Silverbacks have conceded 20 goals in nine league games, and the back line will need to step it up to get a result against a potent Real Salt Lake attack.

The winner of Saturday night's game will await the winner of the Colorado Rapids (MLS)-Orlando City SC (USL Pro) matchup, which will be played on June 17 in Commerce City, Colorado. Should the Silverbacks pull the upset over Real Salt Lake, they will be traveling in the fifth round to either Colorado or Orlando.

Tickets for Saturday night's big game against Real Salt Lake are still available, and can be purchased by calling 404-969-4900 or clicking HERE AS&cgc) . Kickoff will be at 8 p.m., and Extra Time Bar and Grill, Atlanta Silverbacks Park's in-stadium restaurant, will be showing the England vs. Italy World Cup match, which starts at 6 p.m. For those watching from afar, the game can be seen live online at NASLLive.com.

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