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SANDY — Luke Mulholland, like many boys his age growing up in Preston, England, idolized the national hero that was Liverpool's Steven Gerrard.
You can imagine, then, his feelings as he prepares to lead Real Salt Lake into the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals against Gerrard's newly christened L.A. Galaxy at 8 p.m. Tuesday night at Rio Tinto Stadium.
"It will be very surreal playing against him tomorrow," Mulholland said after training Monday, the only session between last weekend's 3-1 loss at Colorado and the Open Cup. "I'm hoping he doesn't bring his A-game, and we come out with a win. We feel like we need it right now, and it would be nice to go all the way this year in the Open Cup.
"For me, it will be a fun game and nice to play against him."
Saturday's match saw the Rapids score two goals in stoppage time to hand RSL its first loss in the Mile High City in two years. It was frustrating, but it's also got to go in the past, midfielder Javier Morales said.
"Nobody likes to lose, and especially in that way," he added. "There was a lot of frustration, a lot of sadness, but we have to turn it over and play again tomorrow."
Facing the Galaxy — a team RSL has a significant history facing across several competitions — provides the Salt Lake side with the perfect chance to move forward.
And the quick turnaround isn't even such a bad thing.
"For me, I want to play tonight," Morales said Monday. "I want to play my next game as soon as possible. In a way, I think we have to be honest with everyone while we are thinking about it. We have to be better."
It isn't hard to get up to potentially face the likes of Gerrard, either.
"He's a world-class player," Morales said. "I think it's different than Giovinco, Kaka, even David Villa. They score goals and make that special play. I think Gerrard is different; he's the balance of the Galaxy, with Juninho. I think you need to worry about him, though."
One bright spot from Saturday for RSL was the return of defender Chris Schuler, who started his first game in central defense since undergoing knee surgery in April. Mulholland referred to the comeback as the healthiest the full squad has been a long time, and his head coach agreed on Schuler's availability.
"I rewatched the game, and I didn't see a dip in play," RSL second-year head coach Jeff Cassar said of Schuler. "That's a credit to him and to our training staff. He looks good, and overall I am really pleased."
Now the task turns to stopping Gerrard and reigning MLS MVP Robbie Keane — the latest in a line of superstars to visit Rio Tinto Stadium that includes Orlando's Kaka, New York City's David Villa and Toronto's Sebastian Giovinco.
But that will be little focus come Tuesday night, Cassar said.
"We can't afford to not concentrate on anything but ourselves and what we are doing," he said. "It adds excitement for the fans, but it's also good for us. I know the players will want to step up and perform on a big stage, and this is a huge stage in the Open Cup against the Galaxy."
