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SALT LAKE CITY — Real Salt Lake wrapped up its 10th preseason with a 1-1 draw against Chivas USA in the Desert Diamond Cup in Tucson, Ariz. The Salt Lake bunch put together a 1-2-3 record before its first MLS regular season match March 8 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., against the LA Galaxy.
RSL played three MLS sides, one Premier Development League side and a college soccer standout program as it prepares for another season just 13 weeks after falling at Sporting Kansas City in MLS Cup 2013.
Despite limited roster turnover, RSL still managed only five goals in the preseason — with three of them coming against the PDL and one against the NCAA. Salt Lake returns the spine of its 2013 MLS Cup runner-up show, including team captain Kyle Beckerman, U.S. international goalkeeper Nick Rimando, top scorer Alvaro Saborio, midfield maestro Javier Morales and defensive stalwart Nat Borchers. The Claret and Cobalt also add homegrown signing Jordan Allen, promoted reserve signing Benji Lopez, English native Luke Mulholland from the NASL’s Tampa Bay Rowdies and SuperDraft signing Ryan Neil from Cal.
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Real Salt Lake begins its 10th season against the Los Angeles Galaxy in less than two weeks, just a few months before it will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the day the MLS officially announced the team's inception.The biggest turnover will be on the RSL coaching staff. Longtime goalkeeper coach Jeff Cassar became the club’s third head coach in franchise history, taking over for new New York City FC coach Jason Kreis in the offseason. Cassar added assistant coaches in Andy Williams, Craig Waibel, Paul Dalglish and goalkeeper coach Daryl Shore.
Here’s a full breakdown of RSL’s 2014 preseason, with results and goal-scorers in each match.
RSL 1-1 UC Irvine in Irvine, Calif.
Recent signing Mulholland began his RSL career with a bang, scoring 15 minutes into the match. The Anteaters, though, equalized on an 85th-minute counterattack in a match that featured 25 RSL players with liberal substitutions.
Chivas USA 1-0 RSL in Carson, Calif.
Former Mexican international and 34-year-old legend “Bofo” Bautista blasted an early goal in the opening minutes, and the Goats held on for a bit of good news in a striking offseason for the recently sold club.
Desert Diamond Cup in Tucson, Ariz.
RSL 0-0 New England Revolution
Starting goalkeeper Jeff Attinella earns the shutout, and backup Lalo Fernandez preserved the shutout through the second half.
This match was the first back for Nick Rimando and Kyle Beckerman from USMNT camp (DNP).
Colorado 1-0 RSL
Deshorn Brown’s 10-yard blast over Lalo Fernandez in the 69th minute gave an early win to RSL’s Rocky Mountain rival.
RSL 3-1 FC Tucson (PDL)
Alvaro Saborio scored twice and defender Aaron Maund scored once to slip past the PDL side and tournament host.
RSL did all its scoring in the first half, then allowed a 59th-minute goal to Dan Antoniuk.
RSL 1-1 Chivas USA
Salt Lake earned quick revenge on its expansion sister club with a 1-1 draw in the final game of the preseason Saturday. Goats forward Erick “Cubo” Torres put the MLS-owned side ahead in the 10th minute, but Saborio equalized in the 70th minute. Sean Walker is a recent graduate of Syracuse University and longtime soccer guy who recently moved back to Utah. Follow him on Twitter, @RealDSean.
