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TUCSON, Ariz. — After a rocky start to the FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup preseason tournament last week, Real Salt Lake came from behind the New England Revolution Wednesday night, winning 3-2, and earning a spot in the championship final against the Seattle Sounders slated for Saturday.
This year’s participation in the Desert Diamond Cup preseason tournament is the Salt Lake club’s second consecutive year participating in the tournament, but the first year RSL has played for the title. Last year, RSL earned a spot in the third-place match, ultimately winning 1-0 over the New York Red Bulls and taking home the third-place title in the tournament.
The match against Seattle on Saturday will be the second time RSL has faced the Sounders on the pitch this preseason, the first meeting resulting in a 1-2 loss for the Claret and Cobalt.
Including its preseason exhibition match against the Los Angeles Galaxy in early February, RSL has hit the back of the net seven times already, three of which came Wednesday when the Salt lake club came from behind to beat the Revolution. All seven goals have come from a variety on the RSL roster.
In the Salt Lake club’s first match of the preseason tournament, a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls, new forward Joao Plata and new midfielder Cole Grossman each tallied a goal. The second match of the tournament, a 1-2 loss to the Sounders, saw a goal from midfield rookie John Stertzer. Wednesday’s 3-2 win over the New England Revolution saw a goal each from forward Devon Sandoval, striker Alvaro Saborio and forward Khari Stephenson, respectively.
Following the completion of the Desert Diamond Cup Saturday, RSL will return to Utah Sunday to begin preparations for its 2013 Major League Soccer regular season, which is just 10 days away.
The Salt Lake club will begin its 2013 regular season on the road March 3 against the San Jose Earthquakes and March 9 in the nation’s capital against D.C. United. RSL will then open its 2013 home play March 16 as it hosts the Colorado Rapids in the first leg of the Subaru Rocky Mountain Cup.
Kira Terry is a sports writer covering Real Salt Lake for KSL.com. Follow her on Twitter, @kiraterry.
