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SANDY— Real Salt Lake pulled away a 2-0 win and took three points over red-hot FC Dallas Saturday night, but now will focus on their meeting with them on Tuesday.
Only this time it will be in Dallas - a place that has given them some trouble in the past. RSL has never won in Dallas.
Despite the past, RSL isn't focusing on that, rather looking to build off it's win over Dallas at home Saturday night and the result they got last time they were there, taking one point in a 0-0 draw with them on May 22.
It's the Open Cup, it's a different game. We've played each other enough times now over the past six months to a year to know what the other team's about. It's the same group of players so I don't think it changes anything - both teams want to get to the (U.S. Open Cup) semi-final. If Dallas would have beat us (Saturday), we would still want to win on Tuesday.
–Midfielder Will Johnson.
"We stated before the game that this was a huge, huge match this was for us," said Head Coach Jason Kreis following Saturday's match. "Probably the biggest one we've had this season against, what I think is, arguably the team that's in the most and best form right now. So a positive result, it doesn't matter to me the score, to get all three points at home was big for us and wraps ups a series where we drew with them away and we won at home."
Kreis continued saying, "Again when I said this match was one of the biggest one, if not the biggest one, we played in MLS this year, I wasn't only talking about MLS - I knew it would be a positive statement to make to get a little confidence and good out of Dallas and hopefully move on in the U.S. Open Cup."
And that's just what they'll do. RSL left Salt Lake City early Monday morning en route to Texas. After arriving in Texas, RSL will hold a closed practice at Pizza Hut Park this evening. The U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match with Dallas first kick is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. MT Tuesday.
Kreis' roster is looking at the U.S. Open Cup match with Dallas the exact same way as he is - they are playing the same opponent they did just a few days ago, but Tuesday's match is a different game.
"We'll be satisfied at the fact that we got three points here (Saturday), it's a very important win for us, but now the focus will switch to going to play at Dallas," said defender Tony Beltran following Saturday's match. "It's a completely different game, anything can happen."
Midfielder Will Johnson agreed with Beltran in that it may be the same opponent for Tuesday, but it is a different game.
It's a completely different game, anything can happen.
–Defender Tony Beltran
"It's the Open Cup, it's a different game. We've played each other enough times now over the past six months to a year to know what the other team's about. It's the same group of players so I don't think it changes anything - both teams want to get to the (U.S. Open Cup) semi-final. If Dallas would have beat us (Saturday), we would still want to win on Tuesday," said Johnson.
Johnson also added, "We got a point down there (last time) so it's our opportunity to take it a step further."
Tuesday's U.S. Open Cup match won't be televised locally, but can be seen live via online streaming on www.fcdallas.com. The match can also be heard live on ESPN700 and www.ESPN700Sports.com. Fans can also follow the game via RSL's Twitter feed: @RealSaltLake.
Following Tuesday's match, RSL will remain on the road and play the Vancouver Whitecaps at Empire Field July 16 before returning to Rio Tinto Stadium July 23 to face the San Jose Earthquakes.
