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SANDY — With so many changes to the Real Salt Lake roster during the offseason, there were many unanswered questions going into the club's 2013 Major League Soccer season opener at the San Jose Earthquakes last Sunday.
RSL not only tallied a win at San Jose, but the 90-plus minutes of soccer also answered many of those questions. Here are five things we learned from the Salt Lake club's season opener:
1. Alvaro Saborio can still do Alvaro Saborio
The Costa Rican striker hit the back of the net 17 times during the Salt Lake club's 2012 season, the most for the RSL forward since joining the club in 2010. Saborio didn’t waste any time tallying goals in the Claret and Cobalt’s 2013 season, as he put two in the back of the net against the Earthquakes, earning the Salt Lake club a 2-0 win.
2. First ever appearance by the back four worked
With two veteran RSL defenders, Nat Borchers and Chris Wingert, dealing with injuries, RSL head coach Jason Kreis debuted a new back four to man the RSL defense on the pitch against the San Jose Earthquakes.
Despite never appearing in a competitive match all together, veteran defender Tony Beltran and defenders Abdoulie Mansally, Chris Schuler and Kwame Watson-Siriboe, worked just fine as a group. Good enough that with Borchers and Wingert expected to be out for the first few weeks of the season, it’s possible we will see Beltran, Mansally, Schuler and Watson-Siriboe man the defense at least through the month of March — if not longer.
3. Newcomers look promisingWhen RSL newcomer forward Joao Plata entered the match in the 65th minute, RSL had yet to put a goal in the back of the net. Just six minutes later, Plata found Saborio’s foot with the perfect lob pass, giving Saborio the opportunity to put one in. Plata tallied a total of 25 minutes in his first regular-season appearance for the Claret and Cobalt.
Another RSL newcomer that made a significant contribution in the Salt Lake club’s opening day match was midfielder Khari Stephenson, who last played for the San Jose Earthquakes. Stephenson had two shots in the match and played on the pitch for nearly the entire game before being relieved in the 84th minute by midfielder Yordany Alvarez.
4. Sebastian Velasquez is one to watch this season
After being acquired last year in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft, Velasquez had nine appearances for the Salt Lake club, including five starts. This preseason saw the Colombian midfielder impress at the FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup, where he started all four matches.
Sunday’s match against the San Jose Earthquakes saw Velasquez again earn a spot in the starting lineup. Velasquez played the full 90 minutes for the Salt Lake club and contributed strongly, utilizing outstanding footwork.
5. Robbie Findley is still fast
There’s no doubt Findley had speed when he left the Salt Lake club a couple years ago to venture overseas to play. However, when the Salt Lake club re-signed him early this year, questions were raised about how he would perform after a not-so-successful venture in Europe.
When Findley took the pitch as part of the starting 11 last Sunday night as the club took on the Earthquakes, he had the opportunity to show everyone how his speed is very much still a part of his game. Although his speed and skill didn’t earn him a goal against the Earthquakes, his runs up and down the pitch proved his fleet footedness was still intact and perhaps he's even faster than before.
The Salt Lake club next takes to the pitch this Saturday as it faces D.C. United in the nation’s capital. RSL will open its home slate March 16 as it hosts the Colorado Rapids for 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.
