REAL SALT
LAKE DEFEATS CHIVAS USA 2-0 IN PRESEASON FINALE
Olave and Johnson Tally in Second Half
of Strong Finish to Phoenix Preseason Camp;
Second RSL Squad Draws RSL-Arizona
Academy U-18s 3-3 in 60-Minute Scrimmage;
Matches Conclude Preparations for Upcoming
CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal Series v. Columbus
CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Tuesday, February 15, 2011) – Second half goals by DF Jamison Olave and MF Will Johnson punctuated a strong showing by Real Salt Lake in its preseason finale this afternoon, a 2-0 victory over Chivas USA at the Grande Sports World training complex. With today’s contest bringing its second 10-day stay in Arizona to a close, Real Salt Lake will now turn its focus solely to what may very well be the biggest matches in club history – the two-legged CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal Round series against the Columbus Crew, beginning one week from today in Central Ohio.
Today’s match-up not only featured the two “Class of 2005” expansion rivals, but pitted Real Salt Lake against a recent alumnus. former assistant and now Chivas USA Head Coach Robin Fraser. With the Utah side on the cusp of meaningful competition, it ratcheted up the intensity level straight away, which was matched by the Southern California side and resulted in fierce tackles and challenges not normally reserved for preseason affairs.
An unfortunate byproduct of the rough-and-tumble action was an injury suffered by MF Javier Morales late in the first half, the Argentine playmaker suffering a minor left ankle sprain after being sandwiched by a pair of Chivas USA defenders while entering an aerial challenge for a 50-50 ball inside the penalty area. Morales was replaced by MF Collen Warner shortly after the incident, but walked back to the bench under his own power and was unencumbered by the knock shortly thereafter. RSL was unable to break through despite having the bulk of the best chances in the opening half, which closed with MF Andy Williams’ screaming 30-yard volley swerving just wide of the far right post.
But Real Salt Lake would capitalize in the second 45 minutes, it first tally coming off a Williams corner kick just past the hour mark. Olave would crash the near right post on the set piece and would meet the ball along with Chvias USA DF Jimmy Conrad, the collision of the two ushering the ball into goal past GK Zach Thornton to put RSL up 1-0. In the 70th minute it was FW Álvaro Saborío – who went the full 90 minutes on the day, continuing his comeback from offseason meniscus surgery – doing the dirty work, holding the ball against defenders for several seconds until it was finally poked loose 25 yards out. But Saborio’s holding pattern was long enough to bring Johnson into the play, the hard-charging midfielder lashing a low, first-time shot that bounced just inside the left post to double the advantage. The Utahans would hold steady from there to produce the win, its first in three contests this spring against MLS competition (1-1-1).
CLICK HERE for MLSsoccer.com’s
video recap of today’s RSL-CHV scrimmage at Grande Sports World.
Real Salt Lake 2011
Preseason
Real Salt Lake 2 : 0
Chivas USA
Tuesday, February 15,
2011
Grande Sports World –
Casa Grande, AZ
Scoring Summary
RSL - Jamison Olave (Andy Williams) 62
RSL - Will Johnson (Álvaro Saborío) 70
Real Salt Lake
Line-ups
GK-Nick Rimando; DF-Tony Beltran (Robbie Russell 30), DF-Nat Borchers, DF-Jamison Olave, DF-Chris Wingert (Beltran 60) MF-Kyle Beckerman, MF-Ned Grabavoy (Johnson 60), MF-Will Johnson (Andy Williams 30), MF-Javier Morales (Collen Warner 39); FW-Alvaro Saborio, FW-Paulo Jr (Jean Alexandre 85)
Chivas
USA Line-ups
GK-Sergio Arias (Zach Thornton 30);, Jorge Flores (Ante Jazic 60), Eriq Zavaleta (Michael Umaña 60), Andrew Boyens (Jimmy Conrad 60), Jimmy Asprilla (Zarek Valentin 60), Ben Zemanski (John Okafor 60), Guillermo Torres (Chukwudi Chijindu 29, Blair Gavin 60), Mariano Trujillo (Mike Lahoud 60), Jesús Padilla (Francisco Mendoza 60), Victor Estupiñan (Gerson Mayén 60), Alejandro Moreno (Alan Gordon 60)
RSL
Preseason News & Notes
- The contest against Chivas USA was actually the second scrimmage of the day for Real Salt Lake, which played an “intra-organizational” affair with its RSL-Arizona Academy U-18 squad, drawing 3-3 in a 60-minute affair in the morning. The RSL second side raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first half hour courtesy of goals by guest player and former RSL-Arizona U-17 product FW Donny Toia, but gave one back when Academy product FW Mikey Orellana – who suited up for the Senior side in the first stanza – notched one for the U-18s at the start of the second period. MF Nelson González would hit a beautiful chip midway through the half to restore RSL’s two-goal cushion, but back-to-back goals by E.T. Tavares and Orellana in the last five minutes would bring the match to a 3-3 conclusion
- Real Salt Lake Line-up v. RSL-Arizona Academy U-18s (60 minutes): GK-Kyle Reynish (Tim Melia 30); DF-Jamie Cunningham (guest player), DF-Rauwshan McKenzie, DF-Chris Schuler, DF-Jarad vanSchaik [Nico Muniz 30 (U-18)]; MF-Jean Alexandre, MF-Luis Gil, MF-Nelson González, MF-Collen Warner; FW-Mikey Orellana (U-18) [David Flores 30 (U-18)], FW-Donny Toia (guest)
- Three players were held out of today’s contests due to injuries, all members of RSL’s attacking corps: M/F Arturo Alvarez (R adductor strain), FW Pablo Campos (R knee contusion), and FW Fabian Espíndola (L quad strain). Alvarez and Espindola did take part in limited training on Monday but were held out today for precautionary measures, with both hopeful to contribute during the upcoming series against Columbus. Rookie DF Jarad vanSchaik saw his first action of the spring with 30 minutes in the morning scrimmage at left back, three weeks after suffering a right MCL strain near the opening of the team’s first camp in Casa Grande.
- After returning to the Wasatch Front after the match, Real Salt Lake will take Wednesday off before returning to practice on Thursday and Friday at the team’s XanGo Field training complex in Lehi, both sessions slated to start at 11:00 a.m. MT. The team will then depart for Ohio on Saturday in order to train in the Columbus area on Sunday and Monday in advance of Tuesday’s opening leg (6:00 p.m. MT, LIVE on Fox Soccer Channel). The second and decisive leg is scheduled for one week later on Tuesday, March 1, with kickoff at Rio Tinto Stadium set for 8:00 p.m. MT.
- Fans can secure their seats now for both Real Salt Lake’s March 1 CONCACAF Quarterfinal Leg Two fixture against the Columbus Crew and its March 26 MLS home opener against the Los Angeles Galaxy via the “RSL 2011 2-Pack” (beginning at just $80) and the “RSL 2011 Flex 10-Pack” (beginning at $200). Both of these special ticket offers, in addition to single-game tickets for all 2011 contests and RSL 2011 Season Ticket Packages, can be purchased online at www.RealSaltLake.com, over the phone at 801-727-2700, or in person at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office during regular business hours: 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. MT.
www.RealSaltLake.com / www.RioTintoStadium.com / www.RSLtotheCore.com
