SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake and FC Tucson announced on Monday that the Claret-and-Cobalt will participate in the 2014 FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup. Fellow MLS clubs Chicago Fire, Chivas USA, Colorado Rapids and New England Revolution and USL Premier Development League club FC Tucson will join RSL at the third edition of the MLS Preseason tournament, which will run from Feb. 19-March 1, 2014.
RSL participated in both previous editions of the Desert Diamond Cup, coming in third-place in the inaugural edition of the event in 2012 and finishing runners-up at the tournament this preseason.
“We’re excited to head back to the FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup for the third-straight year,” said RSL General Manager Garth Lagerwey. “We’re hoping to participate in Desert Diamond Cup on an annual basis, making Tucson – and this high-quality tournament – a regular preseason destination for our fans and media.”
This year’s tournament will consist of four days of tripleheaders, with the final day culminating with the championship game. The first three match days will be played at the brand new North Stadium at Kino Sports Complex. The March 1 finals will take place at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Five additional MLS teams – Houston Dynamo, Portland Timbers, San Jose Earthquakes, Sporting Kansas City and Seattle Sounders FC – will participate in preseason friendlies in Tucson in early February. Vancouver Whitecaps FC will visit Tucson for a behind-closed-doors preseason friendly against the Dynamo.
A full schedule and ticketing information for all of the 2014 MLS Preseason games in Tucson can be found at www.FCTucson.com. RSL’s schedule for the 2014 FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup schedule can be found online and below.
After taking this weekend off due to FIFA international dates, Real Salt Lake will play at Portland Timbers on Sunday in the decisive second leg of the Western Conference Championship series. RSL won the series’ first leg 4-2 at Rio Tinto Stadium last Sunday, Nov. 10. The winner of the RSL-Portland series will take on the winner of the Houston Dynamo-Sporting Kansas City Eastern Conference Championship series in MLS Cup 2013 on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Sunday’s RSL-Portland contest will kick at 7:00 p.m. MT at JELD-WEN Field and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and locally over the radio on ESPN 700 AM and 102.3 La Gran D FM/1600 AM.
Real Salt Lake Schedule – 2014 FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup
(All times MT)
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014 – North Stadium at Kino Sports Complex
Real Salt Lake vs. New England Revolution – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014 – North Stadium at Kino Sports Complex
Colorado Rapids vs. Real Salt Lake – 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014 – North Stadium at Kino Sports Complex
Real Salt Lake vs. FC Tucson – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 1, 2014 – Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium
5th Place vs. 6th Place – 2:30 p.m.
3rd Place vs. 4th Place – 5:00 p.m.
1st Place vs. 2nd Place – 7:30 p.m.
