REAL SALT LAKE SCHEDULE: OCT. 24-NOV. 2, 2011
Real Salt Lake Kicks off Western Conference Semifinal Series vs. Seattle Sounders FC Saturday Night in Sandy;
Tickets Now Available for 8:00 p.m. MT Contest at Rio Tinto Stadium;
Seattle to Host Return Leg next Wednesday, Nov. 2 at CenturyLink Field
SANDY, Utah (Sunday, October 23, 2011) – Real Salt Lake (15-11-8, 53 pts. in regular season) will start its fourth consecutive run in theMLS Cup Playoffs this Saturday, October 29, when the third-seeded Claret-and-Cobalt will welcome #2 seed Seattle Sounders FC (18-7-9, 63 pts.) to Rio Tinto Stadium for Leg One of their Western Conference Semifinal Series.
Tickets for Saturday’s 8:00 p.m. MT kickoff in Sandy are now available and 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 weekdays from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. and beginning at 10:00 a.m. on gameday. Fans unable to make it to Rio Tinto Stadium will be able to follow RSL’s postseason opener live on FOX Soccer and RSL’s radio partners – Rock 99.1-FM(English) and Juan 1600-AM(Spanish).
Leading up to the series opener, RSL Head Coach Jason Kreis and an RSL player will host a media conference call this Wednesday, Oct. 26. The player and time of the call will be confirmed in the upcoming 24 hours.
The series will conclude in short order the following
Wednesday, Nov. 2
, when the Semifinals shift to Seattle’s
CenturyLink Field
for
Leg Two
.
Kickoff and television information for the second leg is still to be determined
.
UPDATED:
Kickoff for the second and decisive leg is set for
8:00 p.m. MT
for a contest that will be broadcast nationwide on
ESPN2 / ESPN Deportes / ESPN3.com
. Tickets for Seattle’s home match go on sale to the public on
Monday at 11:00 a.m. MT
by visiting
www.SoundersFC.com
or calling
800-745-3000
.
Conference semifinal series are conducted in a home-and-home, aggregate-goal format. The team that scores the most goals in the series advances to the single elimination Western Conference Championship. If the teams are tied after 180 minutes in the series, a 30-minute extra time period (divided into two 15-minute periods) will be played followed by kicks from the penalty spot, if necessary.
The team with the higher seed between the two Conference finalists will host the Conference Championship game on November 5 or 6. MLS Cup 2011 will be on November 20 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. For the full 2011 MLS Cup Playoff schedule and more postseason coverage, visit MLSsoccer.com’s playoff home page.
Real Salt Lake and Seattle pulled off a rare feat in Major League Soccer, as both teams traded victories on the road in 2011. After Sounders FC ended RSL’s league-record home undefeated streak at 29 games with a 2-1 win in Sandy on May 28, the Utah side exacted revenge at CenturyLink Field on Sept. 10, winning by the same scoreline courtesy of Álvaro Saborío’s second half tally.
Both times Real Salt Lake has been the lower seed in its Conference Semifinal Series it has advanced through, beginning with its postseason debut against Chivas USA in 2008, when it followed a 1-0 win at Rio Tinto Stadium in the opening leg before drawing 2-2 at The Home Depot Center to advance to the Western Conference Final. In 2009, Real Salt Lake began its quest to MLS Cup with another 1-0 win in Sandy, this time over the Columbus Crew, before capturing the second leg 3-2 in Columbus to move on to the Eastern Conference Final against Chicago.
Real Salt Lake Schedule: Oct. 24-Nov. 2, 2011 (subject to change)
All RSL practices are open to members of the media and the general public unless otherwise noted, with media availability for all players and coaches to immediately follow each session. Those planning on attending any session can confirm the time and location of that day's training by calling 801-918-5050.
Monday, October 24: Off Day
Tuesday, October 25: Training at XanGo Field in Lehi – 11:00 a.m. MT
Wednesday, October 26: Training at XanGo Field – 11:00 a.m. MT; RSL media conference call with Head Coach Jason Kreis & Player (time TBA)
Thursday, October 27: Training at XanGo Field – 11:00 a.m. MT
Friday, October 28: Training at Rio Tinto Stadium – 11:00 a.m. MT
Saturday, October 29: 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs – (W3) Real Salt Lake vs. (W2) Seattle Sounders FC
- Western Conference Semifinal Series – Leg One
- 8:00 p.m. MT kickoff – Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah
- TV: FOX Soccer
- Radio: Rock 99.1-FM (pre-game show starts at 7:00 p.m.) (English); Juan 1600-AM (Spanish)
- Online: Live updates via Official RSL Twitter Feed (@RealSaltLake) and MLS MatchCenter on RealSaltLake.com
Sunday, October 30: Regeneration/training TBA
Monday, October 31: Training/travel TBA
Tuesday, November 1: Training/travel TBA
Wednesday, November 2: 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs – (W2) Seattle Sounders FC vs. (W3) Real Salt Lake
- Western Conference Semifinal Series – Leg Two
- Kickoff TBA – CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Wash.
- TV: TBA
- Radio: ESPN 700 & ESPN700Sports.com (English); Juan 1600-AM (Spanish)
- Online: Live updates via Official RSL Twitter Feed (@RealSaltLake) and MLS MatchCenter on RealSaltLake.com
www.RealSaltLake.com / www.RioTintoStadium.com / www.ESPN700Sports.com
