Real Salt Lake kicks off its participation in the 101st Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament on the road, taking on the NASL’s Atlanta Silverbacks in a fourth-round match at Atlanta Silverbacks Park at 6:00 p.m. MT on Saturday. The match will be streamed live on RealSaltLake.com and broadcast live on ESPN 700.
Here are a few storylines to watch ahead of Saturday’s clash:
RSL out for revenge after coming up short in the 2013 U.S. Open Cup Final
Real Salt Lake will be looking to make amends after letting the 2013 U.S. Open Cup Championship slip away last year, falling 1-0 to D.C. United in the Championship match at Rio Tinto Stadium on Oct. 1, 2013. Reaching last year’s Final was the furthest the Claret-and-Cobalt had gone in the tournament, besting previous runs to the Quarterfinals in 2006 and 2011. Real Salt Lake posts an even record in Open Cup play, recording nine wins and nine losses all-time. The Claret-and-Cobalt has fared better against lower division teams, unsurprisingly, posting a 5-2-0 record. Both of RSL’s losses came at the hands of NASL side Minnesota United FC.
Real Salt Lake boasts multiple connections to NASL
Real Salt Lake has three players on its current squad that have previously played in NASL, specifically the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Claret-and-Cobalt goalkeeper Jeff Attinella played for the Tampa Bay Rowdies from 2011-2012, helping lead the Rowdies to the NASL title in 2012 while finishing second in NASL MVP voting and earning a spot on the league Best XI. RSL midfielder Luke Mulholland played for the Rowdies from 2012-2013, helping win the NASL title in 2012 with Attinella and became the first player to be named to the NASL Best XI in back-to-back seasons. RSL defender Kwame Watson-Siriboe spent a year with the Rowdies in 2011 in a year-long loan with the Chicago Fire.
RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar also has a connection to the Atlanta Silverbacks, spending a year with the NASL side in 2002 before returning to MLS’s FC Dallas the following year.
Can RSL forward Devon Sandoval carry over last year’s successful Open Cup form into 2014?
Real Salt Lake forward Devon Sandoval shined in the 2013 U.S. Open Cup in what was his first year with RSL. The New Mexico native ended the tournament as the Claret-and-Cobalt’s leading goalscorer, recording three goals in two appearances. The target forward scored in RSL’s 3-2 win over the Atlanta Silverbacks and bagged a brace in the club’s 5-2 win over Charleston Battery. RSL forwards Alvaro Saborio and Joao Plata finished second in scoring with two goals apiece.
RSL to be the first MLS team to play at Atlanta Silverbacks Park
Real Salt Lake will be the first Major League Soccer team to play at Atlanta Silverbacks Park on Saturday. The unfamiliarity with the turf field, and the team itself, will be an added element to the match along with mounting injuries and World Cup absences.
The Silverbacks, coached by former U.S. international Eric Wynalda, currently sit in eighth-place in the NASL standings with a 3-5-1 record this season. Silverbacks forward Jaime Chavez, leads the team and league in goals scored with five, and is coming off a two-goal performance against NASL side Indy Eleven. The Silverbacks have struggled defensively this year, conceding a total of 20 goals in nine games played. In 2013, the Silverbacks reached the NASL Championship match but fell 1-0 to the New York Cosmos.
