Real Salt Lake journeyed to Arizona on Wednesday to enter the second phase of preseason with three matches in Tucson against the Colorado Rapids, Phoenix Rising FC and the LA Galaxy. With ten days in the desert sun, RSL has a lot to accomplish before returning on April 11.
The matches kick off on Saturday at 7 p.m. MT (stream on KSL Sports app) when RSL takes on Rocky Mountain Cup rival Colorado. Salt Lake takes the field after an 80-minute scrimmage against Sacramento Republic FC last weekend. With MLS competition bookending a midweek match against another top USL Championship club in Phoenix Rising, Head Coach Freddy Juarez looks to get more perspective on where his team is finding success and where it still needs more work.
“I think we come in here really trying to focus on the day to day. Every day, what can we get better?” Juarez said. “We’re upping the ante a little bit with competition. You can’t get better competition in the country than playing MLS teams, so it’s about getting into game rhythm and testing what we’ve been working on. It’s going to tell us what we need to work on more. We are going to get some answers to some questions against an opponent that will really challenge us to answer those questions.”
The most pressing questions for the coaching staff aren’t necessarily measured in wins and losses in preseason, but rather making progress towards executing the team’s style of play and developing chemistry on the field.
“For me and the staff, the most important thing is are we seeing what we are working on?” Juarez said. “That should be the mindset. Are we seeing the hard work and principles that we are working on in training? Are guys starting to mesh? Are we seeing the cohesiveness?”
Joining RSL in this portion of camp are two players from the Monarchs and three from the RSL Academy as the team continues to develop players at all levels of the club. Goalkeeper Jimmy Slayton and defender Kyle Adams from the Monarchs add depth to the positions for training while defenders Jaziel Orozco and Zack Farnsworth and midfielder Griffin Dillon give RSL youthful looks in other spots on the field.
Giving them those opportunities – opportunities which the players have earned – will provide a measuring stick for their level to help the club determine the next steps in their individual development processes.
“The goal is to give them another week experience with the first team. If you really want to see their qualities and their deficiencies, you have to put them in that competition,” said Juarez. “They passed the test for the most part against a USL team and that says a lot about their quality. Now we want to put them against the next level. It doesn’t define them because they are young, but it’s an educated barometer of where they are and what they need to do to get where they want to be.”
Midway through the Arizona trip, RSL is expecting to see the returns of six players who have been away on international duty, bringing back into the fold goalkeeper David Ochoa, defenders Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera and Noah Powder, midfielder Albert Rusnak and forward Douglas Martinez.
In reintegrating six players who played in high-caliber matches, Juarez expects to see increased sharpness and competition as the team progresses towards the season opener on April 24 against Minnesota United.
“We’re happy to get those guys back. It’s going to bring some fresh energy into a very good preseason that our group is having,” Juarez said. “It raises the competition to make better and better training sessions. When you’re talking about a family, it’s always best when the whole family is together.”
RSL Arizona preseason schedule:
Sat., April 3 vs. Colorado Rapids, 7 p.m. MT, KSL TV app
Wed., April 7 vs. Phoenix Rising FC, 7 p.m. MT
Sat., April 10 vs. LA Galaxy, 6 p.m. MT, KSL TV app
All matches will be played at Kino North Stadium in Tucson, Arizona.
