Beckerman plays in RSL’s victory

By: Fitz | March 10th, 2008

Kyle Beckerman, who has been resting a bruised foot, played Sunday as RSL defeated Jockey Club Rosario on Sunday, 3-0.

Beckerman bruised his foot while training with the U.S. national team. After fits of playing and resting, RSL finally chose to let the foot heal, then bring Beckerman back in slowly. But considering Dema Kovalenko didn’t play — do accumulated yellow cards in practice count? — I don’t think we’ve seen RSL’s best central midfield pairing play together yet.

The lineup and subs:

GK-Kyle Reynish
DF-Chris Wingert (Tony Beltran 30)
DF-Matias Mantilla (Jamison Olave 45)
DF-Nat Borchers (David Horst 45)
DF-Ian Joy (Dustin Kirby 45)
MF-Kyle Beckerman (Matias Cordoba 45)
MF-Kenny Cutler (Carey Talley 30)
MF-Javier Morales (Alex Nimo 45)
MF-Andy Williams (Kevin Reiman 45)
FW-Kenny Deuchar (Indra Sahdan Daud 45)
FW-Yura Movsisyan (Tino Nuñez 45)

My thoughts, just by eyeballing the lineup: Jason Kreis continues to give Tony Beltran some time with the first team. … Kenny Deuchar has had two strike partners in two games. I’m interested to see if Indra gets a look with him, or if Kreis goes back to Fabian Espindola or Yura. I know it’s dangerous to read into things too much, but that’s what I’m looking at. … Kreis has kept the same starting back four since the Rapids scrimmage. … Nick Rimando and Fabian also got the day off. My guess is that Kreis rested players he know will make the team in order to give other guys more playing time.

RSL goals: Nat Borchers, Kenny Deuchar and Matias Cordoba (penalty).

Your thoughts and comments on the scrimmage, the midfield and the “October Road” season finale are welcome.

UPDATE ON THAT NEWELL’S OLD BOYS SCRIMMAGE

Remember that 1-1 tie against Newell’s Old Boys? The one where RSL’s first team drew Newell’s Old Boys’ first team? Well, that was actually Newell’s reserves. The RSL Publicity Arm has admitted as much.

In the Credit Where Credit Is Due department, RSLFM’s blog was the first that I saw to call out RSL on that little detail. Turns out she linked to Argentina-based stories on the scrimmage, and some of her savvier readers said that, oh by the way, Newell’s used their reserves against RSL’s starters. RSL fessed up today.

FM and I don’t see eye to eye on everything — go Royals, huh, FM? — but she was on top of that one. So she wins a free ad for her site, www.rslfm.com.

SOCCER AM, UTAH STYLE

RSL’s game against Toronto FC on April 19 has been moved to 10:30 a.m. MT. I don’t know why, so I will make something up now. It’s so the soccer match won’t compete against the Maple Leafs for TV ratings. Anyway, nothing says “We Love Our Fans” like scheduling a professional soccer match in the morning.