The Good News, The Bad News… and The Best News

By: Rocky Cole | March 25th, 2009

Due to the odd number of teams in the MLS this year (15 until Philadelphia comes on line in 2010) RSL had no MLS opponent during last weekend’s First Kick. Thus, RSL’s record stands at a unique 0-0-0. RSL opted not to take the weekend off, but rather held a well attended ‘open house’ and ‘friendly’match at their home Rio Tinto Stadium, playing the USL’s First Division Austin Aztex….

So now we come to the good news, the bad news, and the best news…

The Good News: RSL played with the same spirit, skill and enthusiasm that gave them a fantastic pre-season record and they won the match against the Aztex 3-1. RSL’s scoring was spread around as it has been all pre-season, but the usual suspects showed up again and did their thing for RSL. Jamison Olave headed in a Javier Morales corner kick in the first half of the match, but the Aztex scored in the 72nd minute of play when midfielder Alex Tapp delivered a pass perfectly on target to defender Kieron Bernard in front of RSL’s keeper. Bernard sent a quality header over RSL’s Nick Rimando and tied the score at 1-1. It looked like the Aztex might get out of Rio Tinto with a draw, but RSL was not to be denied a victory at home when Movsisyan put in the winning goal in the 82nd minute. Morales finished things up for RSL a minute into stoppage time when he took a long throw from keeper Nick Rimando and ran the ball down. Morales had a one-on-one with Aztex keeper Miguel Gallardo and launched the ball over the head of the Aztex ‘keeper for the final goal of the match.

The Bad News: RSL opens the 2009 campaign this Saturday away against the Seattle Sounders and Seattle has proven in no uncertain terms that they are not your typical “Rookie Team.” Seattle stunned the Red Bulls in their inaugural match 3-0… there is no other way to describe it. And perhaps that is a good thing for RSL, because my guess is that RSL’s coaches and players are watching plenty of film of what happened in Seattle, and have no illusions that they can phone it in this Saturday night. Not only will Qwest Field likely be rocking with the 32,000 fans that showed up for the opener last week (almost all dressed in the team’s colors), but Seattle will have its big name player, Freddie Ljungberg available to play. RSL is playing the best soccer in the team’s history and RSL’s management and coaches were able to keep the key players that brought them success in 2008, but Seattle has shaped up to be a rockin’ place to play and look to be a tough opponent to open against.

I will make one confident prediction for RSL’s opening game… it won’t be a yawner.

Oh, and The Best News… We get to watch the battle!

Real Salt Lake plays their opener against the Seattle Sounders FC, Saturday, 28 March 2009 at 7:30 P.M. PST; 8:30 P.M. MT.