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History of Real Salt Lake
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History of Real Salt Lake
This article presents a detailed, year-by-year history of Real Salt Lake (2004–present). For other information about the professional soccer club based in Utah, please see the main article.
On July 14, Major League Soccer officially awarded its 12th franchise to the state of Utah and ownership group SCP Worldwide, headed by Dave Checketts. Steve Pastorino was named general manager of the new team, and John Ellinger was hired as head coach. The team was officially named "Real Salt Lake" in October of that year in honor of Real Madrid.
The team played its first official match on April 2, slogging through a windy, rain-soaked contest against New York MetroStars at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. That match ended as a scoreless draw. The following week, Jason Kreis scored the first goal in franchise history in a 3–1 loss to LA Galaxy at the Home Depot Center. RSL returned to Utah to play its first-ever home match on April 16. With 25,287 fans present at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Brian Dunseth scored a header in the 81st minute to deliver a 1–0 victory over the rival Colorado Rapids.
In June, Salt Lake hosted a World Cup qualifier match between Team USA and Costa Rica, drawing a boisterous crowd of 40,586 fans for the double-header at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
In 2006，after much controversy and debate (see main article), the franchise finally secured a guarantee for a soccer-specific stadium to be built in Sandy – a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team broke ground for the structure on the morning of August 12, with representatives from soccer giant Real Madrid present, including superstar David Beckham.
In September 2006, representatives from Real Salt Lake and Real Madrid signed a 10-year agreement in which the two clubs agreed to work together to promote soccer throughout both Utah and the United States. Among the provisions included in the deal were a biennial friendly match between the two teams in Salt Lake City; annual February training for the RSL squad at Real Madrid's practice facility in Spain, and the creation of a $25 million youth academy in Salt Lake City that would train up to 200 youth players ranging from ages 12 to 18. However, the deal has seemed to have been dissolved, as none of the agreed upon provisions have come true: only one friendly match was ever played between the two sides, in 2006 (which the Madrid side won 2–0), and the planned soccer complex between the two has not come to fruition, with Salt Lake opening an academy on its own in Casa Grande, Arizona in 2010.
In the first match of the season, RSL controlled throughout, but a fluke goal by Carlos Ruiz in the final minute of stoppage time salvaged a 2–2 draw for FC Dallas on Real's home turf. RSL was devastated by the crushing result. The players appeared lifeless as they were outscored 6–0 in their next three games. In a stunning move, Ellinger was fired and replaced by Kreis, who immediately retired as a player. Also, general manager Steve Pastorino resigned and was later replaced by Garth Lagerwey.
The season progressed in much the same way as 2008. RSL posted a 9-1-5 record in Rio Tinto Stadium, with a record-setting +23 goal differential. However, yet again, the team struggled to during road matches. In the final few weeks, RSL found itself in a five-way battle for the final two spots in the MLS playoffs – and Salt Lake had the fewest points of the five teams. However, thanks to a 3–0 victory over Colorado in the final game of the regular season – combined with a miraculous series of results in several other matches around the league.
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History of Real Salt Lake
This article presents a detailed, year-by-year history of Real Salt Lake (2004–present). For other information about the professional soccer club based in Utah, please see the main article.
On July 14, Major League Soccer officially awarded its 12th franchise to the state of Utah and ownership group SCP Worldwide, headed by Dave Checketts. Steve Pastorino was named general manager of the new team, and John Ellinger was hired as head coach. The team was officially named "Real Salt Lake" in October of that year in honor of Real Madrid.
The team played its first official match on April 2, slogging through a windy, rain-soaked contest against New York MetroStars at Giants Stadium in New Jersey. That match ended as a scoreless draw. The following week, Jason Kreis scored the first goal in franchise history in a 3–1 loss to LA Galaxy at the Home Depot Center. RSL returned to Utah to play its first-ever home match on April 16. With 25,287 fans present at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Brian Dunseth scored a header in the 81st minute to deliver a 1–0 victory over the rival Colorado Rapids.
In June, Salt Lake hosted a World Cup qualifier match between Team USA and Costa Rica, drawing a boisterous crowd of 40,586 fans for the double-header at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
In 2006，after much controversy and debate (see main article), the franchise finally secured a guarantee for a soccer-specific stadium to be built in Sandy – a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team broke ground for the structure on the morning of August 12, with representatives from soccer giant Real Madrid present, including superstar David Beckham.
In September 2006, representatives from Real Salt Lake and Real Madrid signed a 10-year agreement in which the two clubs agreed to work together to promote soccer throughout both Utah and the United States. Among the provisions included in the deal were a biennial friendly match between the two teams in Salt Lake City; annual February training for the RSL squad at Real Madrid's practice facility in Spain, and the creation of a $25 million youth academy in Salt Lake City that would train up to 200 youth players ranging from ages 12 to 18. However, the deal has seemed to have been dissolved, as none of the agreed upon provisions have come true: only one friendly match was ever played between the two sides, in 2006 (which the Madrid side won 2–0), and the planned soccer complex between the two has not come to fruition, with Salt Lake opening an academy on its own in Casa Grande, Arizona in 2010.
In the first match of the season, RSL controlled throughout, but a fluke goal by Carlos Ruiz in the final minute of stoppage time salvaged a 2–2 draw for FC Dallas on Real's home turf. RSL was devastated by the crushing result. The players appeared lifeless as they were outscored 6–0 in their next three games. In a stunning move, Ellinger was fired and replaced by Kreis, who immediately retired as a player. Also, general manager Steve Pastorino resigned and was later replaced by Garth Lagerwey.
The season progressed in much the same way as 2008. RSL posted a 9-1-5 record in Rio Tinto Stadium, with a record-setting +23 goal differential. However, yet again, the team struggled to during road matches. In the final few weeks, RSL found itself in a five-way battle for the final two spots in the MLS playoffs – and Salt Lake had the fewest points of the five teams. However, thanks to a 3–0 victory over Colorado in the final game of the regular season – combined with a miraculous series of results in several other matches around the league.