News: Real Salt Lake to face Deportivo Saprissa on July 23

You are a pathetic excuse for the Real Madrid game (or other top league friendly). What we payed for you was nothing compared to what we would pay a REAL team

 

Since the mod asked me to not start any trouble, I will obey and not cause any more trouble and let the players do the talking for me tonight.

I will leave it at that.

 

watch your starters lose to our scrubs... ha ha

 

Not real fair to pick on a guy after he's been asked to cool it. How about we all return to the civil discussion that prevailed previous to this extended snarky exchange? Not just you 15 to 32 - yours were just the latest posts.

A fair and welcome response.

 

I am expecting a good game. I hope we win. We might not, and I accept that, but in the end, for us, this is just a meaningless friendly. A way for us give our reserves some first team experience and for the organization to make some more money. Hell when Real Madrid came we even played some reserves. This doesn't discount the stupendous Marvelous Wonderful Saprissa, it just means it is a friendly. And we are looking to get something out of it other than a win.

 

Ok, bets on the score of tonights game alright...?

 

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this or not, but will Clint Mathis be playing tonight?

I figure a couple of factors would go into this: 1) This is an exhibition game, and not a league game. Clint was able to play in the Reserves game because it was an exhibition game. Same thing would go here. 2) If he really is being looked at, what better way than having him play in an actual exhibition game that will try him and show how fit he is, and how he has improved since '05.

Also, thanks to RSL Boz's practice pictures, Mathis is still sporting the vacant #8. If he was just training, he wouldn't be wearing a Real uniform. When Beckham was training with Arsenal, he didn't wear their kit. I think that might be a hint as well.

I am not particularly keen to having him back; he was horrible in '05. But, in his defense, he played well for Colorado, New York, and L.A.. Tonight would be a good night to see how he does.

Heck, I'm willing to bet $10 virtual dollars that he will play tonight!
Anyone have any other thoughts?

 

If he takes time away from Espy coming back then I for one will be pretty pissed off.

 

Here is a list of the hardware that Saprissa has won, taken from their website and translated by moi:

International Titles
Aside from winning 25 national championships and 14 second-place finishes, Saprissa has accomplished the following:

• Third place in the World Cup of Clubs FIFA Japan 2005
• Second place in the Copa RICARD 2008, third place, Uruguay 2006
• Three tournament of Fraternidad Centroamericana appearances (72-73-78)
• Copa Camel in the USA (1985)
• Three CONCACAF tournament appearances (70-93-95)
• Two second-place finishes in Copa Interamericana and Copa Hiberoamericana.
• Copa del Torneo Grandes de Centroamérica, 23 septembre 1998, in Mateo Flores stadium, against Municipal de Guatemala, and the Copa L.G. (1998).
• Copa Uncaf 2003
• Champions CONCACAF 2005

I think they also won CONCACAF in 2003.

 

We might all be whining and moaning about Saprissa being a poor substitution for the All-Knowing, All-Seeing, Omnipontent Real Madrid this year, but maybe in the long-run, this might be best. If European teams won't come here because they won't make as much money, we should maybe get to know some of the clubs that are in our backyard, since we will be seeing more of them thru the re-vamped CONCACAF Champions League and the Superliga. One way to raise the level of play in CONCACAF is thru inter-league tournament play. As an example, at one time, the US Olympic team consisting of college players pretty much ruled Olympic basketball, and when it looked like the world had caught up, we threw our professionals at the Olympics. Now, how many people out there think the US will roll over the competition to the gold medal? Given the US's past performances, not many.

Ergo, I would think that actually playing teams that we could play against later in some kind of tournament would be a better indicator of where RSL and the MLS stands in relation to other CONCACAF leagues instead of beating the "B" team of a European team that is only here to make some money. Raising the level of play for CONCACAF will only help raise the US level of play internationally which maybe could help us out to win more games at the World Cup. Just a thought......

 

What was their first trophy and when was it?

 

Ironically, didn't Mathis win an Espy for "Best Hair" in '90?

 

Wow, that right there has just won me over. How could we ever turn someone away who won an ESPY

 

Why would you want Espy to make his debut comeback for an exhibition match? Wouldn't it be better for him to make his debut during a league game that counts? Just curious...

RSL announced their first acquisition, and it's a midfielder!

Go RSL!

 

I completely agree with this post. In particular, I get excited about forging some serious cross-border rivalries with Mexican teams. The only problem I see is that the European clubs are bigger draws, even if they have to look down their noses at us the whole time.

 

Stating lineups released and it's a typical lineup for RSL with a couple of exceptions:

* Mantilla for Borchers
* Kirby for Wingert
* Cutler for...... Morales? (Dema in at d-mid)
* Nimo for Williams

Regular strikers up front (Deuchar & Findley starting) and Beckerman/Olave also in.

 

Someone asked about available subs earlier. Didn't we have 6 subs in the Xango Cup? If so, I'd expect the same tonight.

 

We have a full list of available.

Borchers, Espindola, Morales, Movsisyan, Wingert, Rimando (Oh, I forgot to mention that Reynish is starting), Nunez, Reiman, and Acosta.

Anybody remember the match against Everton last year where they subbed Arteta out at the beginning of the second half only to sub him back in with 15 remaining?

For some reason I thought you can have unlimited subs for friendlies... maybe I'm wrong.

 

Brenes does not play for Saprissa anymore, he plays for Brujas FC

 

Are they showing the game in Tiquicia? I have looked for hours for this game in the US just to find out it will come only on radio.

 

Somebody better hurry and tell Kreis or he'll spend the rest of the match looking for Brenes...

 

Listen online:
http://www.kall700sports.com/

 

nop

 

thanks... no TV right?

 

Correct.