2011 Real Salt Lake season

Real Salt Lake

2011 season
Owner	SCP Worldwide
Coach	Jason Kreis
Stadium	Rio Tinto Stadium
Major League Soccer	Conference: 3rd Overall: 3rd
MLS Cup	Conference semi-finals
U.S. Open Cup	Quarterfinals
CONCACAF Champions League	Runners-up
Highest home attendance	MLS: 20,762 vs. Chicago CCL: 20,738 vs. Monterrey
Lowest home attendance	MLS: 14,365 vs. Chivas USA CCL: 15,405 vs. Columbus
Average home league attendance	17,594
Biggest win	RSL 4–0 SJ (7/23)
Biggest defeat	VAN 3–0 RSL (10/6)
Home colors Away colors Third colors
← 2010 2012 →

The 2011 Real Salt Lake season was the club's seventh year of existence, as well as their seventh season in Major League Soccer, and their seventh consecutive season in the top-flight of American soccer.

Salt Lake's season was highlighted by reaching the 2011 CONCACAF Champions League Finals, becoming the first American soccer club to reach the final of the newly designed CONCACAF Champions League, as well as the first non-Mexican club to reach the finals. Including the predecessor tournament, the Champions' Cup, it was the first time in 11 years an American club reached the North American club final, the last being Los Angeles Galaxy. Additionally, Salt Lake finished third place in both the Western Conference and overall MLS tables during the regular season, thus earning a berth into the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League. In the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs, Salt Lake reached the Western Conference Final, but fell to eventual MLS Cup champions, Los Angeles Galaxy. Salt Lake also reached the quarterfinals of the 2011 U.S. Open Cup before falling to eventual semifinalists, FC Dallas.

Towards the end of November 2010, Major League Soccer held its Expansion Draft for the arrivals of Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Among Salt Lake's unprotected players for the draft, Portland selected two: Robbie Findley and David Horst.^[1] Findley, though, following an expired contract with the Royals, declared his intentions to play overseas, with rumors circulating about him possibly playing for Danish Superliga clubs Brøndby and Randers, Premier League club Wolverhampton, even Championship club Nottingham Forest. On November 24, Randers denied rumors that Findley was on trial with the club.^[2]

Subsequent to the expansion draft, the Royals made a trade with the Timbers to bring in Salvadorian Arturo Alvarez, whom previously played his club soccer for San Jose Earthquakes,^[3] in return for allocation money and draft picks.

After much anticipation, Salt Lake agreed to buy striker Alvaro Saborio on loan from the Swiss club Sion on December 1, for a fee of around $1.0M.^[4] Saborío, spent the 2010 season on loan with the Royals where he scored 12 league goals and bagged six Champions League goals. He will sign as a Designated Player being the first in club history.^[5]

After much rumor as to where striker Robbie Findley would end up, he eventually signed for English Championship club Nottingham Forest,^[6] making Findley the first RSL player to leave for Europe since Yura Movsisyan went to Randers. Findley signed with Forest on December 23. The contract was reported to be for 2.5 years through the end of the 2012-13 English football season.

The club met in late January to begin preparations for the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal vs. Columbus on February 22.

Salt Lake spent the month of February in preparations for their Champions League semifinal. Prior to the match, they played two final tune up games against Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Chivas USA.

In their quarterfinal away fixture, in the frigid cold, 25 degrees, RSL drew Columbus 0-0.

Salt Lake opened April with a semifinal fixture on the road to Saprissa. The match, played on April 5, ended in a 2–1 victory for Saprissa, although Salt Lake would win 3–2 on aggregate, secured by Jamison Olave's half volley in the 71st minute of play.

The win booked Salt Lake a spot in the Champions League finals, in which they became the first American team to make the finals under the current format, as well as the first American team to make the finals of a CONCACAF club tournament since Los Angeles Galaxy in 2000. On April 6, it was learned that Salt Lake would be playing Monterrey of Mexico in the Champions League finals, after Monterrey pulled off a 2–1 aggregate win over Cruz Azul.

On April 9, the club would return to league play, flying out to Boston to take on New England Revolution. Because of the Champions League match three days earlier, many first team players rested this weekend and mainly a team composed of reserves and a few starters played in the game. In spite of this, Salt Lake was able to pull off a 2–0 win at New England, giving them a perfect 3-0-0 record.

Following the New England match, the club had another mid-week fixture against Rocky Mountain rivals, Colorado Rapids. Due to the club's recent success in 2011, the match was expected to be hotly contested. A crowd of nearly 15,500 showed up for the mid-week game as Salt Lake pulled off a controversial, late goal in injury time. The goal was scored by Fabián Espíndola.^[7]

Originally, Salt Lake was to host Philadelphia Union on April 23, but the Union voluntarily rescheduled their match to September 3. The Union rescheduled the match to help aid Salt Lake in their Champions League campaign.^[8]

On April 20, Salt Lake resumed Champions League play with the first leg of the 2011 CONCACAF Champions League Finals being held at Monterrey's Technology Stadium. Salt Lake found themselves trailing within the first 20 minutes of play, following a defensive mishap that led to a loose ball tapped in by Aldo de Nigris.^[9] The Claret and Cobalt would draw level in the 35th minute of play, thanks to a header off of Nat Borchers from a Javier Morales set piece, leading to a 1-1 scoreline at halftime.^[9] In the second half of play, a 62nd minute handball from Salt Lake defender Jamison Olave consequently led to a penalty kick for Los Rayados.^[9] Chilean international Humberto Suazo converted the penalty, regaining the lead for Monterrey, 2–1. In the dying minutes of the match, Salt Lake midfielder, Morales, made two cutbacks over Monterrey defenders Sergio Pérez and Neri Cardozo to score the equalizer, leading to a final scoreline of 2-2.^[9]

The draw against Monterrey resulted in only the fourth time in history that an American soccer club had tied a Mexican opponent on Mexican soil.^[10] The previous time was when D.C. United tied Toluca 1–1 in the 2009–10 edition of the Champions League. The result brings American club performance in Mexico to (0-21-4) and MLS club performance in Mexico to (0-23-6). Salt Lake will host Monterrey in the second leg of the finals on April 27 at Rio Tinto Stadium.^[9]

  Win   Tie   Loss

Note: Results are given with Real Salt Lake's score listed first.

Game	Date	Location	Opponent	Result F–A	Attendance	RSL Goalscorers
1	February 1, 2011	N	Whitecaps FC	1–2	closed door	Alvarez 49'
2	February 8, 2011	N	Sounders FC	3–3	closed door	Warner 87' 97' 99'
3	February 15, 2011	N	Chivas USA	2–0	closed door	Olave 64', Johnson 81'
4	March 9, 2011	N	Sporting	2–2	closed door	Saborío 28', Espíndola 48'
5	March 11, 2011	N	Sporting	1–0	closed door	Paulo Jr. 28'

  Win   Tie   Loss

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	LA Galaxy	34	19	5	10	48	28	+20	67	MLS Cup Conference Semifinals
2	Seattle Sounders FC	34	18	7	9	56	37	+19	63
3	Real Salt Lake	34	15	11	8	44	36	+8	53
4	FC Dallas	34	15	12	7	42	39	+3	52	MLS Cup Play-In Round
5	Colorado Rapids	34	12	9	13	46	42	+4	49
6	Portland Timbers	34	11	14	9	40	48	−8	42
7	San Jose Earthquakes	34	8	12	14	40	45	−5	38
8	Chivas USA	34	8	14	12	41	43	−2	36
9	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	34	6	18	10	35	55	−20	28

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	LA Galaxy (S, C)	34	19	5	10	48	28	+20	67	CONCACAF Champions League
2	Seattle Sounders FC	34	18	7	9	56	37	+19	63
3	Real Salt Lake	34	15	11	8	44	36	+8	53
4	FC Dallas	34	15	12	7	42	39	+3	52
5	Sporting Kansas City	34	13	9	12	50	40	+10	51
6	Houston Dynamo	34	12	9	13	45	41	+4	49	CONCACAF Champions League
7	Colorado Rapids	34	12	9	13	44	41	+3	49
8	Philadelphia Union	34	11	8	15	44	36	+8	48
9	Columbus Crew	34	13	13	8	43	44	−1	47
10	New York Red Bulls	34	10	8	16	50	44	+6	46
11	Chicago Fire	34	9	9	16	46	45	+1	43
12	Portland Timbers	34	11	14	9	40	48	−8	42
13	D.C. United	34	9	13	12	49	52	−3	39
14	San Jose Earthquakes	34	8	12	14	40	45	−5	38
15	Chivas USA	34	8	14	12	41	43	−2	36
16	Toronto FC	34	6	13	15	36	59	−23	33	CONCACAF Champions League
17	New England Revolution	34	5	16	13	38	58	−20	28
18	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	34	6	18	10	35	55	−20	28

Overall								Home						Away
Pld	Pts	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD
31	51	15	10	6	43	32	+11	10	3	3	28	14	+14	5	7	3	15	18	−3

Source: MLSSoccer.com
Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference

As of September 15, 2011.^[11]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  USA Tim Melia 2 DF  USA Tony Beltran 3 DF  USA Robbie Russell 4 DF  COL Jámison Olave 5 MF  USA Kyle Beckerman (captain) 6 DF  USA Nat Borchers 7 FW  ARG Fabián Espíndola 8 FW  CAN Will Johnson 10 MF  SLV Arturo Alvarez 11 MF  ARG Javier Morales 12 MF  HAI Jean Alexandre 13 FW  USA Chris Agorsor 14 MF  CUB Yordany Álvarez (on loan from Orlando City) 15 FW  CRC Álvaro Saborío

No. Pos. Nation Player 17 DF  USA Chris Wingert 18 GK  USA Nick Rimando 19 DF  USA Blake Wagner 20 MF  USA Ned Grabavoy 21 MF  USA Luis Gil 22 MF  ARG Nelson González (on loan from Quilmes) 23 FW  BRA Paulo Araujo Jr. (on loan from Fort Lauderdale Strikers) 24 GK  USA Kyle Reynish 25 FW  USA Donny Toia 26 MF  USA Collen Warner 27 FW  USA Cody Arnoux 28 DF  USA Chris Schuler 30 DF  USA Rauwshan McKenzie 77 MF  JAM Andy Williams

As of February 22, 2011.^[12]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  USA Tim Melia 2 DF  USA Tony Beltran 3 DF  USA Robbie Russell 4 DF  COL Jámison Olave 5 MF  USA Kyle Beckerman (captain) 6 DF  USA Nat Borchers 7 FW  ARG Fabián Espíndola 8 FW  CAN Will Johnson 10 MF  SLV Arturo Alvarez 11 MF  ARG Javier Morales 12 MF  HAI Jean Alexandre

No. Pos. Nation Player 15 FW  CRC Álvaro Saborío 17 DF  USA Chris Wingert 18 GK  USA Nick Rimando 20 MF  USA Ned Grabavoy 21 MF  USA Luis Gil 22 MF  ARG Nelson González (on loan from Quilmes) 23 FW  BRA Paulo Araujo Jr. (on loan from Fort Lauderdale Strikers) 24 GK  USA Kyle Reynish 28 DF  USA Chris Schuler 30 DF  USA Rauwshan McKenzie 77 MF  JAM Andy Williams

Home

Away

Third

Third Alternate

Type	Shirt	Shorts	Socks	First appearance / Info
Home	Claret / Cobalt sleeves	Claret	Claret
Away	White / Cobalt sleeves	White	White
Third	Gold / Cobalt sleeves	Gold	Claret
Third Alt.	Gold / Cobalt sleeves	Gold	Cobalt	MLS, May 22 against Dallas

Last updated on 18 August 2011.^[13]

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		MLS		CONCACAF Champions League		U.S. Open Cup
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	USA	Tim Melia	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
2	DF	USA	Tony Beltran	2	0	0+0	0	2+0	0	0+0	0
3	DF	USA	Robbie Russell	5	0	1+0	0	3+1	0	0+0	0
4	DF	COL	Jámison Olave	18	3	14+0	2	4+0	1	0+0	0
5	MF	USA	Kyle Beckerman	26	2	20+2	2	4+0	0	0+0	0
6	DF	USA	Nat Borchers	22	2	19+0	2	3+0	0	0+0	0
7	FW	ARG	Fabián Espíndola	21	7	15+2	6	4+0	1	0+0	0
8	FW	CAN	Will Johnson	21	2	15+2	2	4+0	0	0+0	0
10	MF	SLV	Arturo Alvarez	13	0	5+6	0	0+2	0	0+0	0
11	MF	ARG	Javier Morales	9	4	5+0	2	4+0	2	0+0	0
12	DF	HAI	Jean Alexandre	15	1	8+6	1	0+1	0	0+0	0
15	FW	CRC	Álvaro Saborío	17	8	13+0	6	4+0	2	0+0	0
16	FW	USA	Conor Chinn	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
17	DF	USA	Chris Wingert	20	0	16+1	0	3+0	0	0+0	0
18	GK	USA	Nick Rimando	25	0	21+0	0	4+0	0	0+0	0
20	MF	USA	Ned Grabavoy	23	0	18+1	0	1+3	0	0+0	0
21	MF	USA	Luis Gil	15	1	6+9	1	0+0	0	0+0	0
22	MF	ARG	Nelson González	3	1	2+1	1	0+0	0	0+0	0
23	FW	BRA	Paulo Araujo Jr.	6	2	2+3	2	0+1	0	0+0	0
24	GK	USA	Kyle Reynish	1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
25	FW	USA	Donny Toia	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
26	MF	USA	Collen Warner	18	0	10+8	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
27	FW	USA	Cody Arnoux	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
28	DF	USA	Chris Schuler	13	1	10+1	1	1+1	0	0+0	0
30	DF	USA	Rauwshan McKenzie	1	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
77	MF	JAM	Andy Williams	24	3	12+8	2	3+1	1	0+0	0

No.	Pos.	Nat.	Player
1	GK		Tim Melia	0	0	0
24	GK		Kyle Reynish	0	0	0
18	GK		Nick Rimando	0	0	0
2	DF		Tony Beltran	0	0	0
5	DF		Nat Borchers	0	0	1
30	DF		Rauwshan McKenzie	0	0	0
4	DF		Jámison Olave	1	0	0
3	DF		Robbie Russell	0	0	0
28	DF		Chris Schuler	0	0	0
17	DF		Chris Wingert	0	0	0
13	MF		Jean Alexandre	0	0	0
10	MF		Arturo Alvarez	0	0	0
5	MF		Kyle Beckerman	1	0	0
21	MF		Luis Gil	0	0	0
22	MF		Nelson González	0	0	0
20	MF		Ned Grabavoy	0	0	0
11	MF		Javier Morales	1	0	0
26	MF		Collen Warner	0	0	0
77	MF		Andy Williams	0	0	0
23	FW		Paulo Araujo Jr.	0	0	0
7	FW		Fabián Espíndola	0	0	0
8	FW		Will Johnson	0	0	1
15	FW		Álvaro Saborío	0	0	0
16	FW		Conor Chinn	0	0	0
25	FW		Donny Toia	0	0	0
27	FW		Cody Arnoux	0	0	0

Last updated on March 2, 2011

Date	Player	Position	Previous club	Fee/notes	Ref
November 24, 2010	Arturo Alvarez	MF	Portland Timbers	Acquired for SuperDraft 2nd round pick	[14]
December 1, 2010	Álvaro Saborío	FW	Sion	Reported fee of US$1.0 million	[15]
February 11, 2011	Cody Arnoux	FW	Vancouver Whitecaps	Weighted lottery	[16]
March 14, 2011	Donny Toia	FW	Pima College	Homegrown Player	[17]
March 24, 2011	Conor Chinn	FW	New York Red Bulls	Free	[18]
May 27, 2011	Artur Aghasyan	FW	Unattached	Free	[19]
July 20, 2011	Chris Agorsor	FW	Philadelphia Union	Free	[20]
August 16, 2011	Blake Wagner	DF	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	Free	[21]
September 15, 2011	Nico Muñiz	MF	Real Salt Lake Academy	Free; not eligible for first-team roster until 2012	[22]

Date	Player	Position	Destination club	Fee/notes	Ref
November 24, 2010	Robbie Findley	FW	Portland Timbers	Expansion Draft	[23]
November 24, 2010	David Horst	DF	Portland Timbers	Expansion Draft	[23]
November 24, 2010	Alex Nimo	MF		Waived	[24]
February 28, 2011	Pablo Campos	FW	Carolina RailHawks	Waived, free transfer	[25]
May 27, 2011	Conor Chinn	FW	Atlanta Silverbacks	Waived, free transfer	[19]
July 28, 2011	Artur Aghasyan	FW	Los Angeles Blues	Released, free transfer	[26]

Date	Player	Position	Loaned from	Fee/notes	Ref
July 12, 2010	Nelson González	MF	Quilmes	Loan thru 2011 season	[27]
December 27, 2010	Paulo Araujo Jr.	FW	Fort Lauderdale Strikers	Loan thru 2011 season with RSL purchase option at season's end	[28]
September 15, 2011	Yordany Álvarez	MF	Orlando City	Loan thru remainder of 2011 MLS season	[29]

Competition	Started round	Current position / round	Final position / round	First match	Last match
MLS	—	1st		March 19, 2011	October 22, 2011
MLS Western Conference	—	1st		March 19, 2011	October 22, 2011
CONCACAF Champions League	Group stage	Finals	Finals	August 22, 2010	April 27, 2011
U.S. Open Cup	Third round	Quarter-finals

Updated to match played 11 July 2011
Source: Competitions

Real Salt Lake is in the #8 position in the MLS Allocation Ranking. The allocation ranking is the mechanism used to determine which MLS club has first priority to acquire a U.S. National Team player who signs with MLS after playing abroad, or a former MLS player who returns to the league after having gone to a club abroad for a transfer fee. A ranking can be traded, provided that part of the compensation received in return is another club's ranking.^[30]

Real Salt Lake possesses 6 international roster spots.^[28] Each club in Major League Soccer is allocated 8 international roster spots, which can be traded. The club dealt one spot permanently to Colorado Rapids on 29 June 2005^[31] and dealt another spot permanently to Chivas USA on 24 November 2004.^[32] The club also dealt a spot to Kansas City on 23 February 2010^[33] but use of that roster spot was for the 2010 season only.^[34]

There is no limit on the number of international slots on each club's roster. The remaining roster slots must belong to domestic players. For clubs based in the United States, a domestic player is either a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident (green card holder) or the holder of other special status (e.g., refugee or asylum status).^[30]

Future picks acquired: 2012 SuperDraft conditional pick acquired from Chivas USA.
Future picks traded: None.

Real Salt Lake maintains the MLS rights to Yura Movsisyan after the player declined a contract offer by the club and signed overseas on a free transfer.