mls game notes: sporting kc vs. real salt lake

(W-L-T) LEAD TIED TRAIL SCORE ALLOWKC 2-0-0 3-0-0 0-0-0 4-0-0 1-0-0RSL 4-0-0 1-1-0 0-0-0 4-0-0 1-1-0

SPORTING KANSAS CITY REAL SALT LAKE Date Score (Gms since) Date Score (Gms since)Home win 4/07/2012 KC 1, LA 0 (0) 4/07/2012 RSL 2, COL 0 (0)Road win 4/01/2012 KC 1, CHV 0 (0) 3/31/2012 RSL 3, POR 2 (0)Home loss 8/27/2011 KC 2, DAL 3 (8) 3/24/2012 RSL 0, CHV 1 (2)Road loss 9/17/2011 KC 0, RSL 1 (4) 10/06/2011 RSL 0, VAN 3 (3)Tie game 10/01/2011 KC 1, SJ 1 (7) 10/22/2011 RSL 1, POR 1 (6)Shutout for 4/07/2012 KC 1, LA 0 (0) 4/07/2012 RSL 2, COL 0 (0)Shutout vs. 9/17/2011 KC 0, RSL 1 (10) 3/24/2012 RSL 0, CHV 1 (3)

Sporting KC WWWWWReal Salt Lake WWLWWW

GOALS SCORED IN GAME GP 0 1 2 3 4+ TOT AVGKC 5 0 3 1 1 0 8 1.60RSL 6 1 1 2 2 0 11 1.83

GOALS ALLOWED IN GAME GP 0 1 2 3 4+ TOT AVGKC 5 4 1 0 0 0 1 0.20RSL 6 3 2 1 0 0 4 0.67

GOALS SCORED Total 1-15 16-30 31-45 46-60 61-75 76-90KC 8 0 1 3 2 0 2RSL 11 1 1 2 2 1 4

GOALS ALLOWED Total 1-15 16-30 31-45 46-60 61-75 76-90KC 1 0 1 0 0 0 0RSL 4 0 0 0 1 3 0

GOALSCORING RECORD

GOALS BY INTERVALS

RECORD AT HALFTIME RECORD WITH FIRST GOAL

THE LAST TIME

GAME-BY-GAME: WON/LOST/TIED

SPORTINGG: 3 Kamara/SapongA: 5 ZusiSHT: 30 KamaraSOG: 14 KamaraFC: 13 Kamara FS: 10 KamaraOF: 3 SapongC: 2 MyersE: 0

REALG: 3 EspindolaA: 2 BeltranSHT: 20 EspindolaSOG: 10 EspindolaFC: 17 BeckermanFS: 9 VelasquezOF: 7 Paulo Jr/EspindolaC: 3 BeckermanE: 0

TEAM LEADERS

GP W-L-T PTS GF GA Sporting KC 5 5-0-0 15 8 1at home 3 3-0-0 9 6 1

Real 6 5-1-0 15 11 4on road 2 2-0-0 6 6 3

2012 SEASON RECORDS

LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEADALL-TIME (14 meetings): Sporting 6 wins, 20 goals … Real 5 wins, 19 goals … Ties 3

AT KC (7 meetings): Sporting 4 wins, 11 goals … Real 1 win, 7 goals … Ties 2

LAST YEAR (MLS):8/3: KC 2, RSL 0 (Espinoza 29; Bunbury 34)9/17: RSL 1, KC 0 (Borchers 54)

1Nielsen

11Convey

7Myers

8Zusi

23Kamara

16Sinovic

17Sapong

55Julio Cesar

15Espinoza

78Collin

5Besler

15Saborio

2Beltran

5Beckerman

21Gil26

Velasquez

17Wingert 6

Borchers

4Olave

8Johnson

18Rimando

7Espindola

SPORTING KC1 Jimmy Nielsen (GK)2 Michael Harrington (DF)3 Korede Aiyegbusi (DF)4 Kevin Ellis (DF)5 Matt Besler (DF)6 Paulo Nagamura (MF)7 Chance Myers (DF)8 Graham Zusi (MF)9 Teal Bunbury (FW)11 Bobby Convey (MF)12 Konrad Warzycha (FW)13 Lawrence Olum (DF)14 Dom Dwyer (FW)15 Roger Espinoza (MF)16 Seth Sinovic (DF)17 C.J. Sapong (FW)18 Eric Kronberg (GK)19 Peterson Joseph (MF)20 Shawn Singh (DF)21 Jon Kempin (GK)22 Soony Saad (FW)23 Kei Kamara (FW)24 Cyprian Hedrick (DF)32 Luke Sassano (DF)37 Jacob Peterson (MF)55 Julio Cesar (DF)78 Aurelien Collin (DF)88 Michael Thomas (MF)

REAL SALT LAKE1 Eduardo Fernandez (GK)2 Tony Beltran (DF)3 Diogo de Almeida (DF)4 Jamison Olave (DF)5 Kyle Beckerman (MF)6 Nat Borchers (DF)7 Fabian Espindola (FW)8 Will Johnson (MF)11 Javier Morales (MF)12 Emiliano Bonfigli (FW)14 Yordany Alvarez (MF)15 Alvaro Saborio (FW)16 Nico Muniz (MF)17 Chris Wingert (DF)18 Nick Rimando (GK)19 Enzo Martinez (MF)20 Ned Grabavoy (MF)21 Luis Gil (MF)22 Jonny Steele (MF)23 Paulo Araujo Jr. (FW)24 Kyle Reynish (GK)26 Sebastian Velasquez (MF)27 Cody Arnoux (FW)28 Chris Schuler (DF)44 Leone Cruz (DF)53 Terakazu Tanaka (DF)

ROSTERSPROBABLE LINEUPS

REFEREE: Kevin Stott.SAR (bench): Adam Wienckowski; JAR (opposite): Brian Poeschel;

4th: Tyler Ploeger

SPORTINGWed. Apr. 18 at Vancouver

Sat. Apr. 21 at PortlandSat. May 5 Montreal

Sat. May 12 at Chicago

UPCOMING MATCHES

SPORTING KANSAS CITY v REAL SALT LAKE(April 14, Livestrong Sporting Park, 7:30 p.m. CT)

INJURY REPORTS

DISCIPLINARY SITUATION

INTERNATIONAL DUTY

SUSPENDED: noneWARNINGS (suspended next yellow card): none

none

SPORTING KANSAS CITY – OUT: GK Eric Kronberg (lower back injury); PROBABLE: DF Cyprian Hedrick (R Achilles tendinitis) … REAL SALT LAKE – OUT: MF Nico Muñiz (R MCL sprain); DOUBTFUL: FW Cody Arnoux (L adductor strain); MF Ned Grabavoy (L rib cage dislocation); MF Enzo Martinez (lower back spasms); MF Javier Morales (R hamstring strain)

REALSat. Apr. 21 at San Jose

Wed. Apr. 25 at FC DallasSat. Apr. 28 Toronto FC

Sat. May 5 New England

GOALS SCOREDMINUTES PER GOAL

RIGHT FOOTLEFT FOOTHEADERS

OTHER

OPEN PLAYCROSS

CORNERREBOUND PENALTIES

DIRECT FROM FREE KICKFREE KICK (INDIRECT)

OWN GOALS

INSIDE GOAL AREAINSIDE PENALTY AREA

OUTSIDE PENALTY AREA

F A 11 4 49 135

6 3 5 0 0 1 0 0

6 2 1 2 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

0 0 10 3 1 1

F A 8 1 56 450

3 1 1 0 4 0 0 0

3 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0

3 0 5 0 0 1

WHERE THE GOALS COME FROM

HOW SCORED

TYPE OF PLAY

DISTANCE

SPORTING REAL

SPORTING KANSAS CITY v REAL SALT LAKE(April 14, Livestrong Sporting Park, 7:30 p.m. CT - MLS Game 50)

2012 CAREERNo. Player Pos Ht Wt Birthdate Birthplace GP GS G A GP GS G A1 Jimmy Nielsen GK 6-3 200 08/06/1977 Aalborg, Denmark 5 5 0 0 65 65 0 02 Michael Harrington DF 6-0 170 01/24/1986 Greenville, NC 0 0 0 0 138 119 5 133 Korede Aiyegbusi DF 5-5 155 07/15/1988 London, England 0 0 0 0 8 2 0 04 Kevin Ellis DF 5-9 160 06/30/1991 Kansas City, MO 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 05 Matt Besler DF 6-0 170 02/11/1987 Kansas City, MO 5 5 0 0 77 73 2 26 Paulo Nagamura MF 5-8 154 03/02/1983 Sao Paulo, Brazil 3 0 0 0 160 144 9 147 Chance Myers DF 6-0 165 12/07/1987 Thousand Oaks, CA 5 5 0 1 64 42 0 38 Graham Zusi MF 5-10 160 08/18/1986 Orlando, FL 5 5 1 5 69 39 7 139 Teal Bunbury FW 6-2 175 02/27/1990 Hamilton, Ontario, Canada 3 1 0 0 58 34 14 511 Bobby Convey MF 5-9 150 05/27/1983 Philadelphia, PA 5 5 0 1 169 157 11 3112 Konrad Warzycha FW 6-1 190 02/14/1989 Zabrze, Poland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 013 Lawrence Olum DF 6-2 185 07/10/1984 Nairobi, Kenya 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 014 Dom Dwyer FW 5-9 180 07/30/1990 Cuckfield, England 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 015 Roger Espinoza MF 5-11 160 10/25/1986 Puerto Cortes, Honduras 5 5 0 0 92 72 2 916 Seth Sinovic DF 5-9 170 01/28/1987 Kansas City, MO 5 5 0 1 45 43 0 117 C.J. Sapong FW 6-2 185 12/27/1988 Manassas, VA 5 4 3 0 39 26 8 518 Eric Kronberg GK 6-5 210 06/07/1983 Santa Rosa, CA 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 019 Peterson Joseph MF 5-8 132 04/24/1990 Port-au-Prince, Haiti 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 020 Shawn Singh DF 5-9 145 05/05/1989 Bakersfield, CA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 021 Jon Kempin GK 6-1 170 04/08/1993 Overland Park, KS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 022 Soony Saad FW 5-10 165 08/17/1992 Dearborn, MI 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 023 Kei Kamara MF 6-3 186 09/01/1984 Kenema, Sierra Leone 5 5 3 1 150 110 37 1424 Cyprian Hedrick DF 6-0 185 10/06/1989 Duala, Cameroon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 032 Luke Sassano DF 6-0 170 10/14/1985 Orinda, CA 1 0 0 0 48 30 1 037 Jacob Peterson MF 5-10 165 01/27/1986 Portage, MI 4 0 0 0 142 82 9 1055 Julio Cesar MF 6-1 170 11/18/1978 Sao Luis, Maranhao, Brazil 5 5 0 0 32 30 2 278 Aurelien Collin DF 6-2 169 03/08/1986 Enghien-les-Bains, France 5 5 1 0 28 26 4 088 Michael Thomas MF 5-10 190 03/08/1989 Olathe, KS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

HEAD COACH : Peter Vermes 11/21/1966 W32 L28 T21

SPORTING KANSAS CITY

2012 CAREERNo. Player Pos Ht Wt Birthdate Birthplace GP GS G A GP GS G A 1 Eduardo Fernandez GK 6-3 170 12/16/1992 Guadalajara, Mexico 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 02 Tony Beltran DF 5-8 150 10/11/1987 Claremont, CA 6 6 0 2 84 73 0 53 Diogo de Almeida DF 6-0 175 01/02/1989 Piricicaba, Brazil 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 04 Jamison Olave DF 6-3 210 04/21/1981 Medellin, Colombia 6 6 0 0 105 104 10 15 Kyle Beckerman MF 5-11 165 04/23/1982 Crofton, MD 6 6 1 0 275 247 25 336 Nat Borchers DF 6-2 175 04/13/1981 Tucson, AZ 2 2 0 0 204 203 8 47 Fabian Espindola FW 5-9 160 05/04/1985 Merlo, Buenos Aires, Argenti 6 5 3 1 101 82 29 118 Will Johnson MF 5-10 155 01/21/1987 Toronto, Ontario, Canada 3 2 0 1 97 84 7 611 Javier Morales MF 5-9 165 01/10/1980 Lomas de Zamora, Buenos Aire 5 1 1 1 103 93 18 3512 Emiliano Bonfigli FW 5-10 148 02/23/1989 Bahia Blanca, Argentina 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 014 Yordany Alvarez MF 5-10 165 05/24/1985 Cienfuegos, Cuba 2 0 0 0 7 4 0 015 Alvaro Saborio FW 6-0 170 03/25/1982 San Carlos, Costa Rica 6 2 2 1 56 47 25 716 Nico Muniz MF 5-10 155 10/18/1992 Albuquerque, NM 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 017 Chris Wingert DF 5-10 170 06/16/1982 Babylon, NY 5 5 0 0 192 161 1 1118 Nick Rimando GK 5-9 184 06/17/1979 Montclair, CA 6 6 0 0 294 294 0 619 Enzo Martinez MF 5-7 160 09/29/1990 Montevideo, Uruguay 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 020 Ned Grabavoy MF 5-7 150 07/01/1983 Joliet, IL 5 4 0 0 167 121 8 1721 Luis Gil MF 5-8 150 11/14/1993 Garden Grove, CA 6 6 1 1 31 20 3 122 Jonny Steele MF 6-0 180 02/07/1986 Larne, Northern Ireland 5 1 1 0 5 1 1 023 Paulo Junior FW 5-7 158 01/23/1989 Teresina, Brazil 5 5 1 1 19 10 3 524 Kyle Reynish GK 6-3 193 11/03/1983 Valencia, CA 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 026 Sebastian Velasquez MF 5-11 155 02/11/1991 Medillin, Colombia 4 4 0 0 4 4 0 027 Cody Arnoux FW 5-10 170 04/13/1988 Stony Brook, NY 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 028 Chris Schuler DF 6-4 185 09/09/1987 St. Louis, MO 4 4 0 0 25 21 2 044 Leone Cruz DF 6-0 172 06/13/1987 Round Rock, TX 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 053 Terakazu Tanaka DF 5-8 150 07/14/1985 Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0

HEAD COACH : Jason Kreis 12/29/1972 W62 L51 T43

REAL SALT LAKE

MLS GAME INFORMATION

SPORTING KANSAS CITY vs REAL SALT LAKE LIVESTRONG SPORTING PARK, Kansas City, Kan.

April 14, 2012 (WEEK 6, MLS Game #50) 7:30 p.m. CT (KSMO; KTVX-ABC4) A mouthwatering early-season clash is in the offing on Saturday night at Livestrong Sporting Park when Eastern Conference-leading Sporting Kansas City play host to the Western Conference leaders, Real Salt Lake. Sporting are the first team in more than a decade to open an MLS season with five wins in five games, after a 1-0 home win vs. the LA Galaxy. Real have won five times in six outings after their 2-0 home win vs. Colorado last weekend. REFEREE: Kevin Stott. SAR (bench): Adam Wienckowski; JAR (opposite): Brian Poeschel; 4th: Tyler Ploeger MLS Career: 216 games; FC/gm: 25.8; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 58; pens: 44 INJURY REPORT: SPORTING KANSAS CITY – OUT: GK Eric Kronberg (lower back injury); PROBABLE: DF Cyprian Hedrick (R Achilles tendinitis) … REAL SALT LAKE – OUT: MF Nico Muñiz (R MCL sprain); DOUBTFUL: FW Cody Arnoux (L adductor strain); MF Ned Grabavoy (L rib cage dislocation); MF Enzo Martinez (lower back spasms); MF Javier Morales (R hamstring strain) INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none SUSPENDED: none WARNINGS: SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: RSL: Kyle Beckerman HEAD-TO-HEAD ALL-TIME (14 meetings): Sporting 6 wins, 20 goals … Real 5 wins, 19 goals … Ties 3 AT KC (7 meetings): Sporting 4 wins, 11 goals … Real 1 win, 7 goals … Ties 2 LAST YEAR (MLS): 8/3: KC 2, RSL 0 (Espinoza 29; Bunbury 34) 9/17: RSL 1, KC 0 (Borchers 54)

This is the only league meeting between the teams this season. Both teams held serve in 2011, each winning on their own home field, including a 2-0 Sporting win on Aug. 3 in

their first encounter at Livestrong Sporting Park. In the last six seasons, the road teams have won just twice – both coming in 2009, when each club won on the

other’s home ground (RSL 2-0 in KC; KC 1-0 at RSL). Coaches record: Peter Vermes vs. RSL: P5 W1 L3 D1 … Jason Kreis vs. KC: P10 W4 L4 D2

SPORTING KANSAS CITY Sporting Kansas City became the first team in more than a decade to open a Major League Soccer season with five wins on the trot, defeating the LA Galaxy 1-0 at Livestrong Sporting Park. Sporting have 15 points from 5 matches to lead the Eastern Conference. LAST MATCH

The game's only goal came after 40 minutes. From the right wing, Bobby Convey sent a cross toward the six-yard box. Kei Kamara dove and buried the ball just inside the right post.

The Galaxy were not credited with a single attempt at goal on target for the game. Sporting head coach Peter Vermes made no changes to his team for a third match in a row, maintaining the

side that defeated Chivas USA 1-0 at The Home Depot Center. SPORTING KANSAS CITY (4-2-3-1): Jimmy Nielsen - Chance Myers, Aurelien Collin, Matt Besler, Seth

Sinovic - Julio Cesar (Paulo Nagamura 78), Roger Espinoza - Kei Kamara, Graham Zusi, Bobby Convey (Jacob Peterson 69) - C.J. Sapong (Teal Bunbury 87).

TEAM NEWS Sporting Kansas City became the first team since 1998 to start a season with five victories in five games. The

1996 LA Galaxy started their history with 12 consecutive victories – the first nine coming in regulation time (in the end, two in the stretch came via shootout). The 1998 LA Galaxy started the year with nine consecutive wins – the first in a shootout, then eight in a row in regulation.

“We’re excited to be off to such a good start, but we have got to stay humble and hungry. There’s no reason to be satisfied this early in the season,” said defender Seth Sinovic.


For a second consecutive match, Sporting did not allow a single goal attempt on target. SKC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen has not faced a shot on goal in 245 minutes, since their only goal conceded on the season (a free kick by FC Dallas’ Ricardo Villar).

“Shots on target: Zero, in the whole game, again. That’s pretty impressive,” Nielsen said. “The guys in front of me are making my job very easy. Personally, I have to prepare for myself different to the games compared to last year. Last year it was very simple for me to be in the game, this year it’s different. I have to prepare myself to be there for one chance, two chances the whole game. Last year, I probably had six or seven saves in each game.”

The game’s lone goal came when Bobby Convey, nominally stationed on the left flank, switched sides with Kei Kamara. He cut in on his left foot and served the cross for Kamara to head home.

“The guys on our team can all switch positions,” said Convey. “That’s a great option that we have in attacking. Each player can fill in for the others, and we do that to throw off the defense.”

The Sporting attack has also been helped by fullbacks Seth Sinovic and Chance Myers getting forward into the attack.

“I thought what was really good in his game today was him getting forward,” manager Peter Vermes said Sinovic. “He found himself in positions that really helped us relieve pressure by switching the point of attack to him, because of the width that he provided us in the game.”

It was Convey’s first assist since coming to SKC in the offseason. “I’ve always been the guy that had to create and had to score,” he said. “It’s nice here that I’m not that person. It’s nice to have other players doing well and scoring goals. There’s a little bit of pressure with me being the only new player and bringing me in to win the championship, but other than that I don’t feel any pressure.”

Sporting won a game by a 1-0 scoreline for a third time this season, in their fourth shutout. A year ago, the LA Galaxy won nine matches by a 1-0 result on their way to an MLS Cup championship.

“You have to win games in many different ways. Sometimes you’re down a goal and you have to come back and you have to fight back. Sometimes you get a goal and you have to be able to defend the house and the guys have done that,” Vermes said. “That’s a good quality to have, to know how to win games scoring one goal and being able to hold the lead.

REAL SALT LAKE Real Salt Lake won for the second time in a week at their Rio Tinto Stadium home, defeating the Colorado Rapids 2-0 on Saturday evening in the first Rocky Mountain Cup match of the year. Real lead the Western Conference with 15 points from 6 games. LAST MATCH

Real Salt Lake grabbed the lead just 20 minutes into the game when defender Tony Beltran picked out Saborio with a left-footed ball behind the Rapids backline. Saborío timed his run to perfection, ghosted in behind the defense, chested the ball down and easily poked it past Colorado goalkeeper Matt Pickens.

In the 57th minute, Espíndola scored RSL’s second. The Argentinean appeared to bring down a Luis Gil pass with his left arm just outside of the area, but play wasn’t stopped and somehow Espíndola was able to poke the ball away from two closing defenders and past Pickens.

RSL head coach Jason Kreis made five changes to the team that hung on for a 1-0 win against the Montréal Impact at Rio Tinto Stadium. Nat Borchers and Chris Wingert came into the back four for Terakazu Tanaka and Chris Schuler, Sebastian Velasquez started in midfield for Jonny Steele, and Fabian Espindola came in up top for Paulo Junior.

REAL SALT LAKE (4-3-1-2): Nick Rimando - Tony Beltran, Jamison Olave, Nat Borchers, Chris Wingert - Sebastian Velasquez (Jonny Steele 59), Kyle Beckerman, Will Johnson - Luis Gil (Yordany Alvarez 82) - Fabian Espindola (Emiliano Bonfigli 92+), Alvaro Saborio.

TEAM NEWS After playing four games out of the last five at Rio Tinto Stadium – where Real took 9 of a possible 12 points –

the trip to Sporting KC kicks off three consecutive road tilts and five of the next seven on the road. “Three matches and nine points,” RSL head coach Jason Kreis said of defeating Portland, Montréal and

Colorado over an eight-day span. “Two out of three extremely good performances – so we have to be pleased with where we are at right now.”

Real posted a second consecutive shutout, having now not allowed a goal in 205 consecutive minutes. “I think they were just up for it,” Kreis said. “It certainly didn’t have anything to do with good coaching. I think the

guys all knew Wednesday night was a disappointing effort, and I think everybody wanted to do better.” Said defender Nat Borchers: “We were disappointed with how we fought (vs. Montreal). That’s just one of the intangibles of this game. It doesn’t matter how good you are, if you can’t bring that competitive fight to the game, you are going to get beat.”

Tony Beltran recorded two assists in a game for the first time in his professional career. He had never had more than a single assist in a year in his first four MLS seasons.


“I think when I first came here I was a little bit raw, and that was a big area that I needed to improve,” said Beltran. “My second and third season in particular, I did a lot of repetition work, and I feel that’s really paid off and, hopefully, I can deliver some more good balls this year.”

Fabian Espindola scored his third goal of the season. It was his 29th goal for Real Salt Lake, coming in 101 games, tying him with Robbie Findley for the all-time club lead.

Álvaro Saborío kept pace, scoring his second goal of the season. Each has come in a starting performance (also starting vs. Portland), after overcoming preseason injuries.

“I’m really amazed at both Fabian Espíndola and Álvaro Saborío – to me, they both looked extremely alert and bright,” Kreis said. “I’m pleased that they both got on the scoreboard, but probably more pleased with their defensive effort. When they are that in tune for giving for the team we almost always get results.”

Luis Gil recorded his first MLS assist. Gil was originally slated to miss the match, on duty with the U.S. U-20 national team, but with injuries to midfielders Ned Grabavoy and Javier Morales, he remained with the club. Gil has started all six of RSL’s contests this season.

“It was difficult; it was a difficult schedule against tough teams,” Gil said. “We battled through it and I felt like we didn’t have our best play the game before (against Montreal) and now we came out, we were in our home. We had to show them what we were here for and we’ve got to defend our house.”

2012 SPORTING KANSAS CITY STATISTICS (5-0-0, 15 pts.) UNF POS PLAYER GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E 23 M Kei Kamara 5 5 450 3 1 30 14 13 10 2 1 0 0 17 F C.J. Sapong 5 4 354 3 0 11 8 5 8 3 0 0 0 8 M Graham Zusi 5 5 415 1 5 15 5 8 5 1 17 1 0 78 D Aurelien Collin 5 5 419 1 0 5 2 8 3 0 0 1 0 11 M Bobby Convey 5 5 406 0 1 2 1 1 1 0 10 0 0 7 D Chance Myers 5 5 450 0 1 4 1 10 3 0 0 2 0 16 D Seth Sinovic 5 5 450 0 1 3 0 4 7 0 0 1 0 5 D Matt Besler 5 5 450 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 9 F Teal Bunbury 3 1 96 0 0 7 1 4 2 0 0 1 0 15 M Roger Espinoza 5 5 450 0 0 11 1 7 7 0 1 1 0 55 M Julio Cesar 5 5 424 0 0 4 1 6 6 0 0 0 0 6 M Paulo Nagamura 3 0 46 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 G Jimmy Nielsen 5 5 450 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 D Lawrence Olum 2 0 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 37 M Jacob Peterson 4 0 44 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 32 D Luke Sassano 1 0 14 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 D Korede Aiyegbusi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 F Dom Dwyer 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 D Kevin Ellis 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 D Michael Harrington 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 M Peterson Joseph 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 21 G Jon Kempin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 G Eric Kronberg 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 22 F Soony Saad 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 D Shawn Singh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 88 M Michael Thomas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Team totals 5 5 450 8 9 95 34 67 56 7 30 7 0 Opponent totals 5 5 450 1 0 36 8 56 67 9 12 4 1 GAME-WINNING GOALS: C.J. Sapong 2, Kei Kamara 2, Graham Zusi 1 GAME-WINNING ASSISTS: Graham Zusi 3, Chance Myers 1, Kei Kamara 1, Bobby Convey 1 PENALTY KICK GOALS/ATTEMPTS: Kei Kamara 0-1 SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL GOALKEEPING UNF POS GOALKEEPER GP GS MIN SHTS SV GA GAA PG PA W L T SO 1 G Jimmy Nielsen 5 5 450 8 7 1 0.20 0 0 5 0 0 4 Team totals 5 5 450 8 7 1 0.20 0 0 5 0 0 4 Opponent totals 5 5 450 34 25 8 1.60 0 1 0 5 0 0 * = Played with other teams in 2012. Only Sporting Kansas City statistics listed here.

2012 REAL SALT LAKE STATISTICS (5-1-0, 15 pts.) UNF POS PLAYER GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E 7 F Fabian Espindola 6 5 469 3 1 20 10 8 7 7 2 0 0 15 F Alvaro Saborio 6 2 289 2 1 12 4 3 2 3 0 0 0 21 M Luis Gil 6 6 405 1 1 5 1 3 3 0 0 2 0 11 M Javier Morales 5 1 212 1 1 4 3 2 7 0 9 1 0 23 F Paulo Junior 5 5 321 1 1 9 4 4 1 7 1 0 0 5 M Kyle Beckerman 6 6 540 1 0 10 1 17 5 0 15 3 0 22 M Jonny Steele 5 1 131 1 0 1 1 2 3 0 0 0 0 2 D Tony Beltran 6 6 528 0 2 3 2 3 2 0 0 0 0 8 M Will Johnson 3 2 211 0 1 3 1 4 4 0 0 0 0 14 M Yordany Alvarez 2 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 F Emiliano Bonfigli 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 D Nat Borchers 2 2 180 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 M Ned Grabavoy 5 4 387 0 0 2 1 3 8 0 0 0 0 4 D Jamison Olave 6 6 540 0 0 2 0 7 5 0 0 1 0 18 G Nick Rimando 6 6 540 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 28 D Chris Schuler 4 4 360 0 0 3 0 4 0 0 0 1 0 53 D Terakazu Tanaka 1 1 90 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 26 M Sebastian Velasquez 4 4 277 0 0 6 0 3 9 0 0 0 0 17 D Chris Wingert 5 5 450 0 0 1 0 9 2 0 0 0 0 27 F Cody Arnoux 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 44 D Leone Cruz 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 D Diogo de Almeida 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 G Eduardo Fernandez 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 M Enzo Martinez 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 M Nico Muniz 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24 G Kyle Reynish 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Own-goals received 1 Team totals 6 6 540 11 8 81 28 73 63 17 27 8 0 Opponent totals 6 6 540 4 3 69 22 63 73 16 33 12 0 GAME-WINNING GOALS: Alvaro Saborio 1, Javier Morales 1, Fabian Espindola 1, Kyle Beckerman 1 Paulo Junior 1 GAME-WINNING ASSISTS: Fabian Espindola 1, Tony Beltran 1, Paulo Junior 1 PENALTY KICK GOALS/ATTEMPTS: Alvaro Saborio 1-1, Paulo Junior 1-1 REAL SALT LAKE INDIVIDUAL GOALKEEPING UNF POS GOALKEEPER GP GS MIN SHTS SV GA GAA PG PA W L T SO 18 G Nick Rimando 6 6 540 22 18 4 0.67 0 0 5 1 0 3 Team totals 6 6 540 22 18 4 0.67 0 0 5 1 0 3 Opponent totals 6 6 540 28 17 11 1.83 2 2 1 5 0 1 * = Played with other teams in 2012. Only Real Salt Lake statistics listed here.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2012 SCHEDULE DAY DATE OPPONENT RESULT ATT. W-L-T POS. PTS NOTES: Sat. Mar. 10 at D.C. United W 1-0 16,314 1-0-0 1 3 KC: Sapong (93+) Sat. Mar. 17 New England W 3-0 19,777 2-0-0 T1 6 KC: Zusi (28) Kamara (39) Sapong (47) Sun. Mar. 25 FC Dallas W 2-1 15,161 3-0-0 1 9 KC: Collin (49+) Kamara (88); DAL: Villar (25) Sun. Apr. 1 at Chivas USA W 1-0 13,372 4-0-0 1 12 KC: Sapong (47) Sat. Apr. 7 Los Angeles W 1-0 20,323 5-0-0 1 15 KC: Kamara (40) Sat. Apr. 14 Real Salt Lake Wed. Apr. 18 at Vancouver Sat. Apr. 21 at Portland Sat. May 5 Montreal Sat. May 12 at Chicago Sat. May 19 at Colorado Sun. May 27 San Jose Sat. June 16 Toronto FC Wed. June 20 at Seattle Sat. June 23 at Philadelphia Fri. June 29 Chicago Wed. July 4 at Montreal Sat. July 7 Houston Sat. July 14 at Columbus Wed. July 18 at Houston Sat. July 21 New England Sat. July 28 Columbus Sat. Aug. 4 at New England Sat. Aug. 11 D.C. United Sat. Aug. 18 at Toronto FC Sun. Aug. 26 New York Sat. Sept. 1 Toronto FC Fri. Sept. 14 Houston Wed. Sept. 19 at New York Sat. Sept. 22 at Montreal Fri. Sept. 28 Chicago Sun. Oct. 7 at Columbus Sat. Oct. 20 at New York Wed. Oct. 24 Philadelphia REAL SALT LAKE 2012 SCHEDULE DAY DATE OPPONENT RESULT ATT. W-L-T POS. PTS NOTES: Sat. Mar. 10 at Los Angeles W 3-1 27,000 1-0-0 T1 3 RSL: own goal (73) Morales (80) Espindola (85); LA: Buddle (71) Sat. Mar. 17 New York W 2-0 16,738 2-0-0 T1 6 RSL: Espindola (39) Gil (58) Sat. Mar. 24 Chivas USA L 0-1 20,415 2-1-0 T2 6 CHV: Townsend (72) Sat. Mar. 31 at Portland W 3-2 20,438 3-1-0 T1 9 RSL: Saborio (39) Steele (89) Beckerman (93+); POR: Nagbe (48,65) Wed. Apr. 4 Montreal W 1-0 20,191 4-1-0 1 12 RSL: Paulo Jr (13) Sat. Apr. 7 Colorado W 2-0 16,870 5-1-0 1 15 RSL: Saborio (20) Espindola (57) Sat. Apr. 14 at Sporting KC Sat. Apr. 21 at San Jose Wed. Apr. 25 at FC Dallas Sat. Apr. 28 Toronto FC Sat. May 5 New England Wed. May 9 at Chicago Sat. May 12 at Seattle Sat. May 26 FC Dallas Sat. June 16 at Chivas USA Wed. June 20 Los Angeles Sat. June 23 San Jose Sat. June 30 at Columbus Wed. July 4 Seattle Sat. July 7 Portland Sat. July 14 at San Jose Wed. July 18 at Seattle Sat. July 21 Colorado Fri. July 27 Vancouver Sat. Aug. 4 at Colorado Sat. Aug. 11 at Vancouver Sat. Aug. 18 FC Dallas Fri. Aug. 24 at Philadelphia Sat. Sept. 1 D.C. United Thu. Sept. 6 at Houston Sat. Sept. 22 Portland Sat. Sept. 29 at Chivas USA Sat. Oct. 6 at Los Angeles Sat. Oct. 27 Vancouver

SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL HIGH GAMES (2012) Goals 1 8 times Assists 2 Graham Zusi 03/25/2012 vs. DAL W 2-1 Shots 11 Kei Kamara 03/25/2012 vs. DAL W 2-1 Shots on Goal 5 Kei Kamara 03/25/2012 vs. DAL W 2-1 Fouls Committed 5 Kei Kamara 04/07/2012 vs. LA W 1-0 Fouls Suffered 4 Roger Espinoza 03/10/2012 at DC W 1-0 Offside 2 Kei Kamara 03/17/2012 vs. NE W 3-0 2 C.J. Sapong 03/17/2012 vs. NE W 3-0 Saves 6 Jimmy Nielsen 03/17/2012 vs. NE W 3-0 Shots Faced 6 Jimmy Nielsen 03/17/2012 vs. NE W 3-0 Goals Allowed 1 Jimmy Nielsen 03/25/2012 vs. DAL W 2-1

TEAM HIGH GAMES (2012) Goals 3 03/17/2012 vs. NE W 3-0 Assists 3 03/17/2012 vs. NE W 3-0 3 03/25/2012 vs. DAL W 2-1 Shots 27 03/17/2012 vs. NE W 3-0 Shots on Goal 9 03/25/2012 vs. DAL W 2-1 Fouls Committed 16 03/10/2012 at DC W 1-0 Fouls Suffered 12 03/10/2012 at DC W 1-0 12 04/07/2012 vs. LA W 1-0 Corner Kicks 7 03/25/2012 vs. DAL W 2-1 7 04/01/2012 at CHV W 1-0 7 04/07/2012 vs. LA W 1-0 Offside 4 03/17/2012 vs. NE W 3-0 Saves 6 03/17/2012 vs. NE W 3-0 Shots Faced 6 03/17/2012 vs. NE W 3-0 Goals Allowed 1 03/25/2012 vs. DAL W 2-1

TEAM LOW GAMES (2012) Shots 14 04/07/2012 vs. LA W 1-0 Shots on Goal 4 04/07/2012 vs. LA W 1-0 Fouls Committed 9 04/07/2012 vs. LA W 1-0 Fouls Suffered 10 03/17/2012 vs. NE W 3-0 Corner Kicks 4 03/17/2012 vs. NE W 3-0 Offside 0 03/10/2012 at DC W 1-0 0 04/01/2012 at CHV W 1-0 Saves 0 03/25/2012 vs. DAL W 2-1 0 04/01/2012 at CHV W 1-0 0 04/07/2012 vs. LA W 1-0 Shots Faced 0 04/01/2012 at CHV W 1-0 0 04/07/2012 vs. LA W 1-0

REAL SALT LAKE INDIVIDUAL HIGH GAMES (2012) Goals 1 10 times Assists 2 Tony Beltran 04/07/2012 vs. COL W 2-0 Shots 6 Fabian Espindola 04/04/2012 vs. MTL W 1-0 Shots on Goal 3 Fabian Espindola 03/17/2012 vs. NY W 2-0 3 Paulo Junior 04/04/2012 vs. MTL W 1-0 Fouls Committed 4 Kyle Beckerman 03/24/2012 vs. CHV L 0-1 4 Kyle Beckerman 04/04/2012 vs. MTL W 1-0 4 Chris Wingert 04/07/2012 vs. COL W 2-0 Fouls Suffered 3 Kyle Beckerman 03/10/2012 at LA W 3-1 3 Sebastian Velasquez 03/10/2012 at LA W 3-1 3 Sebastian Velasquez 03/17/2012 vs. NY W 2-0 3 Ned Grabavoy 03/24/2012 vs. CHV L 0-1 3 Javier Morales 03/31/2012 at POR W 3-2 Offside 3 Paulo Junior 03/10/2012 at LA W 3-1 3 Paulo Junior 03/31/2012 at POR W 3-2 Saves 6 Nick Rimando 03/31/2012 at POR W 3-2 Shots Faced 8 Nick Rimando 03/31/2012 at POR W 3-2 Goals Allowed 2 Nick Rimando 03/31/2012 at POR W 3-2

TEAM HIGH GAMES (2012) Goals 3 03/10/2012 at LA W 3-1 3 03/31/2012 at POR W 3-2 Assists 3 03/31/2012 at POR W 3-2 3 04/07/2012 vs. COL W 2-0 Shots 17 03/31/2012 at POR W 3-2 Shots on Goal 8 03/31/2012 at POR W 3-2 Fouls Committed 14 03/24/2012 vs. CHV L 0-1 14 04/07/2012 vs. COL W 2-0 Fouls Suffered 14 03/10/2012 at LA W 3-1 Corner Kicks 9 03/24/2012 vs. CHV L 0-1 Offside 4 03/10/2012 at LA W 3-1 4 03/24/2012 vs. CHV L 0-1 Saves 6 03/31/2012 at POR W 3-2 Shots Faced 8 03/31/2012 at POR W 3-2 Goals Allowed 2 03/31/2012 at POR W 3-2

TEAM LOW GAMES (2012) Shots 10 03/17/2012 vs. NY W 2-0 Shots on Goal 3 03/24/2012 vs. CHV L 0-1 Fouls Committed 10 03/10/2012 at LA W 3-1 Fouls Suffered 7 04/07/2012 vs. COL W 2-0 Corner Kicks 2 03/10/2012 at LA W 3-1 Offside 1 04/04/2012 vs. MTL W 1-0 Saves 1 04/07/2012 vs. COL W 2-0 Shots Faced 1 04/07/2012 vs. COL W 2-0

2011 SPORTING KANSAS CITY VS. REAL SALT LAKE (1-1-0) UNF POS PLAYER GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E CP 9 FWD Teal Bunbury 2 2 180 1 0 5 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 15 M/D Roger Espinoza 2 2 138 1 0 6 2 4 7 0 0 0 1 0 22 MID Davy Arnaud 1 0 9 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 DEF Matt Besler 2 2 180 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 99 FWD Omar Bravo 2 2 158 0 0 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 78 DEF Aurelien Collin 1 1 90 0 0 3 2 4 1 0 0 1 0 0 20 FWD Birahim Diop 1 0 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 DEF Michael Harrington 2 2 180 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 MID Jeferson 2 1 83 0 0 5 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 23 FWD Kei Kamara 2 2 164 0 0 1 1 4 6 1 0 0 0 0 1 GK Jimmy Nielsen 2 2 180 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 55 DEF Julio Cesar 2 2 176 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 FWD C.J. Sapong 2 0 37 0 0 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 32 DEF Luke Sassano 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 DEF*Seth Sinovic 2 2 180 0 0 0 0 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 8 MID Graham Zusi 2 2 180 0 0 2 0 3 6 0 6 1 0 0 ----------- Team totals 2 2 180 2 0 27 10 30 30 4 8 2 1 0 Opponent totals 2 2 180 1 1 24 6 30 30 7 10 4 0 0 GAME-WINNING GOALS: Roger Espinoza 1 GAME-WINNING ASSISTS: None PENALTY KICK GOALS/ATTEMPTS: None UNF POS GOALKEEPER GP GS MIN SHTS SV GA GAA PG PA W L T SO O'TIME 1 GK Jimmy Nielsen 2 2 180 6 5 1 0.50 0 0 1 1 0 1 0-0-0 ----------- Team totals 2 2 180 6 5 1 0.50 0 0 1 1 0 1 0-0-0 Opponent totals 2 2 180 10 8 2 1.00 0 0 1 1 0 1 0-0-0

2011 REAL SALT LAKE VS. SPORTING KANSAS CITY (1-1-0) UNF POS PLAYER GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E CP 6 DEF Nat Borchers 2 2 180 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 5 MID Kyle Beckerman 2 2 180 0 1 3 2 3 3 0 3 1 0 0 12 MID Jean Alexandre 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 MID Arturo Alvarez 1 1 59 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 DEF Tony Beltran 1 1 68 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 7 FWD Fabian Espindola 2 2 179 0 0 4 1 8 2 2 0 1 0 0 21 MID Luis Gil 2 1 84 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 MID Ned Grabavoy 1 0 31 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 8 MID Will Johnson 2 2 180 0 0 3 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 4 DEF Jamison Olave 1 1 90 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 18 GK Nick Rimando 2 2 180 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 DEF Robbie Russell 2 1 112 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 FWD Alvaro Saborio 2 2 180 0 0 7 2 6 6 3 0 0 0 0 28 DEF Chris Schuler 2 2 180 0 0 1 0 3 2 0 0 1 0 0 26 MID Collen Warner 1 1 65 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 77 MID Andy Williams 2 1 121 0 0 1 0 3 1 0 6 0 0 0 17 DEF Chris Wingert 1 1 90 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 ----------- Team totals 2 2 180 1 1 24 6 30 30 7 10 4 0 0 Opponent totals 2 2 180 2 0 27 10 30 30 4 8 2 1 0 GAME-WINNING GOALS: Nat Borchers 1 GAME-WINNING ASSISTS: Kyle Beckerman 1 PENALTY KICK GOALS/ATTEMPTS: None UNF POS GOALKEEPER GP GS MIN SHTS SV GA GAA PG PA W L T SO O'TIME 18 GK Nick Rimando 2 2 180 10 8 2 1.00 0 0 1 1 0 1 0-0-0 ----------- Team totals 2 2 180 10 8 2 1.00 0 0 1 1 0 1 0-0-0 Opponent totals 2 2 180 6 5 1 0.50 0 0 1 1 0 1 0-0-0

SPORTING KANSAS CITY VS. REAL SALT LAKE ALL-TIME REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS Sporting 6 wins, 20 goals Real 5 wins, 19 goals Ties 3 07/16/2005 KC 3 vs RSL 2 (KC) 08/13/2005 KC 4 at RSL 2 (RE) 05/20/2006 RSL 2 vs KC 1 (RE) 09/30/2006 KC 3 vs RSL 3 (KC) 07/14/2007 KC 1 vs RSL 0 (KC) 08/29/2007 RSL 3 vs KC 1 (RE) 06/07/2008 RSL 0 vs KC 0 (RE) 06/28/2008 KC 1 vs RSL 0 (CA) 05/16/2009 KC 2 at RSL 0 (RT) 08/29/2009 RSL 1 at KC 0 (CA) 05/29/2010 RSL 4 vs KC 1 (RT) 08/07/2010 KC 1 vs RSL 1 (CA) 08/03/2011 KC 2 vs RSL 0 (SP) 09/17/2011 RSL 1 vs KC 0 (RT) U.S. OPEN CUP 04/18/2007 RSL 2 vs KC 1 (OT) (Q1, RE)

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Sporting KC Real Salt Lake Category 1 2 OT Tot. 1 2 OT Tot. Goals 12 8 0 20 10 9 0 19 Shots 92 98 0 190 70 92 0 162 Shots on Goal 36 40 0 76 30 40 0 70 Fouls 75 89 0 164 110 98 0 208 Offsides 22 16 0 38 20 23 0 43 Corner Kicks 41 37 0 78 20 23 0 43 GOALS SCORED IN 15-MINUTE INTERVALS: 1-15 16-30 31-45 46-60 61-75 76-90 OT Total KC 3 7 2 3 3 2 0 20 RSL 2 1 7 1 2 6 0 19 CAREER COACHING RECORDS: Peter Vermes vs. RSL 1-3-1 (0.80 pts./game) Jason Kreis vs. KC 4-4-2 (1.40 pts./game) ALL-TIME SERIES LEADERS: Sporting KC Real Salt Lake Goals 4 Sealy/Wolff 2 4 players tied Assists 5 Arnaud/Wolff 2 4 players tied Shots 27 Davy Arnaud 16 Kyle Beckerman Shots on Goal 9 3 players tied 8 Kyle Beckerman Fouls Committed 20 Davy Arnaud 12 Beckerman/Harris Fouls Suffered 32 Davy Arnaud 12 Javier Morales Wins 3 Kevin Hartman 3 Nick Rimando Losses 2 Hartman/Nielsen 3 Nick Rimando Shutouts 4 Kevin Hartman 2 Nick Rimando Saves 31 Kevin Hartman 29 Nick Rimando Goals Allowed 9 Bo Oshoniyi 7 Countess/Rimando ALL-TIME SERIES GAME HIGHS: Sporting KC Real Salt Lake Goals 2 3 players tied 2 Atiba Harris (9/30/06) Assists 3 Josh Wolff (8/13/05) 1 16 players tied Shots 6 Arnaud/Kamara 6 Beckerman/Saborio Shots on Goal 3 6 players tied 3 Kreis/Beckerman Fouls Committed 8 Davy Arnaud (5/29/10) 6 Harris/Olave Fouls Suffered 6 Roger Espinoza (9/17/11) 7 Javier Morales (5/29/10) Saves 7 3 players tied 7 Countess/Seitz Goals Allowed 4 Jimmy Nielsen (5/29/10) 4 D.J. Countess (8/13/05) 2012 W-L-T BREAKDOWNS: SPORTING KANSAS CITY LA GALAXY W-L-T Streak (started) W-L-T Streak (started) At Halftime: Leading 1-0-0 2 Ws (9/10/2011) 1-0-0 3 Ws (9/9/2011) Tied 3-0-0 5 Ws (10/15/2011 0-1-0 1 Ls (3/10/2012) Trailing 0-0-0 6 Ts (5/28/2011) 0-1-0 3 Ls (10/4/2011) First Goal: Scored 3-0-0 6 Ws (9/28/2011) 1-1-0 1 Ws (3/18/2012) Allowed 1-0-0 1 Ws (3/25/2012) 0-1-0 3 Ls (10/4/2011) Goals Scored: 0 goals 0-0-0 1 Ls (9/17/2011) 0-0-0 2 Ls (8/3/2011) 1 goals 2-0-0 3 Ws (10/22/2011 0-2-0 3 Ls (10/23/2011 2 goals 1-0-0 3 Ws (9/28/2011) 0-0-0 1 Ws (10/1/2011) 3 goals 1-0-0 3 Ws (8/17/2011) 1-0-0 8 Ws (5/1/2010) 4 or more 0-0-0 31 Ws (5/2/1996) 0-0-0 7 Ws (4/26/2008) Goals Allowed: 0 goals 3-0-0 8 Ws (8/3/2011) 0-0-0 7 Ws (7/20/2011) 1 goals 1-0-0 1 Ws (3/25/2012) 1-0-0 6 Ws (5/14/2011) 2 goals 0-0-0 1 Ts (9/5/2011) 0-0-0 1 Ls (10/4/2011) 3 goals 0-0-0 2 Ls (4/23/2011) 0-2-0 10 Ls (8/3/2008) 4 goals 0-0-0 20 Ls (5/5/1996) 0-0-0 10 Ls (6/15/2002)

SPORTING KANSAS CITY CAREER STATISTICS VS. REAL SALT LAKE (6-5-3) PLAYER GP GS MIN G A SHT Josh Wolff 4 4 347 4 5 10 Scott Sealy 6 6 491 4 0 14 Sasha Victorine 8 7 647 2 1 12 Eddie Johnson 3 2 186 2 0 6 Teal Bunbury 4 4 360 1 0 8 Jose Burciaga Jr. 6 6 507 1 0 7 Roger Espinoza 4 4 289 1 0 8 Kei Kamara 4 4 344 1 0 9 Chris Klein 2 2 179 1 0 7 Ryan Pore 5 2 201 1 0 4 Davy Arnaud 12 11 969 0 5 27 Michael Harrington 10 8 774 0 1 2 Jack Jewsbury 11 8 749 0 1 14 Carlos Marinelli 4 2 189 0 1 5 Preki 1 1 45 0 1 1 Ryan Smith 2 2 179 0 1 6 Dave van den Bergh 1 1 84 0 1 1 Stephane Auvray 1 1 90 0 0 0 Matt Besler 5 5 450 0 0 1 Dustin Branan 1 0 1 0 0 0 Omar Bravo 2 2 158 0 0 2 Aurelien Collin 1 1 90 0 0 3 Eloy Colombano 1 0 45 0 0 0 Jimmy Conrad 10 10 900 0 0 2 Adam Cristman 1 1 45 0 0 1 Birahim Diop 1 0 11 0 0 0 Nick Garcia 4 4 360 0 0 1 Herculez Gomez 2 1 93 0 0 4 Matt Groenwald 1 1 83 0 0 0 Diego Gutierrez 1 0 30 0 0 0 Kevin Hartman 6 6 540 0 0 0 Zoltan Hercegfalvi 1 0 45 0 0 2 Santiago Hirsig 2 2 180 0 0 0 Aaron Hohlbein 3 3 258 0 0 0 Jeferson 2 1 83 0 0 5 Michael Kraus 1 0 1 0 0 0 Jonathan Leathers 3 2 151 0 0 1 Claudio Lopez 4 4 359 0 0 11 Kurt Morsink 3 2 214 0 0 1 Yura Movsisyan 2 0 60 0 0 1 Chance Myers 3 0 83 0 0 1 Jimmy Nielsen 4 4 360 0 0 0 Bo Oshoniyi 4 4 360 0 0 0 Ryan Raybould 3 2 191 0 0 0 Brian Roberts 1 1 79 0 0 1 Craig Rocastle 1 1 63 0 0 0 Julio Cesar 2 2 176 0 0 1 C.J. Sapong 2 0 37 0 0 2 Luke Sassano 1 0 1 0 0 0 Seth Sinovic 2 2 180 0 0 0 Shavar Thomas 5 5 450 0 0 3 Ivan Trujillo 2 2 107 0 0 0 Tyson Wahl 2 1 94 0 0 0 Lance Watson 3 2 159 0 0 0 Kerry Zavagnin 6 6 465 0 0 4 Alex Zotinca 1 0 7 0 0 0 Graham Zusi 4 2 220 0 0 2 Team totals 14 14 1260 20 17 190 Opponent totals 14 14 1260 19 16 162 GOALKEEPER GP MIN SHTS SV GAA PG Kevin Hartman 6 540 35 31 0.67 0 Jimmy Nielsen 4 360 17 11 1.50 0 Bo Oshoniyi 4 360 18 9 2.25 0 ----------- Team totals 14 1260 70 51 1.36 0 Opponent totals 14 1260 76 55 1.43 0

CURRENT SPORTING KANSAS CITY PLAYERS CAREER STATISTICS VS. REAL SALT LAKE (6-5-3) PLAYER GP GS MIN G A SHT Paulo Nagamura 16 14 1236 2 1 15 Teal Bunbury 4 4 360 1 0 8 Roger Espinoza 4 4 289 1 0 8 Kei Kamara 10 7 646 1 0 15 Bobby Convey 6 6 443 0 1 3 Michael Harrington 10 8 774 0 1 2 Matt Besler 5 5 450 0 0 1 Aurelien Collin 1 1 90 0 0 3 Chance Myers 3 0 83 0 0 1 Jimmy Nielsen 4 4 360 0 0 0 Jacob Peterson 13 7 713 0 0 11 Julio Cesar 2 2 176 0 0 1 C.J. Sapong 2 0 37 0 0 2 Luke Sassano 3 0 42 0 0 0 Seth Sinovic 4 4 344 0 0 0 Graham Zusi 4 2 220 0 0 2 Team totals 14 14 1260 20 17 190 Opponent totals 14 14 1260 19 16 162 GOALKEEPER GP MIN SHTS SV GAA PG Jimmy Nielsen 4 360 17 11 1.50 0 ----------- Team totals 14 1260 70 51 1.36 0 Opponent totals 14 1260 76 55 1.43 0

REAL SALT LAKE CAREER STATISTICS VS. SPORTING KANSAS CITY (5-6-3) PLAYER GP GS MIN G A SHT Jason Kreis 4 4 360 2 2 13 Atiba Harris 4 3 259 2 1 4 Jordan Cila 2 2 150 2 0 2 Fabian Espindola 7 4 422 2 0 13 Robbie Russell 6 4 427 1 2 5 Andy Williams 13 7 690 1 2 11 Alvaro Saborio 4 4 359 1 1 13 Mehdi Ballouchy 2 1 111 1 0 3 Nat Borchers 8 8 720 1 0 3 Chris Brown 3 3 270 1 0 4 Pablo Campos 3 1 59 1 0 1 Jeff Cunningham 2 0 43 1 0 1 Robbie Findley 6 5 408 1 0 7 Ned Grabavoy 4 2 183 1 0 1 Matias Mantilla 1 1 90 1 0 2 Chris Klein 2 2 180 0 2 3 Kyle Beckerman 8 8 720 0 1 16 Alecko Eskandarian 1 1 90 0 1 3 Luke Kreamalmeyer 1 0 56 0 1 1 Javier Morales 6 6 495 0 1 13 Rusty Pierce 1 1 90 0 1 0 Dante Washington 1 0 27 0 1 1 Nelson Akwari 4 4 317 0 0 1 Jean-Marc Alexandre 3 1 136 0 0 1 Arturo Alvarez 1 1 59 0 0 0 Tony Beltran 4 4 338 0 0 0 Paul Broome 2 1 107 0 0 1 Kyle Brown 1 1 45 0 0 1 Matias Cordoba 1 0 20 0 0 0 D.J. Countess 2 2 180 0 0 0 Raphael Cox 1 1 72 0 0 0 Kenny Cutler 5 3 301 0 0 1 Kenny Deuchar 2 2 145 0 0 8 Brian Dunseth 2 2 180 0 0 0 Luis Miguel Escalada 1 0 14 0 0 1 Willis Forko 2 2 168 0 0 0 Scott Garlick 2 2 180 0 0 0 Luis Gil 2 1 84 0 0 2 Will Johnson 5 5 450 0 0 6 Brian Kamler 1 1 34 0 0 0 Jean-Martial Kipre 2 2 180 0 0 1 Ritchie Kotschau 2 2 180 0 0 0 Dema Kovalenko 2 2 180 0 0 3 Chris Lancos 1 1 90 0 0 0 Michael Lookingland 1 1 90 0 0 0 Clint Mathis 3 3 236 0 0 2 Yura Movsisyan 2 1 84 0 0 2 Kevin Novak 2 2 180 0 0 1 Tino Nunez 2 0 35 0 0 1 Jamison Olave 7 7 630 0 0 0 Eddie Pope 4 4 298 0 0 0 Nick Rimando 8 8 720 0 0 0 Chris Schuler 2 2 180 0 0 1 Chris Seitz 2 2 180 0 0 0 Jafet Soto 1 0 1 0 0 0 Jack Stewart 1 1 90 0 0 0 Carey Talley 4 4 340 0 0 3 Daniel Torres 2 2 180 0 0 0 Seth Trembly 1 1 90 0 0 2 Collen Warner 1 1 65 0 0 1 Jamie Watson 4 0 93 0 0 3 Chris Wingert 9 8 651 0 0 0 Team totals 14 14 1260 19 16 162 Opponent totals 14 14 1260 20 17 190 GOALKEEPER GP MIN SHTS SV GAA PG Nick Rimando 8 720 36 29 0.88 0 Chris Seitz 2 180 12 8 1.00 0 Scott Garlick 2 180 9 5 2.00 0 D.J. Countess 2 180 19 13 3.50 0 ----------- Team totals 14 1260 76 55 1.43 0 Opponent totals 14 1260 70 51 1.36 0

CURRENT REAL SALT LAKE PLAYERS CAREER STATISTICS VS. SPORTING KANSAS CITY (5-6-3) PLAYER GP GS MIN G A SHT Kyle Beckerman 23 17 1647 2 2 30 Fabian Espindola 7 4 422 2 0 13 Nat Borchers 18 18 1630 1 1 4 Alvaro Saborio 4 4 359 1 1 13 Ned Grabavoy 10 7 599 1 0 9 Javier Morales 6 6 495 0 1 13 Tony Beltran 4 4 338 0 0 0 Luis Gil 2 1 84 0 0 2 Will Johnson 6 5 462 0 0 6 Jamison Olave 7 7 630 0 0 0 Nick Rimando 22 22 2004 0 0 0 Chris Schuler 2 2 180 0 0 1 Chris Wingert 16 12 1057 0 0 1 Team totals 14 14 1260 19 16 162 Opponent totals 14 14 1260 20 17 190 GOALKEEPER GP MIN SHTS SV GAA PG Nick Rimando 22 2004 112 88 1.08 1 ----------- Team totals 14 1260 76 55 1.43 0 Opponent totals 14 1260 70 51 1.36 0

SPORTING KANSAS CITY vs REAL SALT LAKE

LIVESTRONG Sporting Park Kansas City, KS

English TV: KSMO-TVSpanish Radio: 1340 AM

COAChES - REGULAR SEASON

MLS ExPERIENCEMLS RECORd

YEAR wITh TEAMRECORd wITh TEAM

4th season32-28-214th season32-28-21

6th season62-51-43

6th season62-51-43

2012 REGULAR SEASON TEAM STATS

2012 REGULAR SEASON INdIvIdUAL LEAdERS

GOALSASSISTSShOTS

ShOTS ON GOALGAME-wINNING GOALSGAME-wINNING ASSISTS

fOULS SUffEREdfOULS COMMITTEd

CAUTIONSEjECTIONS

GOALS AGAINST AvGwINS

ShUTOUTSSAvES

Fabian Espindola 3Tony Beltran 2

Fabian Espindola 20Fabian Espindola 10

5 Players Tied 13 Players Tied 1

Sebastian Velasquez 9Kyle Beckerman 17Kyle Beckerman 3

N/A

Nick Rimando .67 Nick Rimando 5Nick Rimando 3

Nick Rimando 18

No. Pos. Name Pronunciation 1 GK Jimmy Nielsen neel-sen 2 DEF Michael Harrington 3 DEF Korede Aiyegbusi co-red-eh eye-eh-BOO-see 4 DEF Kevin Ellis 5 DEF Matt Besler BEEZ-ler 6 MID Paulo Nagamura POW-lo na-ga-MOO-ra 7 DEF Chance Myers 8 MID Graham Zusi ZOO-see 9 FWD Teal Bunbury BUN-buh-ree 11 MID Bobby Convey CON-vee 12 MID Konrad Warzycha Var-ZEE-hah 13 DEF Lawrence Olum OH-lumm 14 FWD Dom Dwyer 15 MID Roger Espinoza 16 DEF Seth Sinovic sin-OH-vick 17 FWD C.J. Sapong sah-PONG 18 GK Eric Kronberg Krawn-berg 19 MID Peterson Joseph 20 DEF Shawn Singh sing 21 GK Jon Kempin 22 FWD Soony Saad soo-NEE sod 23 FWD Kei Kamara kye kah-MAHR-ah 24 DEF Cyprian Hedrick sip-ree-an HE-drick 32 DEF Luke Sassano sah-SAHN-noh 37 FWD Jacob Peterson 55 DEF Julio Cesar JEW-lee-o SEH-sahr 78 DEF Aurelien Collin au-REEL-ee-en 88 MID Michael Thomas

SPORTING KANSAS CITY ROSTER

3 Sapong/Kamara5 Graham Zusi30 Kei Kamara14 Kei Kamara2 Sapong/Kamara3 Graham Zusi10 Kei Kamara13 Kei Kamara2 Chance MyersN/A

0.20 Jimmy Nielsen5 Jimmy Nielsen 4 Jimmy Nielsen7 Jimmy Nielsen

As of 4/2/2012:Eastern Conf. GP w L T P 1. Sporting Kansas City 5 5 0 0 152. New York Red Bulls 5 3 2 0 93. Houston Dynamo 3 2 1 0 64. Columbus Crew 4 2 2 0 65. New England Revolution 5 2 3 0 66. D.C. United 5 1 2 2 57. Chicago Fire 3 1 1 1 48. Montreal Impact 6 1 4 1 4 9. Philadelphia Union 4 0 3 1 110. Toronto FC 4 0 4 0 0western Conf. GP w L T P1. Real Salt Lake 6 5 1 0 152. San Jose Earthquakes 5 4 1 0 123. Colorado Rapids 5 3 2 0 94. Vancouver Whitecaps FC 5 2 1 2 85. Seattle Sounders FC 4 2 1 1 76. FC Dallas 5 2 2 1 77. Chivas USA 5 2 3 0 68. Portland Timbers 5 1 3 1 49. LA Galaxy 4 1 3 0 3

GAME NOTES www.SPORTINGKC.COM

REAL SALT LAKESPORTING KANSAS CITY

SPORTING KANSAS CITY

5-1-0 (15 pts)6

1st in the West11

1.834

1.5+7

81 (28)34.6%

736380

5-0-0 (15 pts)51st in East81.61.20+795 (34)35.8%675670

RECORd

GAMES PLAYEdCONfERENCE POSITION

GOALSGOALS/GAME

ALLOwEdALLOwEd/GAME

GOAL dIffERENTIALShOTS (ON GOAL)

ON GOAL %fOULS COMMITTEdfOULS SUffEREd

CAUTIONSEjECTIONS

2012 RegulaR season Mls standings

SPORTING KANSAS CITY REAL SALT LAKE

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2012 dIGITAL PROPERTIES

REAL SALT LAKE

whEN LAST ThEY MET...• SportingKansasCity’s5-0-0startin2012isthefirsttimesince1996

thataclubhasearnedfivewins in regulation tostart theirseason.In 1998, the Los Angeles Galaxy started 9-0 with the aid of shootout victories. In 1996, the Galaxy earned eight straight wins in regulation to start the season before earning a shootout win over New England and extending that streak to 12-0 to start the season.

• Sporting Kansas City has held opponents without a shot on goal for 245 consecutive minutes, including back-to-back matches against Chi-vas USA and the LA Galaxy. The streak is an all-time MLS record, surpassing the previous mark by a full hour.

• Sporting Kansas City is three goals shy of 100 all-time in the month of April. Sporting Kansas City would become the third MLS team to pass the century mark in goals for the month.

• Sporting Kansas City’s all-time record is 199-199-100. The 100 ties ranks most among all MLS teams, while the next win and loss will be the 200th in team history. Four clubs have lost 200 or more MLS regular season matches and four clubs have won 200 or more MLS regular seas matches.

• SportingKansasCityhasscored299goalsall-timeinthefirsthalfofMLSregularseasonmatches.Onemorefirsthalfstrikeandtheclubwill become the seventh MLS club to score 300 or more goals in the opening 45 minutes.

• Saturday’s match will be the 250th home match in team history and will move the team within one game of the 500th all-time for the club.

• AwinonSaturdaywouldbethefirsttimesinceMajorLeagueSoccer’sinauguralseasonin1996thataclubhaswontheirfirstsixmatchesin regulation.

• Sporting Kansas City goalkeepers have recorded 795 saves in MLS regular season home matches. Five more and the club will surpass 800 saves at home.

• Jimmy Nielsen’s next shutout will move him into a tie with Kevin Hart-man and Bo Oshoniyi for second most on the club’s all-time chart.

• TealBunburyandC.J.Sapong,SportingKansasCity’sfirstroundse-lections in the 2010 and 2011 MLS SuperDraft respectively, lead all players taken in their draft classes for goals scored to date. Bunbury has 14 goals in his MLS career after being drafted 4th overall in 2010, while Sapong was MLS Rookie of the Year in 2011 and has eight goals, includingateam-highthreethroughfivegamesthisseason.

• Sporting Kansas City has outshot their opponent by 10 or more shots in eachof the team’sfirst fivegames.The club leadsMLSwith95shots and 34 shots on goal this season. Conversely, Sporting Kansas City is second in the League for fewest shots allowed this season (36).

• Sporting KC striker Kei Kamara leads all MLS players with 30 shots and 14 shots on goal in 2012.

• Sporting Kansas City has gone 245 straight minutes without allowing a shot on goal.

• The last time the LA Galaxy were held without a shot on goal was May 31, 2003.

• Sporting Kansas City held their opponent without a shot on goal for thesecondstraightmatchonSaturday,markingthefifthtimeinclubhistory that a KC goalkeeper has faced no shots. The other four times were:

- 4/13/96 vs. Colorado 3-0 - 9/20/2008 vs. Toronto 2-0 - 9/10/2011 vs. Houston 3-0 - 4/1/2012 vs. Chivas USA • Sporting Kansas City is tied for the second most home wins in MLS

history with 134, trailing only the LA Galaxy (146). Since moving into LIVESTRONG Sporting Park last year, Sporting Kansas City is 12-2-6 at home, which ranks as the second best winning percentage among all MLS teams in their current venue.

• Kei Kamara’s next game-winning assist will move him into a tie for 10thplaceontheclub’sall-timechart,joiningMarkChung,MattMcKe-on, and Sasha Victorine. Likewise, Zusi’s next game-winning assist will bump his assist tally to 8 moving him into a tie for 5th place with Jack Jewsbury, Mo Johnston, and Kerry Zavagnin.

• Kei Kamara’s next game-winning goal will move him into a tie with Digital Takawira for fourth on the club’s all-time chart.

• Sporting Kansas City’s next successful penalty kick will be the 50th in club history. The club has converted 73% of penalties taken.

• Sporting Kansas City’s next regular season loss will be the 200th in team history. Four clubs have lost 200 or more MLS regular season matches, led by the New York Red Bulls with 217 defeats.

• SportingKansasCityhasscored299goalsall-timeinthefirsthalfofMLSregularseasonmatches.Onemorefirsthalfstrikeandtheclubwill become the seventh MLS club to score 300 or more goals in the opening 45 minutes.

• Sporting Kansas City’s next goal allowed in the second half will be the 400th given up by the team in the second half in team history. By con-trast,theteamhasallowed306goalsinthefirsthalfofplay.

• Sporting Kansas City’s win over the LA Galaxy set the club’s all-time record for longest regular season winning streak in regulation at seven games, dating back to 2011. The only other time the team had won seven consecutive regular season matches came in 1997 during the MLS shootout era.

KANSAS CITY CONNECTIONS

Sporting Kansas City dropped a 1-0 decision in their last meeting against Western Conference rival Real Salt Lake on September 17, 2011. The two clubs battled in front of nearly 20,000 fans at Rio Tinto Stadium with the lone goal of the match coming in the 54th minute.

Real Salt Lake earned a free kick about thirty yards out in which Kyle Beckerman lofted a service to the far post connecting with teammate Nat Borchers, who headed it past Jimmy Nielsen to give Salt Lake the 1-0 lead. After many turnovers of possession and seemingly balanced play, with chances arising for both sides, thefinalscore-lineremainedinfavorofRSL1-0.

The loss marked the third time in a 21 match stretch that Sporting Kansas City suffered defeat despite outshooting RSL 11-5. The matchalsomarkedthefirstroadgameforSportingKansasCityin63 days, dating back to a 1-1 draw at Houston on July 16, 2011.

Sporting Kansas City striker Kei Kamara started the 100th regular season match of his MLS career in the last matchup verse RSL and the 50th regular season match in his KC career. Kamara became the fourth current Sporting KC player to log 100 regular season games started in their MLS career.

• Real Salt Lake Tony Beltran played two years of collegiate soc-cer at UCLA after spending his freshman year at St. Johns University in New York. At UCLA Beltran was teammates with Sporting Kansas City defender Chance Myers. Both players were named All-PAC 10 First Team in 2007.

• Nat Borchers scored the game-winning goal for Real Salt Lake in their last meeting with Sporting Kansas City. Real Salt Lake captain Kyle Beckerman had the assist on the play. Becker-man was teammates with Sporting Kansas City striker Bobby Convey and SKC defender Matt Besler in the 2012 MLS All-star game.

• Real Salt Lake Ned Grabavoy captained the Indiana Hoosiers totheNationaltitlein2003asajunior,whileJacobPetersonwas a mere freshman. Despite the variations in experience, both players had a critical role in winning the title as Grabavoy earnedMACHermann trophysemifinalistaswellasNSCAA/adidas All-America while Peterson earned offensive MVP hon-ors at the College Cup for netting the championship-winning goal against St. John’s. Real Salt Lake Chris Estridge also played collegiate ball at Indiana however his four years spent at Bloomington did not overlap.

• Sporting Kansas City striker Teal Bunbury and Real Salt Lake midfielderWill Johnsonwerebothborn inOntario.Theduoboth grew up playing for Canadian Youth National Team’s but also maintain additional citizanships.

• Real Salt Lake rookie Enzo Martinez played collegiete ball for the University of North Carolina. Martinez was selected in the firstround(17thoverall)inthe2012MLSSuperDraft.SportingKansas City defender, Michael Harrington also played collegiate soccerforUNCandearnedselectioninthefirstroundofthe2007 MLS SuperDraft.

• Sporting Kansas City Seth Sinovic and Real Salt Lake Chris Shuler were both dominant defenders for Creighton University. Thepairwerenamedco-captainsoftheBluejaysduringtheirsenior season in 2009. Both players are originally from Mis-souri with Sinovic born in Kansas City and Shuler in St. Louis.

• Sebastian Velasquez of Real Salt Lake was selected in the 2012 MLSSuperDraftandwasthefirstJuniorCollegeplayertobeselected on draft day since Kansas City took Yura Movsisyan in 2006. After one season Movsisyan was traded to Real Salt Lake where he played for three seasons.

NOTEwORThY MILESTONES...

2012 MAjOR EvENTS AT LIvESTRONG SPORTING PARK

• Concert: Buzz Beach Ball (June 2, 2012) • Inaugural Kevin Gray Father’s Day 5K Run & Walk and Kid’s

Fun Run: (June 16, 2012)

Sporting Kansas City Game Notes | April 14th, 2012 vs Real Salt Lake | www.SportingKC.com

East verse West | SportingKansasCityiscurrentlyinfirstplaceoftheEasternConferenceintheMajorLeagueSoccerstandings.KCistheonlyteamwitha5-0-0recordattheconclusionofweekfiveand becomes the second team in MLS history to go 5-0-0 in regula-tion to start the season, along with the LA Galaxy circa 1996.

In Saturday’s match Sporting Kansas City face Real Salt Lake. Both teamscurrentlywithfivewinsand15points,sittingatoptheirre-spective divisions. However, while SKC goes into the match perfect, RSL retains one blemish in which they suffered a 1-0 loss to Chivas USA.

Defensive Display | Sporting Kansas City has earned four shutouts in theirfirstfivegamesof the2012seasonconceeding justonegoal. The defense led by captain Jimmy Nielsen and centerbacks Matt Besler and Aurelien collin has also allowed the fewest shots by any MLS team this season (36). Seth Sinovic and Chance Myers round out the back line for KC yet both play a vital role in the KC attack, each tallying one assist so far this year.

The limited number of shots is impressive, yet perhaps more re-markable is Sporting KC’s ability to high pressure opponents all overthefieldtopreventqualityattackingopportunitiesforoppos-ing sqauds. Sporting Kansas City has not allowed a shot on goal in 245 minutes of soccer, holding Chivas USA and LA Galaxy without a shot on goal for an entire match.

To put this in perspective, Kansas City has only been able to hold an opponent without a shot on goal for an entire game three other times in the club’s exsitence. And the last time a team was able to hold LA Galaxy without a shot on goal was on May 31, 2003.

MLS is Going Green | A league-wide initiative through MLS W.O.R.K.SwillbekickingintogearonSaturday,April14inconjunc-tion with Earth Day (4/22). Seed packets will be handed out to fans at each gate prior to the match, along with postcards that contain ecofriendly tips. “Greener Goals helps to identify ways to reduce our carbon footprint and raise awareness about environmental is-sues throughout the soccer community. The greening of our game will encourage MLS clubs, players, partners and fans to create a cleaner, healthier environment.

Reserve League Recap | The Sporting Kansas City reserves beat the Chicago Fire 1-0 in Tuesday’s Reserve League match at the Sport-ing Club Training Center in Swope Park. The lone goal was scored by Soony Saad in the 4th minute off Luke Sassano’s cross from the

leftflank.Saadsettleditwithhisfirsttouchbeforehammeringhomethe game-winner with his second.

Goals for Gillis | Kei Kamara and Sporting Kansas City have teamed up with Gillis to create the G4G Pledge. Gillis is an organization that helps at-risk children and families reach their potential through edu-cation, counseling, and social services. To assist Gillis in their efforts to help local families SKC proposes the G4G pledge.

Postgame voulunteers will be handing out G4G pledge cards. Each pledge starts at $1 per goal. Make a minimum G4G Pledge of $5 per goalbyApril30andenteryournameinaraffleforachancetowinan autographed one-of-a-kind sports graphic art of Kei Kamara by local artist Jeffrey Barge. The top four G4G fundraisers will be rec-ognized online and at a special event with Robb Heineman and Kei Kamara at Gillis after the completion of the 2012 season.

Besler up for Man of the Year | MattBesler joins forceswithTheLeukemia & Lymphoma Society during the months of March, April and May for the Man of the Year Campaign in a ten-week fundraising competition to earn the LLS’s Man of the Year title by raising funds for blood cancer research.

Sports Team of the Year | Sporting Kansas City has been nominated by the 2012 Sports Business Awards for Sports Team of the Year. In addition, LIVESTRONG Sporting Park received nomination for Sports Facility of the Year. The winners of Street and Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal 2012 awards will be announced on May 23, 2012 at the New York Marriott Marquis at Times Square.

TheStadiumBusiness Awards | Sporting Club CEO Robb Heineman was nominated for Executive of the Year and LIVESTRONG Sporting Park earned nominations in four categories including Venue of the Year. The club’s state-of-the-art LIVESTRONG Sporting Park gar-nered recognition alongside venues on four different continents with its consideration for Venue of the Year. LSP was also nominated for the Customer Experience Award, the Community Award and the New Venue Award.

Inaddition,Sporting Innovations’FAN360 isoneoffivenomineesfor the Product Innovation Award as a product or service that has uniquely transformed and improved the way stadiums, arenas and sports venues do business.

The winners in all categories will be announced live at the TheStadi-umBusiness Awards gala, to be held in Turin on May 15, 2012.

2012 REGULAR SEASON TEAM STATS

SPORTING KANSAS CITY NEwS, NOTES ANd hEAdLINES

SCORING 1 2 TOTALSPORTING 4 4 8OPP. 1 0 1

fOULS 1 2 TOTALSPORTING 40 27 67OPP. 27 29 56

CAUTIONS 1 2 TOTALSPORTING 5 2 7OPP. 1 3 4

ShOTS 1 2 TOTALSPORTING 37 58 95OPP. 15 21 36

SOG 1 2 TOTALSPORTING 14 20 34OPP. 4 4 8

OffSIdES 1 2 TOTALSPORTING 3 4 7OPP. 5 4 9

EjECTIONS 1 2 TOTALSPORTING 0 0 0OPP. 1 0 1

CORNERS 1 2 TOTALSPORTING 14 16 30OPP. 3 10 13

PK 1 2 TOTALSPORTING 1 0 1OPP. 0 0 0


all-tiMe RegulaR season gaMe highs

GOALSASSISTSShOTS

ShOTS ON GOALfOULS COMMITTEdfOULS SUffEREd

SAvESGOALS ALLOwEd

2 3 Players Tied3 Josh Wolff 6 Arnaud/Kamara3 6 Players Tied 8 Davy Arnaud6 Roger Espinoza

7 3 Players Tied4 Jimmy Nielsen

Atiba Harris 216 Players Tied 1

Beckerman/Saborio 6Kreis/Beckerman 3

Harris/Olave 6Javier Morales 7

Countess/Seitz 7D.J. Countess 4

SPORTING KANSAS CITY Category 1 2 OT Tot.Goals 12 8 0 20Shots 92 98 0 190Shots on Goal 36 40 0 76Fouls 75 89 0 164Offsides 22 16 0 38Corner Kicks 41 37 0 78

Category 1 2 OT Tot. Goals 10 9 0 19Shots 70 92 0 162Shots on Goal 30 40 0 70Fouls 110 98 0 208Offsides 20 23 0 43Corner Kicks 20 23 0 43

date Score Result Location7/16/2005 3-2 W Arrowhead Stadium8/13/2005 4-2 W Rice-Eccles Stadium5/20/2006 1-2 L Rice-Eccles Stadium9/30/2006 3-3 T Arrowhead Stadium7/14/2007 1-0 W Arrowhead Stadium8/29/2007 1-3 L Rice-Eccles Stadium6/7/2008 0-0 T Rice-Eccles Stadium6/28/2008 1-0 W CommunityAmerica Ballpark5/16/2009 2-0 W Rio Tinto Stadium8/29/2009 0-1 L CommunityAmerica Ballpark5/29/2010 1-4 L Rio Tinto Stadium8/7/2010 1-1 T CommunityAmerica Ballpark8/3/2011 2-0 W LIVESTRONG Sporting Park9/17/2011 0-1 L Rio Tinto Stadium

ALL-TIME REGULAR SEASON RESULTS

REAL SALT LAKE

GOALS SCOREd IN SERIES BY INTERvAL 1-15 16-30 31-45 46-60 61-75 76-90 OT Tot.KC 3 7 2 3 3 2 0 20 RSL 2 1 7 1 2 6 0 19

ALL-TIME REGULAR SEASON SERIES STATS

ALL-TIME REGULAR SEASON SERIES LEAdERS

4 Players Tied 24 Players Tied 2

Kyle Beckerman 16Kyle Beckerman 8Beckerman/Harris 12Javier Morales 12

Nick Rimando 3Nick Rimando 3Nick Rimando 2

Nick Rimando 29Countess/Rimando 7

GOALSASSISTSShOTS

ShOTS ON GOALfOULS COMMITTEdfOULS SUffEREd

wINSLOSSES

ShUTOUTS SAvES

GOALS ALLOwEd

4 Sealy/Wolff5 Arnaud/Wolff27 Davy Arnaud9 3 Players Tied20 Davy Arnaud32 Davy Arnaud

3 Kevin Hartman2 Hartman/Nielsen4 Kevin Hartman31 Kevin Hartman9 Bo Oshoniyi

REAL SALT LAKESPORTING KANSAS CITY

SPORTING KANSAS CITY REAL SALT LAKE


SPORTING KANSAS CITY REGULAR SEASON LEAGUE LEAdERS

GOALKEEPER ShUTOUTS PLAYER TEAM GP SHO1. jimmy Nielsen KC 5 42. Joe Cannon VAN 5 32. Jon Busch SJ 5 32. Nick Rimando RSL 6 3

PLAYER TEAM GP G1. Thierry Henry NY 5 72. Kenny Cooper NY 5 62. Chris Wondolowski SJ 5 64. David Estrada SEA 4 4 5. C.j. Sapong KC 5 35. Kei Kamara KC 5 35. Fabian Espindola RSL 6 35. Robbie Keane LA 4 35. Darlington Nagbe POR 5 310. 10 players tied with 2...

PLAYER TEAM GP SH1. Kei Kamara KC 5 302. Thierry Henry NY 5 253. Chris Wondolowski SJ 5 214. Fabian Espindola RSL 6 205. Sanna Nyassi MTL 6 196. Robbie Keane LA 4 187. Kenny Cooper NY 5 167. Omar Cummings COL 5 167. Fredy Montero SEA 4 1610. Kris Boyd POR 5 1510. Dwayne De Rosario DC 5 1510. Graham Zusi KC 5 15

PLAYER TEAM GP A1. Graham Zusi KC 5 5 2. Thierry Henry NY 5 43. Alvaro Fernandez SEA 4 23. Blas Perez DAL 5 23. David Beckham LA 3 23. Dwayne De Rosario DC 5 23. Eric Alexander POR 5 23. Eric Hassil VAN 4 23. Jack Jewsbury POR 5 23. Kosuke Kimura COL 5 23. Ramiro Corrales SJ 5 23. 5 others tied with 2... GAME-wINNING GOALS

PLAYER TEAM GP GWG1. Chris Wondolowski SJ 5 32. C.j. Sapong KC 4 22. Kei Kamara KC 5 22. Kenny Cooper NY 2 22. David Estrada SEA 4 26. Graham Zusi KC 3 16. Alan Gordon SJ 2 16. Alvaro Soborio HOU 3 1

SAvES PLAYER TEAM GP SV1. Ryan Meara NY 5 212. Donovan Ricketts MTL 6 203. Dan Kennedy CHV 5 193. Kevin Hartman DAL 5 195. Matt Pickens COL 5 185. Nick Rimando RSL 6 18 7. Joe Cannon VAN 5 158. Andy Gruenebaum CLB 4 148. Jon Busch SJ 5 148. Milos Kocic TOR 4 148. Paolo Tornaghi CHI 3 148. Troy Perkins POR 5 14

GAME-wINNING ASSISTS PLAYER TEAM GP GWA1. Graham Zusi KC 5 32. Kei Kamara KC 5 12. Chance Myers KC 5 12. Bobby Convey KC 5 12. Adam Moffat HOU 3 12. Alain Rochat VAN 3 12. Alvaro Fernandez SEA 4 12. Blas Perez DAL 5 12. Brian Mullan COL 5 12. Camilo VAN 4 12. Chris Tierney NE 4 12. Dax McCarty NY 5 12. 19 others tied with 1...

PLAYER TEAM GP SOG1. Kei Kamara KC 5 142. Thierry Henry NY 5 132. Kenny Cooper NY 5 117. Sanna Nyassi MTL 6 115. Chris Wondolowski SJ 5 118. Fabian Espindola RSL 6 102. Robbie Keane LA 4 95. C.j. Sapong KC 3 85. Dominic Oduro CHI 5 85. Kelyn Rowe NE 5 8

ASSISTS GOALS

GOALKEEPER wINS PLAYER TEAM GP W1. jimmy Nielsen KC 5 51. Nick Rimando RSL 6 53. Jon Busch SJ 5 44. Matt Pickens COL 5 34. Ryan Meara NY 5 36. Andy Gruenebaum CLB 4 26. Dan Kennedy CHV 5 26. Kevin Hartman DAL 5 26. Matt Reis NE 5 26. Michael Gspurning SEA 4 26. Tally Hall HOU 3 2

ShOTS ON GOAL

ShOTS

MULTI-GOAL GAMES

PLAYER TEAM GP GAMES1. Thierry Henry NY 5 3 2. Kenny Cooper NY 5 22. Chris Wondolowski SJ 5 24. Maicon Santos DC 5 14. David Estrada SEA 4 14. Robbie Keane LA 4 14. Darlington Nagbe POR 5 1

hAT TRICKS PLAYER TEAM GP HATS1. David Estrada SEA 4 11. Thierry Henry NY 5 1


dATE OPPONENT GOAL SCORERSSat., March 10th 1-0 W @ D.C. United SapongSat., March 17th 3-0 W vs. New England Zusi/Kamara/SapongSun., March 25th 2-1 W vs. FC Dallas Collin/KamaraSun., April 1st 1-0 W @Chivas USA SapongSat., April 7th 1-0 W vs. Los Angeles Galaxy KamaraSat., April 14th vs. Real Salt LakeWed., April 18th @Vancouver WhitecapsSat., April 21st @Portland TimbersSat., May 5th vs. Montreal ImpactSat., May 12th @Chicago FireSat., May 19th @Colorado RapidsSun., May 27th vs. San jose EarthquakesSat., june 16th vs. Toronto fCWed., June 20th @Seattle SoundersSat., June 23rd @Philadelphia Unionfri., june 29th vs. Chicago fireWed., July 4th @Montreal ImpactSat., july 7th vs. houston dynamoSat., July 14th @Columbus CrewWed., July 18th @Houston DynamoSat., july 21st vs. New England RevolutionSat., july 28th vs. Columbus CrewSat., August 4th @New England RevolutionSat., Aug. 11th vs. d.C. UnitedSat., August 18th @Toronto FCSun., Aug. 26th vs. New York Red BullsSat., Sept. 1st vs. Toronto fCfri., Sept. 14th vs. houston dynamoWed., Sept. 19th @New York Red BullsSat., Sept. 22nd @Montreal Impactfri., Sept. 28th vs. Chicago fireSun., October 7th @Columbus CrewSat., October 20th @New York Red Bullswed., Oct. 24th vs. Philadelphia Union

SPORTING KANSAS CITY (1-0-0) VS D.C. UNITED (0-1-0)DATE: March 10, 2012 -- RFK Stadium

Goals by Period 1 2 Tot D.C. United 0 0 0Sporting Kansas City 0 1 1

Scoring Summary:KC--Sapong 1 (Zusi 1) 93+

Misconduct Summary:KC: Cautions: Teal Bunbury DC: Cautions: John Lozano

Stats Sporting Kansas City DC UnitedTOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Kamara 6) 7 (De Rosario/Salihi/Santos)SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Kamara 3) 1 (Santos 1)FOULS: 16 (4 tied with 3) 12 (Boskovic/Woolard 2)OFFSIDE: 0 3CORNER KICKS: 5 3SAVES: Nielsen 1 Hammid 7

SPORTING KANSAS CITY--Jimmy Nielsen, Chance Myers, Seth Sinovic, Aurelien Collin, Matt Besler, Graham Zusi, Bobby Convey (Jacob Peterson 85), Roger Espinoza, Kei Kamara, Julio Cesar, Teal Bunbury (C.J. Sapong 75).

D.C. UNITED--Bill Hamid, Robbie Russell, Daniel Woolard, Brandon Mc-Donald,DejanJakovic,AndyNajar,ChrisPontius(DannyCruz74),PerryKitchen, Branko Boskovic (Josh Wolff 66), Dwayne De Rosario, Hamdi Salihi (Maicon Santos 80).

Referee: Mark GeigerReferee’s Assistants: Sean Hurd, Steven Taylor4thOfficial:MarkKadlecik.Attendance: 16, 314.Temperature: 44.

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (0-2-0) VS SPORTING KANSAS CITY (2-0-0)DATE: March 17, 2012 -- LIVESTRONG Sporting Park

Goals by Period 1 2 Tot New England Revolution 0 0 0Sporting Kansas City 2 1 3

Scoring Summary:KC--Zusi 1 (Kamara 1) 28KC--Kamara 1 (unassisted) 39KC--Sapong 2 (Sinovic 1, Zusi 2) 47

Misconduct Summary:KC: Cautions: Zusi 28, Myers 45NE:Ejections:McCarthy14

Stats Sporting Kansas City New EnglandTOTAL SHOTS: 27 (Kamara 7) 11 (Nguyen/Simms 3)SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Kamara/Sapong 3) 6 (Guy 2)FOULS: 12 (Myers 3) 10 (Sene 2)OFFSIDE: 4 2CORNER KICKS: 4 1SAVES: Nielsen 6 Reis 4

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION--Matt Reis, Kevin Alston, Chris Tierney, A.J. Soares,StephenMcCarthy(Ejected14),BennyFeilhaber(JeremiahWhite61), Clyde Simms, Shalrie Joseph, Lee Nguyen, Kelyn Rowe (Ryan Guy 45), Saer Sene (Diego Fagundez 57).

SPORTING KANSAS CITY--Jimmy Nielsen, Chance Myers, Seth Sinovic, Aurelien Collin (Lawrence Olum 59), Matt Besler, Graham Zusi (Paulo Nagamura 57), Bobby Convey, Roger Espinoza, Kei Kamara, Julio Cesar (Luke Sassano 76), C.J. Sapong.

Referee: Silviu PetrescuReferee’s Assistants: Philippe Briere, Corey Parker4thOfficial:DavidGantar.Attendance: 19,777.Temperature: 74 and Cloudy.

2012 Schedule and Box Scores

FC DALLAS (1-1-1) VS SPORTING KANSAS CITY (3-0-0)DATE: March 25, 2012 -- LIVESTRONG Sporting Park

Goals by Period 1 2 Tot FC Dallas 1 0 1Sporting Kansas City 1 1 2

Scoring Summary:DAL--Ricardo Villar 2 (free kick) 25KC--Collin 1 (Zusi 3) 49+KC--Kamara 2 (Myers 1, Zusi 4) 88

Misconduct Summary:KC: Cautions: Collin 32, Myers 36, Espinoza 93+DAL: Cautions: D. Hernandez 49+

Stats Sporting Kansas City FC DallasTOTAL SHOTS: 18 (Kamara 11) 8 (Villar 2)SHOTS ON GOAL: 9 (Kamara 5) 1 (Villar 1)FOULS: 15 (Myers 4) 11 (4 Tied with 2)OFFSIDE: 1 0CORNER KICKS: 7 5SAVES: N/A Hartman 7

FC DALLAS--Kevin Hartman, Zach Loyd, Hernan Pertuz, George John, Ugo Ihemelu, Bryan Leyva (Andrew Wiedeman 70), Daniel Hernandez, Jair Benitez, Ricardo Villar (Bobby Warshaw 45, Luis Perea 90), Andrew Jacobson, Blas Perez.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY--Jimmy Nielsen, Chance Myers, Seth Sinovic, Aurelien Collin, Matt Besler, Graham Zusi (Lawrence Olum 91+), Bobby Convey (Jacob Peterson 93+), Roger Espinoza, Kei Kamara, Julio Cesar, C.J. Sapong.

Referee:AbiodunOkulajaReferee’s Assistants: Frank Anderson, Peter Balciunas4thOfficial:YaderReyes.Attendance: 15,161.Temperature: 81 and Sunny.


SPORTING KANSAS CITY (4-0-0) VS CHIVAS USA (1-3-0)DATE: April 1, 2012 -- The Home Depot Center

Goals by Period 1 2 Tot Chivas USA 0 0 0Sporting Kansas City 0 1 1

Scoring Summary:KC--Sapong 3 (Zusi 5) 47

Misconduct Summary:KC: Cautions: Sinovic 34CHV: Cautions: Rauwshan McKenzie 84

Stats Sporting Kansas City FC DallasTOTAL SHOTS: 19 (Kamara 4) 6 (3 Tied with 2)SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Sapong 3) 0 (26 Tied with 0)FOULS: 15 (Myers 4) 11 (Minda 3)OFFSIDE: 0 3CORNER KICKS: 7 1SAVES: N/A Kennedy 4

SPORTING KANSAS CITY--Jimmy Nielsen, Chance Myers, Seth Sinovic, Aurelien Collin, Matt Besler, Graham Zusi (Paulo Nagamura 89), Bobby Convey (Jacob Peterson 73), Roger Espinoza, Kei Kamara, Julio Cesar, C.J. Sapong (Teal Bunbury 72).

CHIVAS USA--Dan Kennedy, James Riley, Ante Jazic (Cesar Romero 80), Heath Pearce, Rauwshan McKenzie, Ryan Smith, Laurent Courtois, Os-waldoMinda,NickLaBrocca,AlejandroMoreno(MillerBolanos72),CaseyTownsend.

Referee: Edvin JurisevicReferee’s Assistants: Anthony Vasoli, Frank Anderson4thOfficial:AllenChapman.Attendance: 13,372.Temperature: 64 and Clear.

2012 Schedule and Box Scores


LA GALAXY (1-3-0) VS SPORTING KANSAS CITY (5-0-0)DATE: April 7, 2012 -- LIVESTRONG Sporting Park

Goals by Period 1 2 Tot LA Galaxy 0 0 0Sporting Kansas City 1 0 1

Scoring Summary:KC--Kamara 3 (Convey 1) 40

Misconduct Summary:KC: Cautions: None.LA: Cautions: Donovan

Stats Sporting Kansas City FC DallasTOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Espinoza/Zusi 3) 4 (Magee 3)SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Kamara 2) 0 (31 Tied with 0)FOULS: 9 (Kamara 5) 12 (Donovan 4)OFFSIDE: 2 1CORNER KICKS: 7 2SAVES: N/A Saunders 3

LA GALAXY--Josh Saunders, Sean Franklin, Todd Dunivant, Tommy Meyer, A.J. DeLaGarza, Landon Donovan, Mike Magee, Michael Stephens (Mar-celo Sarvas 77), Juninho (Kyle Nakazawa 72), Edson Buddle (Chad Barrett 56), Robbie Keane.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY--Jimmy Nielsen, Chance Myers, Seth Sinovic, Aurelien Collin, Matt Besler, Graham Zusi, Bobby Convey (Jacob Peterson 69), Roger Espinoza, Kei Kamara, Julio Cesar (Paulo Nagamura 78), C.J. Sapong (Teal Bunbury 87).

Referee: Jorge GonzalezReferee’s Assistants: Adam Wienckowski, Brian Poeschel4thOfficial:MichaelKennedy.Attendance: 20,323.Temperature: 60 and Cloudy.

Miscellaneous Stats - 2012 Regular SeasonQuickest Goal...

Quickest Goal Against...

Game-winning goals after 75’...

Game-tying goals after 75’...

Game-winning goals against after 75’...

Game-tying goals against after 75’...

Hat Tricks...

Hat Tricks Against...

Own Goals...

Own Goals Against...

Red Cards...

Red Cards Against...

Penalty Kicks...

Penalty Kicks Against...

Youngest Goalscorer...

Oldest Goalscorer...

Youngest Starter...

Oldest Starter...

28, Graham Zusi, 3/17 vs NE

25, Ricardo Villar, 3/25 vs DAL

93+, C.J. Sapong, 3/10 at D.C. United88, Kei Kamara, 3/25 vs DAL

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

14, Stephen McCarthy, 3/17 vs NE

50, Kei Kamara, 3/25 vs DAL

N/A

23y74d, C.J. Sapong, 3/10 at DC

27y219d, Kei Kamara, 4/7 vs LA

22y12d, Teal Bunbury, 3/10 at DC

34y245d, Jimmy Nielsen, 4/7 at LA

Regular Season Record Breakdown2012 Record When…• Scoringfirstgoal:4-0-0• Concedingfirstgoal:1-0-0• Leading at halftime: 2-0-0• Tied at halftime: 3-0-0• Trailing at halftime: N/A 0 goals scored: N/A 1 goal scored: 3-0-0 2 goals scored: 1-0-0 3 goals scored: 1-0-0 4+ goals scored: N/A 0 goals allowed: 4-0-0 1 goal allowed: 1-0-0 2 goals allowed: N/A 3 goals allowed: N/A 4+ goals allowed: N/A• Wearing Sporting Blue: 5-0-0• Wearing Dark indigo: N/A• Leading at 75’ 3-0-0• Tied at 75’ 2-0-0• Trailing at 75’ N/A• Outshooting opponent 5-0-0• Outshot by opponent N/A• Shots even N/A• One-goal games 4-0-0• On ESPN 1-0-0• On NBCSN N/A• On KCTV5 N/A• On KSMO-TV 4-0-0• Day games (before 5pm)

1-0-0• Games 5pm or later: 4-0-0• With red card received… N/A• With red card against… 1-0-0• Temperature 75 & up… 1-0-0• Temperature below 75… 4-0-0• InPacifictimezone…1-0-0• In Mountain time zone… N/A• In Central time zone… 3-0-0• In Eastern time zone… 1-0-0• vs. Eastern Conference 2-0-0• vs. Western Conference 3-0-0• On grass… 5-0-0• On turf… N/A

Home and Away...• Overall All-time: 199-199-100• 2012 At home: 3-0-0• All-time at home: 134-72-43• 2012 On road: 2-0-0• All-time on road: 65-127-57

Record By Month.. March 2012: 3-0-0 March all-time: 8-6-1 April 2012: 2-0-0 April all-time: 33-26-11 May 2012: N/A May all-time: 25-33-16 June 2012: N/A June all-time: 32-25-19 July 2012: N/A July all-time: 35-29-20 Aug. 2012: N/A Aug. all-time: 31-39-12 Sept. 2012: N/A Sept. all-time: 22-31-11 Oct. 2012: N/A Oct. all-time: 13-10-10

Team-by-team (in 2012)...• vs. Chicago: 10-21-9 (0-0-0)• vs. Chivas USA: 7-4-4 (1-0-0)• vs. Colorado Rapids: 20-17-12

(0-0-0)• vs. Columbus Crew: 18-20-5

(0-0-0)• vs. D.C. United: 17-18-9

(1-0-0)• vs. FC Dallas: 20-19-8 (1-0-0)• vs. Houston Dynamo: 3-5-4

(0-0-0)• vs. LA Galaxy: 18-22-11 (1-

0-0)• vs. Miami Fusion: 3-4-1• vs. N.E. Revolution: 20-13-9

(1-0-0)• vs. New York Red Bulls: 17-

17-9 (0-0-0)• vs. Philadelphia Union: 1-0-3

(0-0-0)• vs. Portland Timbers: 2-0-0

(0-0-0)• vs. Real Salt Lake: 6-5-3

(0-0-0)• vs. SJ Earthquakes: 19-20-7

(0-0-0)• vs. Seattle Sounders FC: 1-5-0

(0-0-0)• vs. Tampa Bay Mutiny: 10-6-1• vs. Toronto FC: 5-3-4 (0-0-0)• vs. Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0-

1 (0-0-0)


#3 | D | Korede AiyegbusiHt: 5-5 Wt. 155 DOB: 7/15/1988Hometown: London, UKCollege: North Carolina StateAcquired: ‘10 MLS SuperDraft 2nd Round(#20)

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals N/AAssists N/AShots on Goal N/AShots N/AFouls Committed 1, 4 times, last: April 30, 2011, KC at NYFouls Suffered 1, June 10, 2010, KC vs PHILast..Appearance August 17, 2011, KC vs PORGoal N/AAssit: N/A 2012 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

MINI BIOSCOACHING STAFF

Peter VermesManager

Kerry ZavagninAssistant Coach

Zoran SavicAssistant Coach

John PascarellaGoalkeeping Coach

Mateus ManoelFitness Coach

#9 | F | Teal BunburyHt: 6-2 Wt. 175 DOB: 2/17/1990Hometown: Prior Lake, MNCollege: AkronAcquired: ‘10 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#4)

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals 2, 2 times, last: Sept. 10, 2011, KC vs HOUAssists 1, 5 times, last: Aug. 27, 2011, KC vs DALShots on Goal 4, 2 times, last: Oct. 1, 2011, KC at SJShots 7, 2 times, last: Oct. 1, 2011, KC at SJFouls Committed 7, August 27, 2011, KC vs DALFouls Suffered 5, Oct. 16, 2010, KC at NELast..Appearance April 7, 2012 KC vs LAGoal Oct. 30, 2011, KC at COLAssist Aug. 27, 2011, KC vs DAL2012 Record when: he starts 1-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#5 | D | Matt BeslerHt: 6-0 Wt. 170 DOB: 2/11/1987Hometown: Overland Park, KSCollege: Notre DameAcquired: ‘09 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#8)

Regular-Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 2 times, last: Oct. 22, 2011, KC at DCAssists 1, 2 times, last: August 6, 2011, KC vs SEAShots on Goal 2, Oct. 9, 2010, KC vs SEAShots 2, 2 times, last: July 16, 2011, KC at HOU Fouls Committed 3, Mar. 27, 2010, KC vs DCFouls Suffered 4, Sept. 26, 2009, KC vs COLLast..Appearance April 7, 2012, KC vs LAGoal Oct. 22, 2011, KC at DCAssist Aug. 6, 2011, KC vs SEA2012 Record when: he starts 5-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#55 | D | Julio CesarHt: 6-1 Wt. 170 DOB: 11/18/1978Hometown: Sao Luis, Maranhao, BrazilLast Club: Maritimo Funchal (Portugal)Acquired: Signed as Discovery on 3/14/11

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals 1, 2 times, last: Sept. 5, 2011, KC vs LAAssists 1, 2 times, last: Oct. 15, 2011, KC vs NYShots on Goal 1, 5 times, last: April 1, 2012, KC at CHVShots 2, 2 times, last: April 1, 2012, KC at CHVFouls Committed 3, 4 times, last: Oct. 22, 2011, KC at DCFouls Suffered 3, 2 times, last: Oct. 1, 2011, KC at SJLast..Appearance April 7, 2012, KC vs LAGoal Sept. 5, 2011, KC vs LAAssist Oct. 30, 2011, KC at COL2012 Record when: he starts 5-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#55 | D | Aurelien CollinHt: 6-2 Wt. 169 DOB: 03/08/1986Hometown: Enghien-les-Bains, FranceLast Club: Vitoria Setubal (Portugal)Acquired: Signed as Discovery on 4/15/11

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals 1, 4 times, last: March 25, 2012, KC vs DALAssists N/AShots on Goal 2, Sept. 17, 2011, KC at RSLShots 3, 2 times, last: Sept. 17, 2011, KC at RSLFouls Committed 6, Apr. 23, 2011, KC at NEFouls Suffered 3, 2 times, last: July 16, 2011, KC at HOULast..Appearance April 7, 2012 KC vs LAGoal March 25, 2012, KC vs DALAssist N/A2012 Record when: he starts 5-0-0 he scores 1-0-0


#2 | D | Michael Harrington Ht: 6-0 Wt. 170 DOB: 1/24/1986Hometown: Greenville, NCCollege: North CarolinaAcquired: ‘07 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#3)

Regular-Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 5 times, last: Oct. 5, 2008, KC vs CHIAssists 2, Sept. 22, 2010, KC vs HOUShots on Goal 2, Oct. 2, 2010, KC at NYShots 2, 5 times, last: Oct. 2, 2010, KC at NYFouls Committed 6, July 11, 2009, KC at NEFouls Suffered 4, July 14, 2007, KC vs RSLLast..Appearance Sept. 28, 2011, KC vs CLBGoal Oct 5, 2008, KC vs CHIAssist Oct. 12, 2010, KC at CHI2012 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#11 | M | Bobby ConveyHt: 5-9 Wt. 150 DOB: 5/27/1983Hometown: Philadelphia, PALast Club: San Jose EarthquakesAcquired: Trade with San Jose 12/02/11

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals 2, May 31, 2003, DC at DALAssists 3, 2 times, last: May 8, 2010, SJ vs NYShots on Goal 4, May 31, 2003, DC at DALShots 8, May 31, 2003, DC at DALFouls Committed 5, August 6, 2011, SJ vs PORFouls Suffered 7, May 3, 2003, DC vs DALLast..Appearance April 7, 2012, KC vs LAGoal May 21, 2011, SJ vs NEAssist April 7, 2012, KC vs LA2012 Record when: he starts 5-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#4 | D | Kevin EllisHt: 5-9 Wt. 160 DOB: 06/30/1991Hometown: Kansas City, MOCollege: Barton County CCAcquired: Signed as Home Grown on 2/18/11

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals N/AAssists N/AShots on Goal N/AShots N/AFouls Committed N/AFouls Suffered N/ALast..Appearance N/AGoal N/AAssist N/A2012 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#14 | D | Dom DwyerHt: 5-9 Wt. 180 DOB: 7/30/1990Hometown: Cuckfield, EnglandCollege: University of South FloridaAcquired: ‘12 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#16)

Regular-Season Game Highs: Goals N/AAssists N/AShots on Goal N/AShots N/AFouls Committed N/AFouls Suffered N/ALast..Appearance N/AGoal N/AAssist N/A2012 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#15 | M | Roger Espinoza Ht: 5-11 Wt. 160 DOB: 10/25/1986Hometown: Aurora, COCollege: Ohio StateAcquired: ‘08 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#10)

Regular-Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 2 times, last: August 3, 2011, KC vs RSLAssists 1, 9 times, last: July 23, 2011, KC vs TORShots on Goal 2, 2 times, last: August 3, 2011, KC vs RSLShots 5, 2 times, last: March 17, 2012, KC vs NEFouls Committed 4, 2 times, last: August 3, 2011, KC vs RSLFouls Suffered 6, Sept. 17, 2011, KC at RSLLast..Appearance April 7, 2012, KC vs LAGoal August 3, 2011, KC vs RSLAssist July 23, 2011, KC vs TOR2012 Record when: he starts 5-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#24 | D | Cyprian HedrickHt: 6’ Wt. 185 DOB: 10/06/1989Hometown: CameroonCollege: Coastal Carolina Acquired: ‘12 MLS Superdraft 2nd Round (#30)

Regular-Season Game Highs: Goals N/A Assists N/AShots on Goal N/AShots N/AFouls Committed N/AFouls Suffered N/ALast..Appearance N/AGoal N/AAssist N/A2012 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0


#18 | GK | Eric KronbergHt: 6-5 Wt. 210 DOB: 6/7/1983Hometown: Santa Rosa, CACollege: CaliforniaAcquired: ‘06 MLS SuperDraft 4th Round (#40)

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals Allowed 4, May 14, 2011, KC at LASaves 6, May 14, 2011, KC at LA

Last..Appearance June 12, 2011, KC at DALShutout June 4, 2011, KC at TOR2012 Record when: he starts 0-0-0

#21 | GK | Jon KempinHt: 6-1 Wt. 170 DOB: 4/8/1993Hometown: Leawood, KansasLast Club: Sporting Kansas City Juniors Acquired: Signed 8/31/10

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals Allowed N/ASaves N/A

Last..Appearance N/AShutout N/A2012 Record when: he starts 0-0-0

#19 | M | Peterson JosephHt: 5-8 Wt. 132 DOB: 4/24/1990Hometown: Port-au-Prince, HaitiLast Club: SC Braga (Portugal)Acquired: Signed on 09/01/11

Regular-Season Game Highs: Goals N/A Assists N/A Shots on Goal N/A Shots N/A Fouls Committed N/A Fouls Suffered N/A Last..Appearance Oct. 1, 2011, KC at SJGoal N/AAssist N/A2012 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#23 | F | Kei KamaraHt: 6-3 Wt. 185 DOB: 9/1/1984Hometown: Lawndale, CACollege: Cal-State Dominguez HillsLast Club: Houston DynamoAcquired: Trade with Houston Dynamo 9/15/09

Regular-Season Game Highs: Goals 2, 4 times, last: July 23, 2011, KC vs TORAssists 2, 3 times, last: March 19, 2011, KC at CHVShots on Goal 5, 2 times, last: March 25, 2012, KC vs DALShots 11, March 25, 2012, KC vs DALFouls Committed 5, 4 times, last: April 7, 2012, KC vs LAFouls Suffered 7, June 28, 2008, SJ at CHILast..Appearance April 7, 2012, KC vs LAGoal April 7, 2012, KC vs LAAssist March 17, 2012 KC vs NE2012 Record when: he starts 5-0-0 he scores 3-0-0

#7 | M | Chance MyersHt: 6-0 Wt. 165 DOB: 12/7/1987Hometown: Thousand Oaks, CACollege: UCLAAcquired: ‘08 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#1)

Regular-Season Game Highs: Goals N/AAssists 1, 3 times last: March 25, 2012 KC vs DALShots on Goal 2, May 3, 2008, KC at CLBShots 3, June 9, 2011, KC vs CHIFouls Committed 4, 5 times, last: April 1, 2012, KC at CHVFouls Suffered 3, 4 times, last: March 25, 2012, KC vs DALLast..Appearance April 7, 2012, KC vs LAGoal N/AAssist March 25, 2012 KC vs DAL2012 Record when: he starts 5-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#6 | M | Paulo NagumuraHt: 5-8 Wt. 155 DOB: 03/02/1983Hometown: Sao Paulo, BrazilLast Club: Chivas USAAcquired: Aquired in trade on 11/29/2011

Regular-Season Game Highs: Goals 2, March 21, 2009, CHV vs COLAssists 1, 14 times, last: June 4, 2011, CHV vs PORShots on Goal 4, May 15, 2006, LA vs RSLShots 5, May 15, 2006, LA vs RSLFouls Committed 6, Sept. 13, 2007, CHV vs LAFouls Suffered 6, May 13, 2006, LA vs RSLLast..Appearance April 7, 2012, KC vs LAGoal Sept. 10, 2010, CHV vs NEAssist June 4, 2011, CHV vs POR2012 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0


#37 | F | Jacob PetersonHt: 5-10 Wt. 165 DOB: 1/27/1986Hometown: Portage, MichiganCollege: Indiana UniversityLast Club: San Jose EarthquakesAcquired: Signed on 01/19/2012

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals 1, 9 times, last: Oct. 16, 2010, TOR at CLBAssists 1, 10 times, last: Aug. 27, 2011, SJ at TORShots on Goal 3, June 28, 2007, COL at DCShots 4, 4 times, last: April 16, 2011, TOR at DCFouls Committed 2, 7 times, last: July 20, 2011, SJ at VANFouls Suffered 5, Oct. 16, 2010, TOR at CLBLast..Appearance April 7, 2012 KC, vs LAGoal Oct. 16, 2010, TOR at CLBAssist Aug. 27, 2011, SJ at TOR2012 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#1 | GK | Jimmy NielsenHt: 6-3 Wt. 200 DOB: 8/6/1977Hometown: Aalborg, DenmarkLast Club: Vejle (Denmark)Acquired: Signed 2/15/10

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals Allowed 4, May 29, 2010, KC at RSLSaves 7, 3 times, last: June 22, 2011, KC at PHI

Last..Appearance April 7, 2012, KC vs LAShutout April 7, 2012 KC vs LA2012 Record when: he starts 5-0-0

#22 | F | Soony SaadHt: 5-10 Wt. 165 DOB: 08/17/1992Hometown: Dearborn, MichiganCollege: Univ. of MichiganAcquired: Weighted Lottery on 07/05/2011

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals 1, August 17, 2011, KC vs. PORAssists N/AShots on Goal 1, August 17, 2011, KC vs. PORShots 1, 2 times, last: Sept. 5, 2011, KC vs. LAFouls Committed 1, Oct. 15, 2011, KC vs NYFouls Suffered 1, 2 times, last: Sept. 5, 2011, KC vs. LALast..Appearance Nov. 2, 2011, KC vs COLGoal August 17, 2011, KC vs PORAssist N/A2012 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#13 | D | Lawrence OlumHt: 6-2 Wt. 185 DOB: 7/10/1984Hometown: Nairobi, KenyaCollege: Missouri Baptist UniversityLast Club: Orlando City SC (USL PRO)Acquired: Signed 9/15/10

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals N/AAssists N/AShots on Goal N/AShots N/AFouls Committed N/AFouls Suffered N/ALast..Appearance March 25, 2012, KC vs DALGoal N/AAssist N/A2012 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#17 | F | C.J. SapongHt: 6-2 Wt. 185 DOB: 12/27/1988Hometown: Manassas, VirginiaCollege: James Madison Acquired: ‘11 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#10)

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals 1, 8 times, last: April 1, 2012, KC at CHVAssists 1, 5 times, last: Oct. 1, 2011, KC at SJShots on Goal 3, 2 times, April 1, 2012, KC at CHVShots 5, 2 times, last: March 17, 2012, KC vs NEFouls Committed 3, March 26, 2011, KC at CHIFouls Suffered 4, 2 times, last: June 12, 2011, KC at DALLast..Appearance April 7, 2012, KC vs LAGoal April 1, 2012 KC at CHVAssist Oct. 1, 2011, KC at SJ2012 Record when: he starts 5-0-0 he scores 3-0-0

#32 | D | Luke SassanoHt: 6-1 Wt. 170 DOB: 10/14/1985Hometown: Orinda, CaliforniaCollege: University of California, BerkeleyLast Club: NY Red BullsAcquired: Trade with LA Galaxy on 12/15/10

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals 1, June 12, 2011, KC at DALAssists N/AShots on Goal 1, 3 times, last: June 17, 2011, KC vs SJShots 3, April 27, 2008, NY vs SJFouls Committed 3, May 25, 2008, NY vs CHIFouls Suffered 3, June 12, 2008, NY at DCLast..Appearance March 17, 2012, KC vs NEGoal June 12, 2011, KC at DALAssist N/A2012 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0


#12 | M | Konrad WarzychaHt: 6-1 Wt. 190 DOB: 02/14/1989Hometown: Dublin, OhioCollege: Ohio StateAcquired: ‘11 MLS SuperDraft 3rd Round


#16 | D | Seth SinovicHt: 5-9 Wt. 170 DOB: 1/28/1987Hometown: Leawood, KansasCollege: CreightonLast Club: New England RevolutionAcquired: Signed May 10, 2011

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals N/AAssists 1, March 17, 2012, KC vs NEShots on Goal 1, 3 times, last: Oct. 22, 2011, KC at DCShots 3, April 17, 2010, NE at SJFouls Committed 3, Sept. 17, 2011, KC at RSLFouls Suffered 3, 3 times, last: April 7, 2012, KC vs LALast..Appearance April 7, 2012, KC vs LAGoal N/AAssist March 17, 2012, KC vs NE2012 Record when: he starts 5-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#8 | M | Graham ZusiHt: 5-10 Wt. 160 DOB: 8/18/1986Hometown: Longwood, FLCollege: MarylandAcquired: ‘09 MLS SuperDraft 2nd Round (#23)

Regular-Season Game Highs: Goals 2, 2 times, last: Aug. 17, 2011, KC vs PORAssists 2, 2 times, last: March 25, 2012: KC vs DALShots on Goal 3, 2 times, last: Aug. 17, 2011, KC vs PORShots 5, July 16, 2011, KC at HOUFouls Committed 3, 4 times, last: March 10, 2012, KC at DCFouls Suffered 4, Sept. 17, 2011, KC at RSLLast..Appearance April 7, 2012, KC vs LAGoal March 17, 2012, KC vs NEAssist April 1, 2012, KC at CHV2012 Record when: he starts 5-0-0 he scores 1-0-0

#88 | M | Michael ThomasHt: 5-8 Wt. 170 DOB: 1//1987Hometown: Belgrade, SFR YugoslaviaCollege: Notre DameLast Club: Borac Čačak (Serbia)Acquired: Signed 3/16/2011

Regular-Season Game Highs:Goals N/AAssists N/AShots on Goal N/AShots N/AFouls Committed N/AFouls Suffered N/ALast..Appearance N/AGoal N/A Assist N/A2012 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0

#20 | D | Shawn SinghHt: 5-9 Wt. 145 DOB: 05/05/1989Hometown: Bakersfield, CaliforniaCollege: UCLAAcquired: ‘12 MLS Supplemental Draft 1st Round (16th). Signed 3/19/12



Korede Aiyegbusi GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 8 2 223 0 0 0 0 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 8 2 223 0 0 0 0 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

Matt Besler GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 77 73 6582 2 2 18 7 56 37 5 0 9 0 1 1

KC - Post Season 3 3 270 0 0 0 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 80 76 6852 2 2 18 7 59 38 6 0 9 0 1 1

Teal Bunbury GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 58 34 3281 14 5 113 46 63 41 36 3 6 1 4 1

KC - Post Season 3 3 246 2 0 7 3 5 4 1 0 1 0 1 0

MLS - TOTAL 61 37 3527 16 5 120 49 68 45 37 3 7 1 5 1

Julio Cesar GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 32 30 2573 2 2 13 5 36 23 1 0 3 1 1 1

KC - Post Season 3 3 239 0 1 1 0 1 5 0 0 2 0 0 1

MLS - TOTAL 35 33 2812 2 3 14 5 37 28 1 0 5 1 1 2

Aurelien Collin GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 28 26 2331 4 0 20 7 46 22 2 0 11 1 2 0

KC - Post Season 3 3 270 1 0 4 1 5 1 0 0 0 0 1 0

MLS - TOTAL 31 29 2601 5 0 24 8 51 23 2 0 11 1 3 0

Bobby Convey GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 5 5 406 0 1 2 1 1 1 0 10 0 0 0 1

MLS - Reg. Season 169 157 14097 11 31 196 89 227 212 41 259 34 2 2 10

MLS - Post Season 5 5 450 2 1 7 3 8 8 1 11 0 0 1 0

MLS - TOTAL 174 162 14547 13 32 203 92 235 220 42 270 34 2 3 10

Dom Dwyer GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Kevin Ellis GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Roger Espinoza GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 92 72 6425 2 9 72 18 116 109 8 13 15 3 1 2

KC - Post Season 5 4 288 0 0 1 0 3 5 1 0 2 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 97 76 6713 2 9 73 18 119 114 9 13 17 3 1 2

Michael Harrington GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 138 119 10756 5 13 34 21 124 99 9 4 17 0 0 4

KC - Post Season 5 5 450 0 0 0 0 3 7 0 0 1 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 143 124 11206 5 13 34 21 127 106 9 4 18 0 0 4

Cyprian Hedrick GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Peterson Joseph GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 1 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 1 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Kei Kamara GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 70 60 5466 23 11 224 78 104 109 27 2 7 0 7 5

MLS - Reg. Season 150 110 10203 37 14 352 136 211 213 68 4 14 1 11 7

KC - Post Season 3 3 269 0 0 8 4 3 5 2 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - Post Season 5 4 347 1 0 9 5 5 7 4 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 155 114 10550 37 14 359 139 216 220 72 4 14 1 11 7

ALL-TIME STATISTICS


Chance Myers GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 64 42 4073 0 3 42 13 65 37 3 4 4 1 0 1

KC - Post Season 3 3 270 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 67 45 4343 0 3 42 13 70 41 3 4 4 1 0 1

Paulo Nagamura GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 3 0 46 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0

MLS - Reg. Season 160 144 12814 9 14 140 51 246 210 4 18 39 2 4 5

MLS - Post Season 10 9 909 0 0 9 5 16 24 1 0 4 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 170 153 13723 9 14 149 56 262 234 5 18 43 2 4 5

Lawrence Olum GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 3 0 45 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 3 0 45 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Jacob Peterson GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 4 0 44 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - Reg. Season 142 82 7330 9 10 115 42 45 80 16 60 5 0 3 4

MLS - Post Season 3 2 161 0 0 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 145 84 7491 9 10 115 42 46 82 17 60 5 0 3 4

Soony Saad GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 4 0 39 1 0 2 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

KC - Post Season 2 0 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 6 0 43 1 0 2 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0

C.J. Sapong GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 39 26 2450 8 5 64 33 35 52 8 0 0 0 3 2

KC - Post Season 3 3 270 1 0 5 5 8 7 0 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 42 29 2720 9 5 69 38 43 59 7 0 0 0 3 2

Luke Sassano GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 10 5 545 1 0 3 2 2 6 0 1 1 0 0 0

MLS - Reg. Season 48 30 2798 1 0 17 3 20 27 1 1 4 1 0 0

MLS - Post Season 4 4 341 0 0 1 0 3 5 0 0 1 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 52 34 3139 1 0 18 3 23 32 1 1 5 1 0 0

Shawn Singh GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Seth Sinovic GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 25 25 2007 0 1 8 2 18 21 1 0 3 0 0 0

MLS - Reg. Season 45 43 3767 0 1 16 3 32 32 1 0 6 0 0 0

KC - Post Season 3 3 265 0 0 0 0 4 3 0 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 48 46 4032 0 1 16 3 36 35 1 0 6 0 0 0

Michael Thomas GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Konrad Warzycha GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

MLS - TOTAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Graham Zusi GP GS MIN G A SHT SOG FC FS OFF CK C E GWG GWA

KC - Reg. Season 69 39 3808 7 13 83 28 50 54 5 131 7 0 2 7

KC - Post Season 3 3 270 0 2 4 0 5 3 0 11 0 0 0 1

MLS Career - TOTAL 72 42 4078 7 15 87 28 55 57 5 142 7 0 2 8


Jimmy Nielsen GP GS MIN SHT SVS SO GA GAA PG PA W L T

KC - Reg. Season 65 65 5827 236 166 21 70 1.08 2 3 27 21 16

KC - Post Season 3 3 270 9 7 2 2 0.67 0 0 2 1 0

MLS Career - TOTAL 68 68 6097 245 173 23 72 1.63 2 3 29 22 16

Jon Kempin GP GS MIN SHT SVS SO GA GAA PG PA W L T

KC - Reg. Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 N/A 0 0 0 0 0

MLS Career - TOTAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 N/A 0 0 0 0 0

Eric Kronberg GP GS MIN SHT SVS SO GA GAA PG PA W L T

KC - Reg. Season 5 4 382 19 13 1 6 1.41 1 1 2 1 2

MLS Career - TOTAL 5 4 382 19 13 1 6 1.41 1 1 2 1 2

GOALKEEPING ALL-TIME STATISTICS


S

PO

RT

ING

KA

NS

AS

CIT

Y

# Player 1 2 3 4 5

DC NE DAL CHV LA

1-0 3-0 2-1 1-0 1-0

1 Jimmy Nielsen 90G 90G 90G 90G 90G

2 Michael Harrington

3 Korede Aiyegbusi

4 Kevin Ellis

5 Matt Besler 90D 90D 90D 90D 90D

6 Paulo Nagamura 33 1 12

7 Chance Myers 90D 90D 90D 90D 90D

8 Graham Zusi 90M 57M 89M 89M 90M

9 Teal Bunbury 75F 18 3

11 Bobby Convey 85M 90M 89M 73M 69M

12 Konrad Warzycha

13 Lawrence Olum 31 1

14 Dom Dwyer

15 Roger Espinoza 90M 90M 90M 90M 90M

16 Seth Sinovic 90D 90D 90D 90D 90D

17 C.J. Sapong 15 90F 90F 72F 87F

18 Eric Kronberg

19 Peterson Joseph

20 Shawn Singh

21 Jon Kempin

22 Soony Saad

23 Kei Kamara 90M 90M 90M 90M 90M

24 Cyprian Hedrick

32 Luke Sassano 14

37 Jacob Peterson 5 1 17 21

43 Birahim Diop

55 Julio Cesar 90M 76M 90M 90M 78M

78 Aurelien Collin 90D 59D 90D 90D 90D

88 Michael Thomas

"00" = minutes played

F/M/D/G = starting position

S

PO

RT

ING

KA

NS

AS

CIT

Y

Game log:

Game #1 03/10/2012 KC 1 at DC 0 W Sapong 1 (Zusi 1) 93

Game #2 03/17/2012 KC 3 vs NE 0 W Zusi 1 (Kamara 1) 28; Kamara 1 (unassisted) 39; Sapong 2 (Sinovic 1, Zusi 2) 47

Game #3 03/25/2012 KC 2 vs DAL 1 W Collin 1 (Zusi 3) 49+; Kamara 2 (Myers 1, Zusi 4) 88

Game #4 04/01/2012 KC 1 at CHV 0 W Sapong 3 (Zusi 5) 47

Game #5 04/07/2012 KC 1 vs LA 0 W Kamara 3 (Convey 1) 40

REAL SALT LAKE @ SPORTING KANSAS CITYSATURDAY APRIL 14 2012 6:30PM MT LIVESTRONG SPORTING PARK KC, MO


RIMANDO BECKERMAN GIL

WINGERT

VELASQUEZ

BORCHERS

6ESPINDOLA

OLAVE SABORIO

BELTRAN

JOHNSON

4

2

17

5

8

26

21

7

15

DOWNLOAD 2012 RSL MEDIA GUIDE HERE: For more in-depth player profiles, stats and club history, please visit: http://pressbox.mlssoccer.com/content/2012-club-media-guides

TV: CW30 w/ Bill Riley (@espn700bill) & Brian Dunseth (@BP_TOW) (Pre-Game show kicks off at 6:00p MT)

RADIO: ESPN700 w/ Spencer Warne (@espn700guv) (ENG) & Brian Kamler (@espn700kam) (Pre-Game show kicks off at 5:30p MT)

RADIO: La Gran D 102.3 FM / 1600 AM (SPN) w/ Nelson Moran & Fernando Hortal

OUT: MF Nico Muniz (R knee MCL strain) DOUBTFUL: FW Cody Arnoux (L adductor strain) MF Ned Grabavoy (rib cage dislocation) MF Enzo Martinez (lower back spasms) MF Javier Morales (R hamstring strain)

QUESTIONABLE: n/a

PROBABLE: n/a

EARLY-SEASON “GAME OF THE YEAR”?: Saturday’s lone 2012 tilt between RSL and host Sporting Kansas City sets up as a top of the table clash between a pair of teams boasting 15 points through the first month of the season ... RSL brings its 5-1-0 mark to LIVESTRONG Sporting Park with the lone blemish being a bizarre home loss to Chivas USA back on March 24, despite a dominant performance by the Claret-and-Cobalt ... Sporting KC’s perfect 5-0-0 mark this season makes them the first MLS side in the post-shootout era (2000 and beyond) to win each of its first five games in regulation, including last week’s home 1-0 victory over defending MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles ...

BEST START EVER FOR RSL?: In the midst of last year’s CONCACAF run, RSL started the year with a 4-0-0 mark (before losing at Portland just 3 days after the home loss to Monterrey in the CCL Final 2nd leg) and improved to 5-1-0 with the May 7 win v Chivas on the day remembered for Javier Morales’ horrific ankle injury ... A win Saturday at Sporting KC would allow RSL to move to the overall top of the mythical MLS table for the first time since the four-day run from April 13-16 in 2011 (when the team was 4-0-0, 12 points) ... That period - bolstered by the team’s added-time goal by Fabian Espindola against rival Colorado - was just the second time in RSL history to have assumed the #1 overall spot on the MLS table, previously achieved just for 24 hours back in October of 2010, when Jason Kreis’ 14-4-9 / 51 point team basked in the glow ...

RSL PROBABLE STARTERS @ KC

HISTORY v SPORTING KANSAS CITY:RSL has posted an all-time 5-6-3 mark against KC during the first 7 MLS seasons, earning points in 5 of the last 6 meetings between the sides ...

However, RSL is only 1-4-2 in KC, winning at Community America Ballpark in Aug. 2009 via an early Pablo Campos goal (set up by Andy Williams) in a game that saw MF Ned Grabavoy ejected just before halftime ... KC was the first visitor to win a regular-season match at Rio Tinto Stadium earlier that year, riding two Josh Wolff goals in a May victory that was RSL’s last loss prior to a 37-game unbeaten home streak (4/27/11, 0-1 to Monterrey) ...

ROAD WARRIORS SEEK 2012 TURNAROUND:RSL arrives in KC to kick off a 3-game road swing taht continues on to SJ and DAL, after starting the season 2-0-0 on the road for 2nd straight year, with dramatic, come-from-behind victories on March 10 at LA (W 3-1; trailed 0-1 after 70 minutes) and on March 31 at Portland (W 3-2; trailed 1-2 after 88 min) ...

A year ago, RSL opened the campaign at San Jose (1-0)and at New England (2-0) with shutout performances out of the gates, in games mixed in with CCL play ... The recent advent of road success places the squad’s all-time MLS regular season road mark at 21-63-27 (.301; 106 GF / 185 GA) following the 111th road contest in League play on March 31 at Portland …

The Jeld-Wen drama back on 3/31 allowed the team to defeat the Timbers for first time in 3 tries and scratch Portland off list of places the team has never won, which now includes just Philadelphia (2 attempts), Canada (7) and Texas (17) ... RSL travels to Philly (Aug. 24), Vancouver (Aug. 11), Dallas (April 25) and Houston (Sept. 6) later this year ...

Since Jason Kreis took over in May, 2007, RSL’s MLS road mark is 17-39-22, with the new team mark of five road wins in 2011 exceeding the four achieved in 2010, and more than doubling the two earned in each of the 2007-09 seasons … Last year’s 5-8-4 road mark was good for 19 points, matching the 2010 team-record total (4-4-7 in 2010) …

18

RSL @ KC BROADCAST INFO

RSL INJURY REPORT


TEMPORARY TOP OF TABLE TRANSITIONS: Should RSL emerge victorious Saturday in Kansas City, Jason Kreis’ team would accrue its 18th point faster (in its 8th game) than any previous season (10 games, 2010 and 2011) for the eighth-year club, and would assume the top position in the overall MLS table for just the third time in its eight-year history (Elias Sports Bureau) ...

A win Saturday would give RSL a 3rd consecutive road victory for just the 3rd time in 112 career away games, matching 3-game win streaks in July/Aug 2006 (wins at NE/COL/CLB) and in Aug/Sept 2011 (wins at CHV/SEA/NY) ...

GOAL-SCORING DIVERSITY ON RSL ROSTER:With Paulo Junior finding the back of the net last Wednesday in the 1-0 W against Montreal (his first goal since April 9, 2011 at NE), RSL now has 11 goals on the season from 8 different sources through its first six games, with only Fabian Espindola and strike partner Alvaro Saborio scoring multiple goals so far ... A year ago, RSL saw 17 different players score goals in MLS, CCL or Open Cup play (including one OG) ...

3/10 - RSL 3:1 @ LA - Own Goal / Morales / Espindola 13/17 - RSL 2:0 v NY - Gil / Espindola 23/24 - RSL 0:1 v CHV - none3/31 - RSL 3:1 @ POR - Saborio / Steele / Beckerman4/4 - RSL 1:0 v MTL - Paulo PK4/7 - RSL 2:0 v COL - Saborio 2 / Espindola 3

100% HEALTHY - FOR HALF A GAME: Following offseason surgeries for MF Javier Morales, DF Nat Borchers, MF Will Johnson and FW Alvaro Saborio, RSL boss Jason Kreis spent the preseason searching to see who would step up in the group of traditional starters’ absences ... Young players Luis Gil, Chris Schuler, Sebastian Velasquez and Paulo Junior stepped up in the early going and performed yeoman’s work, contributing mightily to the team’s success ...

Last Wednesday at home against Montreal, Kreis and the RSL Technical Staff had nearly a full roster of healthy bodies to choose from for the middle match of a 3-game week ... That fantasy only lasted about 50 minutes, however, as two of the team’s most stalwart midfielders - talisman Morales (pulled hamstring) and utility man Ned Grabavoy (dislocated rib) - were both injured in the final 30 minutes of the 1-0 home win over Montreal ...

ALL-TIME RESULTS, WITHOUT JAVIER: RSL has played 51 MLS regular-season/playoff, CCL or Open Cup games without Morales available as its playmaker, posting a 23-16-14 overall mark (only 7-12-5 away from home) … Head Coach Jason Kreis’ team has gone 18-14-12 in MLS reg. season play, 0-0-1 Playoff, 3-0-0 in CONCACAF and 1-2-1 in Open Cup sans Javi … Since 2009, that record is 19-13-11, scoring 2+ goals in only 21 of those 43 games ...

IRON MEN THROUGH SIX GAMES: Despite the early-season injury concerns and schedule congestion for RSL, five players have started in every game thus far, with another two appearing in all 6 and only three playing every minute of the season thus far ... The list:

Player GP GS MINGK Nick Rimando 6 6 540MF Kyle Beckerman 6 6 540DF Jamison Olave 6 6 540DF Tony Beltran 6 6 528MF Luis Gil 6 6 405FW Fabian Espindola 6 5 469FW Alvaro Saborio 6 2 289

LUIS GIL CONTINUES ON, COURTESY SKC:Third-year player Gil came to RSL via Sporting Kansas City in the Spring of 2010, when the young U.S. player was awarded via lottery ... KC traded Gil to Real Salt Lake in exchange for a conditional SuperDraft pick, an international slot and future transfer fee considerations ... Last Monday, Gil was named to the April 9 U.S. Men’s U-20 camp, selected by Tab Ramos ... However, due to Wednesday night’s hamstring injury suffered by Javier Morales, Gil will remain with RSL for the foreseeable future ...

Gil has displayed speed, athleticism, vision and attacking prowess, belying his 18-year old age and increasing professional experience in a year during which much is expected ... Gil will assume many of the minutes vacated by Andy Wiliams’ retirement, as well as available time due to early-season injuries suffered by Morales and MF Will Johnson ...

RAPIDS REWIND - PART 1 OF 3:Saturday’s dominating 2-0 victory over Colorado gives RSL the early, yet inside track to capturing the fan-created Rocky Mountain Cup, with two more meetings in 2012, including the next one on July 21 at Rio Tinto Stadium ... The series concludes with the 3rd and final match on August 4 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in suburban Denver, the first time since 2006 that the rivalry hasn’t concluded in the penultimate or final week of the regular season ...

Last week, Jason Kreis’ team rode FW Alvaro Saborio’s 20’ goal - set up by a scintillating cross from DF Tony Beltran - to a 1-0 halftime lead following 45 minutes of what Kreis called “one of the top 10 best halves” in RSL’s eight-season history ...

That goal, Saborio’s 2nd of the year, temporarily tied him with strike partner Fabian Espindola, until Fabi slotted home his team-leading 3rd goal of the young season in the 57’ to essentially ice the game and simultaneously move into a tie with former RSL FW Robbie Findley for the club’s all-time scoring lead with 29 career strikes ...

GK Nick Rimando had little to do to notch his second consecutive clean sheet and his 3rd consecutive victory, with all three shutouts on the 6-game season coming at home ...


RIO TINTO STADIUM - A HEROIC HOME:The 2-0 win over Colorado saw RSL conclude an early-season homestand that saw Rio Tinto Stadium host 4 out of 5 games, with RSL posting a 3-1-0 mark in Sandy, outscoring opponents 5-1 ...

Saturday’s victory over the hated Rapids improved RSL to 51-8-17 in its last 76 home games since the beginning of 2008, Jason Kreis’ first full season at the helm ... In that span, RSL has outscored opponents by 95 goals (148-53), with a 41-6-15 reg. season mark (122/44), 5-1-0 CCL record (15/5), 3-1-1 playoffs (5/2) and 2-0-1 int’l exhibition (5/2) ...

SHOCKINGLY RARE LOSS AT RIO TINTO:The extended run of success on Utah soil for RSL makes a setback all the more bitter, including the 0-1 home loss suffered to Chivas back on March 24, just the team’s eighth since the inception of the 2008 season, the Kreis-led team now 51-8-17 on the Wasatch Front across all competitions in that span ... Those losses:

8/26/08 v CHV L 0-1 Rice-Eccles finale11/02/08 v NY* L 0-1 West Conf Final5/16/09 v KC L 0-2 Wolff double dooms RSL4/27/11 v MTY* L 0-1 CONCACAF Champions League Final5/28/11 v SEA L 1-2 Sounders snap MLS-record streak7/30/11 v CLB L 0-2 Crew rides dual Rogers assists9/28/11 v CHI* L 0-3 Worst home loss in club history3/24/12 v CHV* L 0-1 Dominant performance wasted

YET ANOTHER SELLOUT AT THE RIOT:Unfortunately for Real Salt Lake, four of those eight home losses have come in front of sellout crowds at Rio Tinto Stadium, with RSL posting only a 6-5-4 mark when “The RioT” is packed to capacity ... The sellouts (2012 dates in claret):

9/28/11 v CHI 20,762 L 0-3 3/26/11 v LA 20,507 W 4-1 10/19/10 v CAZ 20,463 W 3-1 3/24/11 v CHV 20,415 L 0-1 10/22/11 v POR 20,378 T 1-1 4/27/11 v MTY 20,378 L 0-1 10/16/10 v DAL 20,236 W 2-0 4/4/12 v MTL 20,191 W 1-0 10/9/08 v NY 20,008 T 1-1 11/15/08 v NY 20,008 L 0-1 9/17/11 v KC 19,888* W 1-0 5/16/09 v KC 19,340* L 0-2 6/6/09 v COL 19,546* T 1-1 7/24/10 v CHV 19,469* T 1-1 7/22/11 v SJ 19,429* W 4-0

* sellout w/ diminished “concert stage” capacity

All-time, the club is is 18-12-16 across all competitions when playing before 18,000+ fans at home, at either Rice-Eccles Stadium (4-6-9 from 2005-08) or Rio Tinto Stadium (14-6-7 from 2008-present) ...

ALL-TIME ROCKY MOUNTAIN CUP HISTORY:Real Salt Lake’s win last week evened up the overall series 8-8-7, with the Utahans controlling the rivalry as of late, posting a 6-2-5 record across the last 13 meetings dating back to the middle of the 2007 campaign – not coincidentally after trading for MF Kyle Beckerman and DF Chris Wingert from its rivals ... That marked the first season RSL claimed the Rocky Mountain Cup trophy for its supporters following a 7-4 win in points, and the Utah side has managed to retain possession of the Cup after series splits in each year from 2008-10, winning last year outright ...

Back in 2007, a late goal by FW Robbie Findley gave RSL a 1-0 win for its first-ever piece of hardware, while simultaneously knocking Colorado from playoff contention ... In 2008, RSL drew 1-1 at DSG Park with a late Yura Movsisyan rebound to go through to the postseason and leave the Rapids at home ... In 2009, RSL dominated the Rapids 3-0 in Utah on the final weekend to pave its path to an eventual MLS Cup victory ... In 2010, both teams were already advanced into the Playoffs, but seeding was on the line, as the draw – combined with LA’s win 24 hours later – eliminated RSL from the Supporters Shield ...

A year ago, RSL retained its fifth consecutive Rocky Mountain Cup with a controversial stoppage-time goal by FW Fabian Espindola in the 93+’ that gave RSL a 1-0 home win and moved the team to 4-0-0 on the MLS season, just prior to late April CONCACAF Champions League final series with Monterrey ... With that lone Espindola strike, slamming home a rebounded Paulo Junior shot, RSL earned the Cup once again by virtue of a scoreless draw at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on the penultimate weekend of the regular season ...

RSL required late heroics to salvage points in both meetings with Colorado in 2010, as DF Nat Borchers’ stoppage-time header gave a largely reserve RSL side the 1-1 draw at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sept. ... A month later, it was TWO goals in stoppage time by FW Alvaro Saborio to draw 2-2 and retain the Cup for RSL, which had knocked the Rapids out of the playoffs in 2007, 2008 and 2009 ...

FANTASTIC FABI NOW FIRST WITH FINDLEY:FW Fabian Espindola scored his 29th career regular-season goal on 4/7 v COL, providing the insurance strike in the 2-0 home win against the Rapids ... That strike leaves Fabi - recipient of a new 4-year contract this offseason - just one goal shy of sole possession of the career RSL scoring lead, with the controversial score against Colorado (aren’t they all?) matching former RSL FW Robbie Findley’s 29 career goals for the club’s all-time lead ... Strike partner Alvaro Saborio is not far behind, with 25 career goals in 56 games, nearly half as many all-time games played as Findley (96) and Espindola (101) ...

Espindola has increased his goal output each year with RSL, sharing time with Findley, Yura Movsisyan, Paulo Junior and Saborio, primarily ... With both Saborio and Espindola notching 10 goals last season, RSL boasted a pair of double-digit scorers for the first time in its seven-year history … RSL’s single-season double-digit


scoring list:

SINGLE-SEASON GOALS – RSL YEAR PLAYER GP GOALS 2011 Alvaro Saborio 23 11 Fabian Espindola 27 10 2010 Alvaro Saborio 27 12 2009 Robbie Findley 27 12 2006 Jeff Cunningham 31 16

SABORIO STRIKES BACK IN RUN OF PLAY: On Saturday, RSL assumed the early lead when a superb pass by DF Tony Beltran freed FW Alvaro Saborio in alone on Rapids GK Matt Pickens, the Costa Rican international burying the shot for what proved to be his 10th career game-winning goal, tops in RSL history ...

On 3/31 at Portland, “Sabo” set up MF Ned Grabavoy in alone on the ‘keeper, but a defensive handball in the box was whistled for the late first-half penalty, setting the stage for Saborio to slot home the resultant PK, making him a perfect 9-for-9 from the spot in an RSL uniform (6-for-6 in reg. season games, 3-for-3 in CONCACAF) ...

With the strike against Colorado, RSL now improves to 22-3-5 in games in which Saborio - who has 36 goals in 66 games since arriving in Utah in early 2010 - finds the back of the net ... (the last loss coming in the 2011 West Final at LA, and the only loss prior to 9/24 at DC was the rain-soaked 4-5 loss at Cruz Azul), compared to the 13-15-14 mark when he plays and does not score, as well as RSL’s 7-3-4 record when Sabo is unavailable …

DEFENSIVE DONUT REDUX - 50% CHANCE:For the third time in four home games in 2012, RSL’s defense pitched a shutout Saturday against Colorado, as it had back in the home opener vs New York and last Wednesday against Montreal ... The clean sheet Saturday was RSL’s 34th across all competitions since moving into Rio Tinto Stadium back in October 2008, a total of 67 games in MLS regular-season and playoff games, CONCACAF and U.S. Open Cup matches ...

MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENTS FOR RIMANDO: Saturday’s win / shutout continued a historic rise up the MLS record books for sixth-year RSL GK Nick Rimando, as “The Wall of the Wasatch” earned his 126th career MLS win and his 90th career clean sheet ... Only Kevin Hartman (172 wins) and Zach Thornton (131) have emerged victorious more often than Rimando has for Miami / D.C. / RSL, while only Hartman (106) owns more regular-season shutouts than Nicky ...

This season, Rimando should cross the 300-game barrier (only Hartman and Joe Cannon have crossed that threshold) and could surpass 28,000 minutes played (trailing Hartman/Cannon again) ... Rimando does lead MLS GKs all-time in one key category - PK stops (15), as opponents have converted only 38 of 53 spot kicks against the U.S. National Team ‘keeper ...

HOME DEBUTS AGAINST EXPANSION SIDES:Following the three-game road trip in the next 2 weeks at KC, at SJ and at Dallas, RSL returns home on April 28 to face Toronto FC, the lone Canadian or expansion team to ever win in Utah ...

Following Wednesday’s Montreal visit, expansion sides continue to struggle in their inaugural Utah visits over the years, posting a 1-7-1 mark and being outscored 5-17 by RSL on their first time in Zion ... The list:

Exp. Team 1st Result / Date All-Time in UTMontreal 0-1 L - 4/4/12 0-1-0 (0/1)Portland 1-1 T - 10/27/11 0-0-1 (1/1)Vancouver 0-2 L - 6/2/11 0-1-0 (0/2)Philadelphia 0-3 L - 5/8/10 0-2-0 (1/5)Seattle 0-1 L - 8/8/09 1-1-1 (4/4)San Jose 1-3 L - 5/31/08 1-2-4 (5/10)Toronto FC 2-1 W - 7/4/07 1-4-0 (5/11)Houston 1-3 L - 8/19/06 1-3-4 (4/8)Chivas USA 0-2 L - 5/18/05 3-4-3 (10/15)OPP. TOTAL 1-7-1 (5/17) 7-18-13 (30/57)

CARDIAC KIDS CREATE KILLER COMEBACK: On March 31 in Portland, for the second time in as many road games in 2012, RSL erased a late deficit with both the equalizing and game-winning goals to capture the full 3 points at one of MLS’ most imposing venues ...

In the 3-2 win at JELD-WEN Field in Portland, RSL rode a Jonny Steele equalizer in the 89’ to knot things up at 2-2 before Captain Kyle Beckerman blasted home the winner at the death (93+’) - from almost the exact same spot on the field as Steele - to defeat the Timbers for the first time in three attempts ...

However, the pair of come-from-behind road wins in March at LA and at PDX - two of the most difficult places to win a year ago - equals the total road comebacks the team has had in its first 7 seasons ...

In Sept 2008, RSL came from behind to win 3-2 in San Jose on a Yura Movsisyan goal that was a ripping point in qualifying for he club’s first-ever playoff berth, while a year later, against Columbus in the Eastern Conference Semis, came from behind to shock defending champion Columbus - also by a 3-2 scoreline - en route to the MLS Cup 2009 title, the state of Utah’s first major league professional championship in nearly 40 years ...


LATE DRAMA PART OF RSL DNA: MF Kyle Beckerman’s 93+’ game-winning goal at Portland on March 31 marked the 17th all-time go-ahead goal scored by RSL in the final 15 minutes of a regular-season MLS or CCL game … RSL had gone nearly a year without a late game-winner, having to go all the way back to May 7, 2011, when MF Will Johnson finally broke through in the 87’ after RSL had a 2-man advantage for nearly 50 minutes in the game most remember due to the horrific ankle injury suffered by playmaker Javier Morales … All-time lists for equalizers and GWG (active players in bold): RSL GAME-WINNERS AFTER 75’ (17 total) 93+............ Beckerman, 03/31/12 @ POR (3-2 W) 93+............ Espíndola, 04/13/11 v. COL (1-0 W) 92+.......... Saborío (PK), 8/18/10 v. DAU* (2-1 W) 92+ ........ Cunningham (PK), 7/29/06 v. DC (2-1 W) 90’................... Talley, 8/16/06 @ CLB (2-1 W) 89’............... Espíndola, 05/22/10 @ CHV (2-1 W) 88’............. Torres (OG), 7/24/09 v. DAL (4-2 W) 87’.................. Johnson, 5/7/11 v. CHV (1-0 W) 87’................. Findley, 7/28/08 v. TOR (2-1 W) 87’................. Findley, 10/20/07 @ COL (1-0 W) 84’................... Saborío, 10/2/10 @ NE (2-1 W) 84’................. Findley, 8/04/07 v. HOU (1-0 W) 81’................. Dunseth, 4/16/05 v. COL (1-0 W) 80’.................. Morales, 6/09/10 v. LA (1-0 W) 80’................ Williams, 10/14/09 v. NY (1-0 W) 80’ ................. Morales, 4/11/09 v. DC (2-1 W) 80’............... Cunningham, 5/20/06 v. KC (2-1 W)

RSL EQUALIZERS AFTER 75’ (19 total) 95+ ................ Saborío, 10/23/10 @ COL (1-1 T) 94+ ............... Saborío, 04/10/10 v. SEA (2-2 T) 93+ .............. Borchers, 09/25/10 v. COL (1-1 T) 92+ ................ Johnson, 8/25/10 @ CAZ* (4-5 L) 92+................. C. Brown, 5/05/07 v. NY (3-3 T) 91+’ ............ Leitch (OG), 7/03/09 v. SJ (1-1 T) 90’ .............. Movsisyan, 10/15/08 @ COL (1-1 T) 90’.................. Cunningham, 7/29/06 v. DC (2-1 W) 90’......................... Kreis (PK), 7/4/05 v. NY (2-2 T) 89’..................... Steele, 03/31/12 @ POR (3-2 W) 89’.................. Morales, 04/20/11 @ MTY* (2-2 T) 89’................................ Soto, 10/15/06 @ CHV (1-1 T) 89’.................................... Kreis, 4/15/06 v. NY (1-1 T) 88’............................... Kreis, 5/27/06 v. COL (2-2 T) 86’.............................. Morales, 9/19/07 v. LA (2-2 T) 83’............................ Espindola, 7/4/11 v. NE (3-3 T) 81’.................................. Kreis, 9/30/06 @ KC (3-3 T) 78’....................... Ballouchy, 5/20/06 v. KC (2-1 W) 75’................................ Klein, 8/16/06 @ CLB (2-1 W)

FIRST OF FIVE “3-GAME WEEKS” IN 2012:Last week’s POR / MTL / COL trio of games marked the first of at least five stanzas this year that sees RSL play 3 games in 8 days, testing depth, travel legs and stamina for the roster ...

3/31 @ POR (3-2 W); 4/4 v MTL (1-0 W); 4/7 v COL (2-0 W) -> 3-0-04/21 @ SJ; 4/25 @ DAL; 4/28 v TOR5/5 v NE; 5/9 @CHI; 5/12 @ SEA6/16 @ CHV; 6/20 v LA; 6/23 v SJ6/30 @ CLB; 7/4 v SEA; 7/7 v POR

Last week’s sweep of the maximum 9 points through 3 games marked the 2nd time in 25 possible week’s all-time that RSL went a perfect 3-0-0 ...

Should RSL progress through the first 2 Open Cup rounds (May 29 & June 5), the 2012 Lamar Hunt USOC Quarterfinal Rounds would be on Tues, June 26 a 7th game in the 23-day span from June 16 to July 7 ...

THREE-GAME WEEKS PILE UP: In the Jason Kreis era, RSL has played 3 games in a week a total of 18 times (in all competitions), registering a 28-21-17 record … As indicated in RED below, RSL is 6-1-2 when opening a 3-game week on the road, followed by a pair of home tilts … The overall list:

2011:4/5 @ SAP (1-2 L); 4/9 @ NE (2-0 W); 4/13 v COL (1-0 W) -> 2-1-06/4 v VAN (2-0 W); 6/8 @ CLB (1-2 L); 6/11 @ PHI (1-1 T) -> 1-1-16/18 v DC (1-1 T); 6/22 @ CHI (1-1 T); 6/25 v TOR (3-1 W) -> 1-0-27/4 v NE (3-3 T); 7/9 v DAL (2-0 W); 7/12 @ DAL (0-2 L) -> 2-1-07/30 v CLB (0-2 L); 8/3 @ KC (0-2 L); 8/6 v NY (3-0 W) -> 1-2-0*9/17 v KC (1-0 W); 9/21 @ NY (3-1 W); 9/24 @DC (1-4 L) -> 2-1-0*9/28 v CHI (0-3 L); 10/1 @ LA (1-2 L); 10/6 @ VAN (0-3 L) -> 0-3-0*6 games in 19 days from Sept. 17 – Oct. 6 2010:4/10 v SEA (2-2 T); 4/14 @ SJ (3-3 T); 4/17 @ LA (1-2 L) -> 0-1-25/29 v KC (4-1 W); 6/2 @ DC (1-2 L aet); 6/5 @ DC (0-0 T) -> 1-1-18/7 @ KC (1-1 T); 8/11 @ PHI (1-1 T); 8/14 v CLB (2-0 W) -> 1-0-29/15 v TOR (4-1 W); 9/18 v CHI (1-0 W); 9/22 @ AUO (3-2 W) -> 3-0-09/25 v COL (1-1 T); 9/28 @ TOR (1-1 T); 10/2 @ NE (2-1 W) -> 1-0-210/16 vDAL (2-0 W); 10/19 vCAZ (3-1 W); 10/23@ COL (2-2 T) -> 2-0-1 2009: 5/2 @ COL (0-2 L); 5/6 v LA (2-2 T); 5/9 @ CHV (0-1 L) -> 0-2-18/23 @ NE (1-3 L); 8/26 v CHV (4-0 W); 8/29 @ KC (1-0 W) -> 2-1-010/10 v GUA (1-1 T); 10/14 v NY (2-0 W); 10/17 @ TOR (0-1 L) -> 1-1-1 2008: 4/26 @ DC (1-4 L); 4/30 v SJ (4-0 W); 5/3 @ LA (2-2 T) -> 1-1-15/24 @ DAL (1-2 L); 5/27 @ CLB (0-2 L); 5/31 v SJ (3-1 W) -> 1-2-06/14 @ CHV (1-0 W); 6/18 v SJ (0-0 T); 6/21 v NE (2-1 W) -> 2-0-1 2007: 4/14 v CLB (0-0 T); 4/18 v KC (2-1 W); 4/21 @ CHV (0-4 L) -> 1-1-15/20 @ DAL (1-2 L); 5/23 @ COL (1-2 L); 5/27 @ CHI (0-0 L) -> 0-2-17/14 @ KC (0-1 L); 7/21 v EVE (2-0 W); 7/24 v BOC (1-1 T) -> 1-1-18/26 @ CHV (0-1 L); 8/29 v KC (3-1 W); 9/01 @ LA (2-1 W) -> 2-1-0

* doesn’t include the 5 games in 15 days in late 2007: -> 1-2-29/8 @ HOU (3-4 L); 9/12 @ DC (1-2 L); 9/15 @ TOR (0-0 T);9/19 v LA (2-2 T); 9/22 v COL (1-0 W)


LONGEST-TENURED CORE IN MLS HISTORY: The Kreis/Lagerwey “Team is the Star” mantra has long been lauded for its simple, unselfish approach that has redefined the culture of an organization and enabled a small-market club to compete annually with DP-laden payrolls ... The philosophy that the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts is perfectly epitomized by the fact that TEN players return this year, with the 2012 MLS season marking the group’s fifth or sixth campaign in Claret & Cobalt ... The list:

Player Acquisition Date RSL GPGK Kyle Reynish Jan., 2007 5GK Nick Rimando Feb. 2007 149DF Chris Wingert June, 2007 127MF Kyle Beckerman July, 2007 127MF Javier Morales August, 2007 103FW Fabian Espindola August, 2007 101DF Tony Beltran Jan., 2008 62DF Nat Borchers Feb., 2008 122DF Jamison Olave March, 2008 105MF Will Johnson July, 2008 91

Back on 3/10 at LA, this group marked 5+ seasons together and set a new MLS record, breaking the current one held by New England, which saw 8 players compete together from the 2003-07 seasons ... That group was: Joe Franchino, Jay Heaps, Shalrie Joseph, Marshall Leonard, Pat Noonan, Steve Ralston, Matt Reis & Taylor Twellman ...

UNPRECEDENTED TURNOVER FOR KREIS:The price of keeping that group together, however, came in the form of a massive offseason overhaul of the team’s depth, Kreis, Lagerwey and the RSL technical staff introducing 8 new faces to the 2012, the most since the 2007/08 offseason, the duo’s first in charge of the club ... Gone are GK Tim Melia (0 RSL games played), FW Chris Agorsor (1 gp), DF Blake Wagner (2 gp), DF Rauwshan McKenzie (11 gp, now signed with Chivas), MF Collen Warner (37 gp, selected by Montreal in expansion draft), MF Jean Alexandre (38 gp, traded to SJ) and DF Robbie Russell (78 gp, traded to D.C. United) ...

The most notable absence from RSL’s locker room is that of MF Andy Williams, whose seven-year tenure as an “RSL Original” came to end with his retirement in December, 2011 ... Williams played 14 years in MLS, bouncing from Columbus, to New England, to New York, to Miami and finally to Chicago in his first 7 seasons, the 1998 Jamaica World Cup veteran coming to RSL in November, 2004 as the club’s top expansion draft pick ... Williams went on to play a club-record 189 games for RSL, with 14 goals, 29 assists and one MLS Cup ring marking his time on the Wasatch Front ...

IDENTIFYING NEW BLOOD, THE RSL WAY:The RSL time for “Bomma” is not over, however, as Williams immediately accepted a position as the club’s Head Scout, working with Lagerwey, Kreis and the technical staff to identify players of all ages for RSL’s senior, academy and youth teams, including many of the new faces beginning their MLS and/or professional careers now ...

Those players include:

GK Lalo Fernandez (signed as Home Grown)DF Terukazu Tanaka (Discovery - Jan. 2012)DF Leone Cruz (via trade from SEA 1/17/12)DF Chris Estridge (via trade from VAN 4/11/12)MF Jonny Steele (Discovery - Feb. 2012)MF Sebastian Velasquez (MLS SuperDraft 2012)MF Enzo Martinez (MLS SuperDraft 2012)FW Emiliano Bonfigli (MLS Supplemental Draft 2012)

VELASQUEZ A FIRST DURING KREIS ERA:When rookie MF Sebastian Velasquez took the field for the starting whistle 3/10 in LA, he became the only first-year player to receive a starting nod on Opening Day during Jason Kreis’ five full seasons as the RSL boss ... The last RSL rookie to start a season opener was current NY MF Medhi Ballouchy, who started in RSL’s 0-3 L at Chivas in 2006 ...

Velasquez acquitted himself well in his “baptism-by-fire” moment against the defending champs in LA, starting and playing 89 minutes on the left side of Kreis’ midfield diamond, his searching cross for FW Alvaro Saborio near post being knocked home for the equalizing own goal by LA DF Franklin to spark the RSL comeback ...

On 3/17 v NY, Velasquez started and played 86 minutes, once again creating a goal for RSL, as it was his interplay with Paulo Junior that led to his cross for Espindola, whose saved shot rebounded to Luis Gil for the 2-0 lead against the Red Bulls ...

SCHULER STEPS UP ONCE AGAIN, TOO:Third-year RSL DF Chris Schuler again joined Velasquez in the starting lineup at LA and vs NY, the tall, athletic and tactically-solid center-back moving once again into prime candidacy to see significant minutes when RSL’s 2010 Best XI duo and perennial MLS DF of the Year center-backs Nat Borchers and Jamison Olave cannot play … Schuler’s first-ever MLS start came in September, 2010, at Qwest Field, with RSL earning a 0-0 draw before 36,000+ … That venue was also the site of his first-ever post-season start last year …

Throughout the 2011 campaign, Schuler started 20 games and appeared in 25 in all competitions, scoring two goals – both game-winners – at New England and vs Philadelphia … As a rookie in 2010, Schuler also appeared in the team’s 1-2 aet Open Cup loss at D.C. United and started RSL’s 3-2 victory in CCL play at Panamanian club Arabe Unido … RSL has understandably struggled since RSL’s Cup-winning 2009 campaign, across all competitions, without the vaunted Borchers/Olave combo, affectionately known as “Bor-Lave” ... The team’s record, with goals and goals against average:

RSL CBs 2009-12 2012 only “Bor-Lave” 42-21-27 (82 / 0.91) 2-0-0 (2, 1.00)Other combos: 14-16-6 (52 / 1.48) 3-1-0 (2, 0.50)

The Borchers / Olave tandem is considered the finest in MLS, the duo posting a 42-21-27 mark in all competitions (reg season, playoff, CONCACAF) since ‘09, 82 goals allowed in 89 games ...


RSL INDIVIDUAL LEADERS (ALL-TIME)INCLUDES GAMES OF April 7, 2012(active players in claret)

GAMES PLAY / START GP GS Andy Williams 189 122Nick Rimando 149 149Kyle Beckerman 127 123Chris Wingert 127 117Nat Borchers 121 121Jamison Olave 105 104Javier Morales 103 94Fabian Espindola 101 83Robbie Findley 96 59Will Johnson 91 83

MINUTES PLAYED MIN Nick Rimando 13355Andy Williams 11536Kyle Beckerman 10999Nat Borchers 10689Chris Wingert 10515Jamison Olave 9126Javier Morales 8121Will Johnson 7569Fabian Espindola 6834Tony Beltran 6548

GOALS GP GOALS Robbie Findley 96 29Fabian Espindola 101 29Alvaro Saborio 56 25Jeff Cunningham 38 19Javier Morales 103 18Jason Kreis 58 17Yura Movsisyan 53 15Andy Williams 189 14Kyle Beckerman 127 14Jamison Olave 105 10

GAME-WINNING GOALS GP GWG Alvaro Saborio 56 10Robbie Findley 96 9Javier Morales 103 9Fabian Espindola 101 8Kyle Beckerman 127 5Jeff Cunningham 38 4Andy Williams 189 4Jason Kreis 58 36 players tied with 2

HAT TRICKS GP HATS Robbie Findley 96 1

MULTI-GOAL GAMES GP 2+ G GM Jeff Cunningham 38 5Alvaro Saborio 56 5Robbie Findley 96 4Javier Morales 103 3Fabian Espindola 101 2Yura Movsisyan 53 2Kyle Beckerman 127 1Chris Brown 60 1Atiba Harris 43 1Jason Kreis 58 1

PENALTY-KICK GOALS GP PKG Alvaro Saborio 56 6Jeff Cunningham 38 5Jason Kreis 58 4Robbie Findley 96 2Carey Talley 60 2Freddy Adu 11 1Alecko Eskandarian 17 1Fabian Espindola 101 1Will Johnson 91 1Dema Kovalenko 22 1Javier Morales 103 1Andy Williams 189 1Paulo Junior 19 1

ASSISTS GP ASTS Javier Morales 103 35Andy Williams 189 29Kyle Beckerman 127 17Robbie Findley 96 13Fabian Espindola 101 11Jeff Cunningham 38 11Clint Mathis 66 11Chris Klein 43 9Jason Kreis 58 9Robbie Russell 78 9Carey Talley 60 9Chris Wingert 127 9

GAME-WINNING ASSISTS GP GWA Kyle Beckerman 127 10Javier Morales 103 7Fabian Espindola 101 5Robbie Findley 96 5Andy Williams 189 5Clint Mathis 66 4Robbie Russell 78 4Jeff Cunningham 38 35 players tied with 2

SHOTS / SOG GP SHT SOGAndy Williams 189 232 83Fabian Espindola 101 204 102Kyle Beckerman 127 177 68Robbie Findley 96 157 69Javier Morales 103 148 71Will Johnson 91 147 60Yura Movsisyan 53 143 65Jason Kreis 58 132 57Alvaro Saborio 56 129 50Jeff Cunningham 38 94 52


RSL INDIVIDUAL LEADERS (ALL-TIME)INCLUDES GAMES OF April 7, 2012(active players in claret)

FOULS COMMITTED GP FC Andy Williams 189 198Kyle Beckerman 127 178Chris Wingert 127 139Javier Morales 103 134Jamison Olave 105 134Fabian Espindola 101 128Carey Talley 60 95Atiba Harris 43 92Nat Borchers 121 86Mehdi Ballouchy 46 82

FOULS SUFFERED GP FS Andy Williams 189 269Javier Morales 103 228Kyle Beckerman 127 132Fabian Espindola 101 106Will Johnson 91 99Carey Talley 60 91Ned Grabavoy 73 85Robbie Findley 96 85Chris Wingert 127 78Mehdi Ballouchy 46 75

CAUTIONS (YELLOWS) GP CAUT Kyle Beckerman 127 32Jamison Olave 105 27Andy Williams 189 21Will Johnson 91 19Chris Wingert 127 19Fabian Espindola 101 18Javier Morales 103 17Nat Borchers 121 14Clint Mathis 66 14Carey Talley 60 14

EJECTIONS (RED CARDS) GP EJECT Jamison Olave 105 4Andy Williams 189 3Nat Borchers 121 2Fabian Espindola 101 2Clint Mathis 66 220 players tied with 1

CORNER KICKS GP CK Javier Morales 103 364Andy Williams 189 225Chris Klein 43 76Kyle Beckerman 127 72Clint Mathis 66 52

OFFSIDES GP OFF Fabian Espindola 101 103Robbie Findley 96 60Alvaro Saborio 56 62Jeff Cunningham 38 45Jason Kreis 58 44

GAMES PLAYED IN GOAL GP GS Nick Rimando 149 149Scott Garlick 31 31D.J. Countess 27 27Jay Nolly 7 6Chris Seitz 7 7Kyle Reynish 5 4Brian Kamler 1 0

MIN PLAYED IN GOAL MIN Nick Rimando 13355Scott Garlick 2745D.J. Countess 2422Chris Seitz 630Jay Nolly 585Kyle Reynish 415Brian Kamler 8

GOALS AGAINST AVG. PLAYER GP MIN SHT SVS GA GAA W-L-T SHONick Rimando 149 13355 669 506 163 1.10 60-49-40 54

WINNING PCT GP WON LOST TIED PCTNick Rimando 148 59 49 40 .537

WINS GP WON Nick Rimando 149 60Scott Garlick 31 10D.J. Countess 27 4Kyle Reynish 5 1Jay Nolly 7 1Chris Seitz 7 1

LOSSES GP LOST Nick Rimando 149 49D.J. Countess 27 19Scott Garlick 31 12Jay Nolly 7 4Chris Seitz 7 4

SAVES GP SVS Nick Rimando 149 506D.J. Countess 27 112Scott Garlick 31 108Jay Nolly 7 41Chris Seitz 7 19Kyle Reynish 5 14

SHUTOUTS GP SHO Nick Rimando 149 54D.J. Countess 27 4Scott Garlick 31 4Kyle Reynish 5 2Chris Seitz 7 1

SAVES PERCENTAGE GP SAVES SOG PCTNick Rimando 149 506 695 72.8


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LALO FERNANDEZ

DIOGO DE ALMEIDA

TONY BELTRAN

JAMISON OLAVE

GOALKEEPER

DEFENDER

DEFENDER

DEFENDER

HEIGHT: 6-3 WEIGHT: 170 DOB: 12/16/92HOMETOWN: El Paso, TXACQUIRED: Signed as Home Grown Player, 1/11/12LAST CLUB: C.A. Penarol (Uruguay)PRONOUNCIATION: LAW-loLAST GAME: yet to appear in an RSL league or reserve match

HEIGHT: 6-0 WEIGHT: 175 DOB: 1/2/89HOMETOWN: Piricicaba, Brazil ACQUIRED: 2012 MLS SuperDraftPRONOUNCIATION: dee - OH -go DAY al - MAY - duhLAST SEASON: Played 22 games (all starts) in goal for D.C. United, registering five shutouts and a 1.68 goals-against averageLAST GAME: 03/27/12 - start/90’ in 0-1 L @ CHI (reserves)

HEIGHT: 5-8 WEIGHT: 150 DOB: 10/11/87HOMETOWN: Claremont, CA ACQUIRED: PRONOUNCIATION: BELL - trannLAST SEASON: Played 28 games (23 starts) in all competitions, scor-ing one goal, adding one assistLAST MLS GOAL: yet to score in 84 career MLS gamesLAST MLS ASSIST: 04/07/12 v COL (20’/57’) - ACTIVELAST GAME: 04/7/12 - start/90’/2 assists in 2-0 W v COL

HEIGHT: 6-3 WEIGHT: 210 DOB: 4/21/81HOMETOWN: Medellin, Colombia ACQUIRED: March, 2008PRONOUNCIATION: HAW-miss-son oh-LAW-vayLAST SEASON: Played 31 games (all starts) in all competitions, scor-ing 3 goals, adding 1 assist and named MLS Best XILAST MLS GOAL: 07/23/11 v SJ (83’) - 14 games agoLAST MLS ASSIST: 7/4/11 v NE (83’) - 16 games agoLAST MLS GAME: 04/07/12 - start/90’ in 2-0 W v COL

Real Salt Lake’s eye towards the future was bolstered in February with the signing of promising goalkeeper Lalo Fernandez as the club’s third-ever Homegrown Player. The addition of Fernandez marks the second dip into the Homegrown Player well by Real Salt Lake in less than a year, following on the heels of fellow RSL-Arizona Academy product Nico Muñiz (Sept. 2011) and Donny Toia (May 2011).

The 19-year-old Fernandez has kept busy over the last year-and-a-half, helping the RSL-Arizona Under-18 squad begin its first season in U.S. Soccer Development Academy in October 2010 and going 5-3-3 (1.00 GAA, 4 shutouts) in 11 appearances through the spring of 2011. After initially agreeing to play collegiately at the University of Wisconsin, Fernandez tacked course and tested the international waters, first spending a training stint with Mexican first division side Atlas – based in his birthplace of Guadalajara – before signing with Uruguayan power C.A. Peñarol last August.

The 6-foot-3, 165-pound Fernandez has been involved in the Youth National Team set-ups of both the United States and Mexico, playing for the Mexican Under-17s and training with the U.S. Under-20s last November. The El Paso, Texas, native’s goalkeeping skills run in the family, as his father, enjoyed a career as a professional netminder in Mexico.

Real Salt Lake’s search for a naturally left-footed fit on its back line may very well have come to an end with its selection of SMU product Diogo de Almeida back in January. Other outside back options were on the board towards the start of the second round, RSL was enamored with the athletic de Almeida’s size and speed, not to mention his technical ability, which was no surprise after his progression from forward to midfielder to defender during his first three years with the Mustangs. While RSL will not expect the 23-year-old to fill in minutes right away, the Brazilian’s progress throughout the year will prove vital to the planned wing-back rotation system that could prove crucial to the Utah side’s late-season success.

After playing the second-most minutes of his career in 2011, Tony Beltran again showed why he belongs in the discussion with the best outside backs in Major League Soccer. For the second time in his career the 24-year-old made more than 20 starts and helped solidify a back line that was depleted by injuries all season long – until he unfortunately suffered one of his own, limiting his minutes in the final two months of the season.

While his staunch 1-v-1 defending continued to be rock solid, the cerebral and supremely fit Beltran has also provided more consistency when jumping into the attack, his flying runs up either flank ending with dangerous service into the area more often than during his previous two seasons of play. It can’t be long until Beltran sheds the status of one of the most underrated outside defenders in Major League Soccer, but, until then, the RSL braintrust will be more than happy to unleash the mature-beyond-his-years winger upon opponents that may underestimate the UCLA product’s considerable talent and tenacity.

It seemed to take a couple of years for MLS fans and pundits to fully appreciate the depth of talent that RSL center back Jamison Olave possessed. However, now that he’s a known commodity, the RSL center back can’t seem to stop the plaudits coming his way, the ultra-athletic center back garnering spots on the MLS Best XI and MLS All-Star teams for a second consecutive season in 2011. He began the year by not only displaying his usual defensive prowess, but also securing himself an even bigger spot in RSL lore courtesy of some offense, as it was his goal at Deportivo Saprissa that would swing the CONCACAF Champions League Semifinal series the Utah side’s way.

While RSL fans loved seeing “The Verb” represent the Claret-and-Cobalt against Manchester United in the All-Star Game once again, they were also left holding their collective breath after a sliding tackle sidelined him with an MCL sprain in his left knee. Success, it appeared, might come at a price. However, Olave would return after missing only a month, using his unique blend of size and closing speed – in addition to a growing sense of comfort with the ball at his feet – to keep opposing forwards on lockdown. Olave would again suffer from injury, this time a quadriceps strain, during the 2011 postseason, but the 2012 preseason sees the Colombian fit as a fiddle and ready to lead the RSL backline to more impressive and historic numbers – more specifically the ones in the “W” and “SO” columns. And, speaking of numbers, the 30-year-old Olave will hit a nice round one the next time he sees the field, as his next appearance on the fiels will mark his 100th in MLS regular season play.


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KYLE BECKERMAN

FABIAN ESPINDOLA

NAT BORCHERS

WILL JOHNSON

MIDFIELDER

FORWARD

DEFENDER

MIDFIELDER

HEIGHT: 5-11 WEIGHT: 165 DOB: 4/23/82HOMETOWN: Crofton, MDACQUIRED: Trade with Colorado for Mehdi Ballouchy on 6/17/07LAST SEASON: Played 36 games (34 starts) as Captain, scoring 3 goals & 9 assists (6 game-winners), earning USMNT call-ups and All-Star considerationLAST MLS GOAL: 03/31/12 @ POR (93+) - 2 games agoLAST MLS ASSIST: 09/17/11 v KC (54’) - 7 games agoLAST GAME: 04/07/12 - start/90’ in 2-0 W v COL

HEIGHT: 5-9 WEIGHT: 160 DOB: 5/4/85HOMETOWN: Buenos Aires, Argentina ACQUIRED: 8/07 PRONOUNCIATION: fah - bee - AHN ess - PEEN - doh - lahLAST SEASON: Played 34 games (32 starts) in all competitions, scoring career-high 11 goals & 5 assistsLAST MLS GOAL: 4/07/12 v COL (57’) - ACTIVELAST MLS ASSIST: 03/31/12 @ POR (93+) - 2 games ago LAST GAME: 04/07/12 - start/89’/GOAL in 2-0 W v COL

HEIGHT: 6-2 WEIGHT: 175 DOB: 4/13/81HOMETOWN: Pueblo, CO ACQUIRED: Feb. 2008PRONOUNCIATION: NATTLAST SEASON: Played team-high 37 games (all starts), scoring 4 goals & 1 assist as MLS DF of the Year FinalistLAST MLS GOAL: 9/17/11 v KC (54’) - 8 games agoLAST MLS ASSIST: 05/7/11 v CHV (87’) - 26 games agoLAST GAME: 04/07/12 - start/90’ in 2-0 W v COL

HEIGHT: 5-10 WEIGHT: 155 DOB: 1/21/87HOMETOWN: Woodridge, IL ACQUIRED: July, 2008PRONOUNCIATION: LAST SEASON: Played 33 games (30 starts) in all competitions, scoring 2 goals & 2 assistsLAST MLS GOAL: 07/04/11 v NE (24’) - 17 games agoLAST MLS ASSIST: 03/31/12 @ POR (89’) - 2 games agoLAST GAME: 04/07/12 - start/90’ in 2-0 W v COL

Many players start to think about the next stage of their careers after a dozen seasons in the pros, the portion involving final contracts, farewell tours and the like. However, most players aren’t like Kyle Beckerman, whose 12th season only propelled him towards bigger heights both with his club and for his country, as 2011 saw the RSL captain go from a perennial MLS All-Star and part-time U.S. Men’s National Team performer to a legitimate league MVP candidate and First XI stalwart for Jurgen Klinsmann’s USA squad. Beckerman’s ability to step up his game in the absence of main playmaker Javier Morales showed both on and off the stat sheet, his increased leadership role on the field during an adversity-filled 2011 proving just as crucial as his career-best nine assists (including six game-winning helpers) across regular season play.

The 29-year-old Beckerman is hitting his peak as he enters 2012, a year in which he’ll likely leap into the league’s all-time top 20 in games played and started while also playing an integral role for the US Men’s National Team as it begins its qualifying journey for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Finals in Brazil. While an offseason adductor strain might have slowed RSL’s heart-and-soul down temporarily, Beckerman should be ready to set the tone for the Claret-and-Cobalt right out of the gates in what he hopes is a lucky 13th season in MLS.

Seemingly overshadowed by other forwards every since he joined Real Salt Lake five years ago, the attention turned Fabian Espíndola’s way in 2011 seemed to increase. Then again, everything involving Espíndola seemed to be ratcheted up a notch last season – his focus, an already-high energy-level and even his notoriety across the league all received noticeable bumps. However, the most important thing the fiery Argentine increased last year was his production, as Espíndola knocked home a career-best 10 goals in league play and added a goal and two assists during RSL’s CONCACAF Champions League run that allowed to Utahns to continue their historic path to the tourney’s finals.

It’s easy to forget that Espíndola was a part of the massive rebuilding process that Jason Kreis began midway through 2007; and yet, at the same time, it seems hard to think about RSL without the passion and grit of the 26-year-old forward. Re-signing Espíndola was priority #1 for Real Salt Lake this past offseason, and when two sides were able to agree to a four-year pact you could almost hear an audible sigh of relief from Claret-and-Cobalt fans near and far. With his regular up-top running mate, Álvaro Saborío, a question mark for the start of the campaign, the scoring burden will likely fall to Espíndola – then again, that’s something the confident striker will likely pick up as well.

Ever since he crashed the Colorado Rapids roster as an undrafted camp invitee back in 2003, Nat Borchers has been tough to take off the roster sheet … make that nearly impossible to take off. While missing four of 34 regular season games like Borchers did in 2011 wouldn’t be noteworthy for most players, for the “Ironman of MLS” it was more than a bit out of the ordinary. And even with that said, Borchers’ 30 starts last season allowed him to become the only player across Major League Soccer with at least 29 starts in each of the last four years. Death … Taxes … Borchers, indeed.

The big story for Real Salt Lake as it approaches its season opener in Los Angeles might just be if the three-time RSL Defender of the Year winner will be in Jason Kreis’ First XI. The right quadriceps strain the 30-year-old backline staple suffered in last October’s postseason opener against Seattle has forced a cautious approach during this year’s preseason camp, but Borchers vows to be ready to go for rematch of the Western Conference Championship … a game the ever-steady center back would have certainly been a difference-maker in had he been able to give it a go.

Will Johnson was a busy guy in 2011, but when you’re depended upon to be a stalwart for both your club and country, well, that just goes with the territory. But with Johnson possessing one of – if not the best – motors in all of Major League Soccer, the industrious 25-year-old not only has the stamina to handle the added workload, but the pride and character to relish it. He also has the history to prove he can handle the added miles as well, playing at least 2,000 minutes and in at least 25 regular season contests for the Claret-and-Cobalt in each of his first three full seasons … and that’s not counting the additional wear-and-tear (and pressure) endured during Cup competitions.

With another round of World Cup qualifying in store for his Canadian National Team and another run in the CONCACAF Champions League on the docket for Real Salt Lake, it’s going to be another chock full calendar in 2012 for Johnson, who will again be depended upon to man the left side of RSL’s midfield diamond. While a procedure to correct a sports hernia issue might slow Johnson down for the first few weeks of the season, the RSL faithful can rest assured his odometer will start spinning furiously sooner rather than later.


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JAVIER MORALES

YORDANY ALVAREZ

EMILIANO BONFIGLI

ALVARO SABORIO

MIDFIELDER

MIDFIELDER

FORWARD

FORWARD

HEIGHT: 5-9 WEIGHT: 165 DOB: 1/10/80HOMETOWN: Buenos Aires, Argentina ACQUIRED: 8/07PRONOUNCIATION: HAW-vee-errLAST SEASON: Played 16 games (15 starts) in all competitions, scor-ing 5 goals & 4 assists in injury-shortened campaignLAST MLS GOAL: 03/10/12 @ LA (80’) - 4 games agoLAST MLS ASSIST: 03/31/12 @ POR (89’) - 1 game agoLAST GAME: 04/04/12 - sub/26’ in 1-0 W v MTL

HEIGHT: 5-10 WEIGHT: 165 DOB: 5/24/85HOMETOWN: Cienfuegos, Cuba ACQUIRED: Sept. 2011PRONOUNCIATION: jor-DONN-eeLAST SEASON: Played 5 games (4 starts) on loan from Orlando City, where he was named 2011 USL PRO MVP as championship-winnerLAST MLS GOAL: yet to score in 7 gamesLAST MLS ASSIST: yet to assist in 7 gamesLAST GAME: 04/07/12 - sub/8’ in 2-0 W v COL

HEIGHT: 5-10 WEIGHT: 150 DOB: 4/15/88HOMETOWN: Bahia Blanca, ArgentinaACQUIRED: 2012 MLS Supplemental DraftPRONOUNCIATION: bone-FIGG-leeLAST GAME: 04/07/12 - sub/1’ in 2-0 W v COL (MLS debut)

HEIGHT: 6-0 WEIGHT: 170 DOB: 3/25/82HOMETOWN: San Carlos, Costa Rica ACQUIRED: March 2010PRONOUNCIATION: AL-vuh-ro sabb-oh-REE-ohLAST SEASON: Played 29 games (28 starts) in all competitions, scoring team-high 13 goals (incl. 5 game-winners) & 4 assistsLAST MLS GOAL: 04/07/12 v COL (20’) - ACTIVELAST MLS ASSIST: 03/10/12 @ LA (85’) - 5 games agoLAST GAME: 04/07/12 - start/90’/GOAL in 2-0 W v COL

Perhaps no player in Major League Soccer was poised to have a better 2011 than Javier Morales. From the get-go, the Argentine midfield maestro was pulling the strings for a Real Salt Lake side on the cusp of international glory, his infectious attitude, quiet leadership and abundant skill helping a pioneering club earn plaudits from every corner of America’s soccer landscape. So while RSL’s disappointment at the end of its CONCACAF Champions League run in late April was a tough blow for the squad, it’s quite telling that the result’s effect on the team’s season paled in comparison to the loss of Morales to an ankle injury just 10 days after the stinging defeat.

It is also telling that, during a stretch of two weeks when clumsy challenges like the one Morales suffered from felled some of MLS’ other brightest attacking talents, RSL’s playmaker vowed to come back before season’s end. Anyone who saw the incident must have thought Morales’ thoughts were wishful thinking at best, but they also weren’t witness to the hard work he put in day after day. While the air was sucked out of the building that day, Morales knew it wasn’t sucked out of the season, and he wanted to make sure he could help the squad finish the challenge it had laid down at the start of the year – add hardware to the trophy case.

While that goal wouldn’t come to fruition, the comeback of Morales inspired not only his teammates, but the RSL faithful as well, who could not get enough updates on the status of “Javi” and when – not if – he would return to the field. While Morales was never back to 100% during the final six weeks of the season, he showed plenty enough to make it clear that he was closer than anyone, save himself, might have thought. But, perhaps more than anything, his comeback allowed everyone the opportunity to remember a different image of #11 at Rio Tinto Stadium in 2011 – the thunderous standing ovation he received upon entering the Sept. 28 match against Chicago in front of the largest crowd in the stadium’s history. 20,762 fans, all there to pay tribute to the heart-and-soul of RSL, to see the maestro pick up his baton once again.

The start of the 2012 campaign sees Morales continuing to overcome injury, an offseason procedure to clean out bone spurs in his left foot and a right quad strain suffered during the preseason limiting him during the squad’s preparations for the upcoming season. But if 2011 proved anything, it’s that Morales will be able to overcome any challenge thrown at him … and likely sooner than anyone could imagine.

When it came to taking advantage of an opportunity in 2011, nobody did it better than midfielder Yordany Alvarez, who parlayed his USL PRO League MVP performance for Orlando City S.C. into a quasi-starting gig last September shortly after joining Real Salt Lake on loan at the roster freeze deadline. The one-time Cuban international provided quality cover for Kyle Beckerman, whose suspensions and U.S. MNT call-ups across the last quarter of the season forced Alvarez onto the field for five contests.

The 26-year-old performed well enough during the impromptu “trial by fire” that RSL sought to secure his services on a more permanent basis, and the Utah side did just that in February by coming to buyout terms with Orlando and locking up the holding midfielder via a new three-year deal. With Beckerman again slated to pull double-duty for club and country during much of 2012, fans can expect to see Alvarez back in the Starting XI mix on many more occasions.

Five years ago, Real Salt Lake brought a young Argentinean striker into its side by the name of Fabian Espíndola … and now the Utah side is hoping it has unearthed a similar talent in his countryman, Emiliano Bonfigli. The lanky striker proved worth taking a flyer on in the MLS Supplemental Draft, the 23-year-old showing more than enough finishing prowess during RSL’s opening preseason camp to earn a spot on the team’s forward depth chart. With a congested schedule ahead, expect Bonfigli to be firmly in the mix for the “spot starter” role up top alongside fellow “young guns” Paulo Jr. and Cody Arnoux.

As a forward there’s always pressure to perform, and in 2011 the pressure seemed to be both a blessing and a curse for Álvaro Saborío, who began the year with a new contract that heaped on the added weight of becoming Real Salt Lake’s first-ever “Designated Player” (though the title was more a technicality thanks to the transfer fees involved in obtaining his full rights). The roller-coaster season saw Saborío bag goals in bunches and in some critical moments, but also included some droughts and mountains of adversity on the national team front for his native Costa Rica.

A part of that ebb-and-flow of output was due to injury, as Saborío rushed back from offseason knee surgery quickly in order to help keep his hot hand in the CONCACAF Champions League going from the prior fall. While he indeed helped carry the squad to the tournament’s finals, his production and availability would suffer in the months to follow, only to ratchet back up during a torrid stretch in mid-summer. When the dust settled, “Sabo” had collected 16 goals across 32 games in all competitions, keeping pace with the 18 tallies in 36 contests the season prior. The wear-and-tear resulted in another surgery on his right knee immediately after the season, making his return to the line-up at the start of 2012 a question mark. However, the “Tico Terror” won’t be sidelined for long, as he has progressed strongly during the club’s preseason camps and is expected to be on the field and creating havoc for the opposition by April at the very latest.


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NICO MUNIZ

NICK RIMANDO

CHRIS WINGERT

ENZO MARTINEZ

MIDFIELDER

GOALKEEPER

DEFENDER

MIDFIELDER

HEIGHT: 5-10 WEIGHT: 155 DOB: 10/18/92HOMETOWN: Albuquerque, NMACQUIRED: Signed as Home Grown player in Sept. 2011PRONOUNCIATION: MOON-yeesLAST GAME: 3/27/12 - sub/17’ in 0-1 L @ CHI (reserves)

HEIGHT: 5-9 WEIGHT: 185 DOB: 6/17/79HOMETOWN: Montclair, CAACQUIRED: Trade with NY, March, 2007LAST SEASON: Played 39 games (all starts) in all competitions in goal for RSL, with 16 wins and 15 shutouts and a 1.08 GAALAST MLS WIN: 04/07/12 v COL - ACTIVE 3-game streakLAST MLS SHUTOUT: 04/07/12 v COL - ACTIVE 205-minute streakLAST GAME: 04/07/12 - start/90’/1 save in 2-0 W v COL

HEIGHT: 5-11 WEIGHT: 170 DOB: 6/16/82HOMETOWN: Babylon, NYACQUIRED: Trade with COL, 6/14/07LAST SEASON: Played 29 games (28 starts) in all competitions, tallying one assistLAST MLS GOAL: 05/22/10 @ CHV - 45 games agoLAST MLS ASSIST: 08/26/09 v. CHV (85’) - 55 games agoLAST GAME: 04/07/12 - start/90’ in 2-0 W v COL

HEIGHT: 5-7 WEIGHT: 160 DOB: 9/29/90HOMETOWN: Rock Hill, SCACQUIRED: 2011 MLS SuperDraft, 17th overall pick, 1/15/12PRONOUNCIATION: ENN-zohLAST GAME: 04/08/12 - start/45’ in 0-1 L v COL (reserves)

Real Salt Lake broke new ground last fall when it agreed to terms with Nico Muñiz, making the midfielder the first RSL-Arizona Academy member to jump straight to the “big club” from Casa Grande. While technically unable to perform for the MLS outfit until the new year, the now 19-year-old Muniz joined the first team in Utah upon the announcement in September, giving him a leg up on preparations for his first professional campaign with what amounted to a seven week “sneak peek.” Muñiz started three of his six appearances (346 min.) as a regular call-up for the RSL Reserves in 2011, and the Albuquerque native should expect to see his development continue largely through opportunities in MLS Reserve League fixtures during the 2012 campaign.

Nick Rimando would have been hard-pressed to duplicate the record-setting 2010 campaign he presided over between the posts for Real Salt Lake, but his 2011 season was not all that far behind. Once again finishing at or near the top of Major League Soccer in goals against average, shutouts and wins, Rimando’s 12th MLS season gave credence to the theory that the shelf life of the American goalkeeper is almost limitless … a good sign now that the 32-year-old Rimando is the elder statesman of the Claret-and-Cobalt after the offseason retirement of Andy Williams. That being said, it takes more than age to climb towards the top of MLS’ record books, which is exactly what Rimando has done by ranking second in all-time shutouts (87) and third in wins (121), games played in goal (288), starts in goal (also 288) and minutes in goal (26,073).

Much like teammate Kyle Beckerman, Rimando’s international career has also picked up steam once again, as the Southern California native has been a regular call-up under the new regime of Jurgen Klinsmann since his appointment as USMNT’s sideline boss last summer. If Rimando can continue to produce sparkling performances like the first half he turned in against Panama in January, it will be a busy year of shuffling between club and country for the RSL fanbase’s favorite “homeboy.”

The outside back position in RSL’s 4-4-2 system is perhaps one of the most challenging spots in Major League Soccer – to call them “defenders” is simply not doing them justice. The role requires players to have the physicality to defend one-on-one, the speed and stamina to make run after run up and down the flank to provide width in attack and the technical acumen to make things happen with the ball, be it by providing crosses into the area or quick combinations with the midfield. You have to be smart, disciplined and in ridiculously good shape … in other words, you almost have to be Chris Wingert.

The 29-year-old Wingert will enter the 2012 season as RSL’s longest-tenured field player, beating out his former ex-Colorado teammate Kyle Beckerman for the honor by three days courtesy of their back-to-back trades in mid-July 2007. That longevity has not only shot him up the RSL all-time rankings in numerous categories, but it’s also allowed him to master the abilities necessary to thrive on the island that can sometimes be the outside back position in Jason Kreis’ preferred line-up. To protect against the wear-and-tear that saw nagging injuries effect the three-man rotation of Wingert, Tony Beltran and the departed Robbie Russell last season, the Claret-and-Cobalt will hope Wingert can mentor whichever two players emerge in the back-up battle out wide during preseason to increase the rotation to four by midseason. If there’s anyone up for the task of mentoring it would be Wingert, a locker room leader who also has the NSCAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor from his Senior season at St. John’s in his back pocket.

Some things are just meant to be, and that seemed to be the general consensus when highly-touted midfielder Enzo Martinez fell right into the lap of Real Salt Lake late in the first round of January’s MLS SuperDraft in Kansas City. Why the key cog for North Carolina’s College Cup-winning side slid to the 17th overall pick will never be known, but what is for certain is that the motivated midfielder’s savvy on the ball, mature decision-making and industrious workrate will make the native Uruguayan a perfect fit in the diamond midfield RSL has perfected under Jason Kreis. While the RSL Technical Staff gushed about the Generation adidas product’s production and ability, it was even more impressed with his maturity off the field, forcing many of the pundits who questioned where the 21-year-old might fit on the field for many teams to also admit that the Claret-and-Cobalt might just have come away with the steal of draft day.


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NED GRABAVOY

JONNY STEELE

LUIS GIL

PAULO JUNIOR

MIDFIELDER

MIDFIELDER

MIDFIELDER

FORWARD

HEIGHT: 5-7 WEIGHT: 150 DOB: 7/1/83HOMETOWN: New Lenox, ILACQUIRED: Waivers from SJ Earthquakes, 3/--/09LAST SEASON: Played 33 games (25 starts) in all competitions, scoring playoff-series-clinching goal vs SEA in West SemisLAST MLS GOAL: 10/16/10 v. DAL (59’) - 30 games agoLAST MLS ASSIST: 07/31/10 v. DC (13’) - 39 games agoLAST GAME: 04/04/12 - sub/26’ in 1-0 W v MTL

HEIGHT: 6-0 WEIGHT: 180 DOB: 2/7/86HOMETOWN: Larne, Northern IrelandACQUIRED: via discovery option in Jan., 2012PRONOUNCIATION: LAST MLS GOAL: 03/31/12 @ POR (89’) - 2 games agoLAST MLS ASSIST: none in 6 career appearancesLAST GAME: 04/07/12 - sub/32’ in 2-0 W v COL

HEIGHT: 5-10 WEIGHT: 155 DOB: 11/14/93HOMETOWN: Garden Grove, CA ACQUIRED: Trade with KC, 3/10PRONOUNCIATION: GILLLAST SEASON: Played 27 games (16 starts) in all competitions, scoring 2 goalsLAST MLS GOAL: 3/17/12 v NY (58’) - 4 games agoLAST MLS ASSIST: 04/07/12 v COL (57’) - ACTIVELAST GAME: 04/07/12 - start/82’/assist in 2-0 W v COL

HEIGHT: 5-7 WEIGHT: 155 DOB: 1/23/89HOMETOWN: Teresina, BrazilACQUIRED: via loan in August, 2010 (purchased Jan., 2012)PRONOUNCIATION: PAUL-lowLAST SEASON: Played 13 games (5 starts) in all competitions, scoring 2 goals & 4 assistsLAST MLS GOAL: 04/04/12 v MTL (13’ PK) - ACTIVELAST MLS ASSIST: 3/17/12 v NY (39’) - 3 games agoLAST GAME: 04/04/12 - start/64’/GOAL in 1-0 W v MTL

During his third season in Claret-and-Cobalt in 2011, Ned Grabavoy continued to find more minutes in the platoon system with Andy Williams on the right side of Real Salt Lake’s diamond midfield, but, due to injuries and national team call-ups, the veteran also found himself at other spots in the diamond through necessity. Despite suffering from a nagging hamstring injury of his own late in the campaign, the gritty Grabavoy was able to register the second most appearances, starts and minutes of his eight seasons in Major League Soccer.

With Williams retiring during the offseason, the versatile Grabavoy will be depended upon even more by Head Coach Jason Kreis to set the tone on the field and in the locker room as one of the team’s core members. The good news for Kreis and fans of RSL is that, thanks to a new offseason contract, the 28-year-old midfielder will put his masterful on-the-ball ability, vision and tenacity on display at Rio Tinto Stadium for at least the next three seasons.

Jonny Steele has squeezed a career’s worth of stops into his first eight professional seasons, but the preseason pact he signed with Real Salt Lake might just allow the 26-year-old midfielder to stop and settle down for awhile … besides, there’s precedence for this sort of thing with the Utah side (see Williams, Andy). After years of hopping between second divisions clubs and indoor teams, the native of Northern Ireland has finally earned the opportunity to display his talents on the North American continent’s top stage, eight years after his stateside journey began with a trial for FC Dallas. While Steele’s presence will ratchet up the amount of bite in the RSL midfield, thinking of him as simply a “hardman” would be a mistake, as the former Wolverhampton performer didn’t win the 2008 USL-1 MVP award for the Puerto Rico Islanders on hard tackles alone.

Real Salt Lake’s philosophy for the development of Luis Gil had always been “slow and steady,” but then Javier Morales’ devastating ankle injury and a slew of national team call-ups hit in the spring, and the acceleration of Gil’s learning curve soon followed. RSL Head Coach Jason Kreis originally took a committee approach to replacing Morales as the summer progressed, but the rotation would eventually include a heavy dose of the then-17-year-old Gil, who indeed proved capable of rising to the challenge while also doing plenty of “on-the-job” training. While inconsistent, as most teenagers growing up in a professional league tend to be, Gil more often than not showed glimpses as to why he was coveted by some of the world’s top sides prior to joining the Claret-and-Cobalt back in 2010.

The physicality of the opposition might not be as much of a problem in 2012, as Gil entered RSL’s preseason camp noticeably bigger and more confident, both on the ball and within the squad. With regular starters Morales and Will Johnson both dealing with injuries heading into the season, Gil may very well find himself a member of the starting XI when March rolls around

As explosive as the fall 2010 debut of Paulo Jr. onto the Real Salt Lake scene was, it appeared that the Brazilian’s 2011 was equally as disappointing … but one look at the limited sample size of stats might just prove otherwise. While the swashbuckling striker missed exactly half of the season due to lingering hamstring and hip flexor injuries over the summer, when he was on the field he was able to produce, notching a pair of goals and five assists in what amounted to just under 600 minutes across MLS and CONCACAF play.

The diminutive forward’s season got off to a sparkling start, as he recorded a goal, an assist or both during his first four overall appearances. However, the injury bug would strike soon afterwards, derailing a promising start and limiting him to substitute and spot-start duty across the last three months of the season. Despite the health concerns, Real Salt Lake recognized Paulo Jr.’s potential this past offseason and acquired the 23-year-old’s player rights from the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers in February. The Utah side hopes a new three-year contract will provide the stability and confidence the still-developing striker needs in order to perform, which would result in a dangerous complement to first-choice forwards Fabian Espíndola and Álvaro Saborío.


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KYLE REYNISH

CODY ARNOUX

SEBASTIAN VELASQUEZ

CHRIS SCHULER

GOALKEEPER

FORWARD

MIDFIELDER

DEFENDER

HEIGHT: 6-3 WEIGHT: 190 DOB: 11/3/83HOMETOWN: Valencia, CAACQUIRED: 2007 MLS SuperDraftLAST SEASON: Played 3 games (all starts) in goal for RSL, register-ing 2 wins, 2 shutouts and a 0.67 GAALAST MLS WIN: 4/9/11 @ NE (1 career win)LAST MLS SHUTOUT: 4/9/11 @ NE – 2nd career clean sheetLAST GAME: 3/27/12 - start/90’ in 0-1 L @ CHI (reserves)

HEIGHT: 5-10 WEIGHT: 170 DOB: 4/13/88HOMETOWN: Wilmington, NCACQUIRED: via special MLS lottery in March, 2011PRONOUNCIATION: arr-KNOWLAST SEASON: Played 2 games (0 starts) in all competitions for RSL, totaling 69 minutesLAST MLS GOAL: yet to scoreLAST MLS ASSIST: yet to assistLAST GAME: 3/20/12 - start/45’ in 1-1 T v KC (reserves)

HEIGHT: 5-7 WEIGHT: 140 DOB: 2/11/91HOMETOWN: Greenville, SCACQUIRED: 2012 MLS SuperDraftLAST MLS GOAL: none in 4 career MLS appearancesLAST MLS ASSIST: none in 4 career MLS appearancesLAST GAME: 04/07/12 - start/58’ in 2-0 W v COL

HEIGHT: 6-4 WEIGHT: 185 DOB: 9/6/87HOMETOWN: Aurora, IL ACQUIRED: 2010 MLS SuperDraft (37th)PRONOUNCIATION: SHOO-lerLAST SEASON: Played 23 games (18 starts) in all competitions, scoring 2 goalsLAST MLS GOAL: 9/3/11 v PHI (26’) - 10 games agoLAST MLS ASSIST: yet to record assist in 24 career gamesLAST GAME: 04/04/12 - start/90’ in 1-0 W v MTL

With the retirement of Andy Williams this past offseason, goalkeeper Kyle Reynish becomes the recipient of the “current longest tenured RSL player” title, as the netminder drafted on Jan. 18, 2007 will begin his sixth full season with the squad in 2012. As the back-up to the 2nd-longest tenured player, Nick Rimando, the UC-Santa Barbara native hasn’t had many occasions to show his stuff in recent seasons, but when he was able to in 2011 he would deliver, notching two shutout wins in his three first-team appearances. The 27-year-old ‘keeper will not only continue to be perhaps the league’s most underrated understudy, but will also be looked at to help mentor young Lalo Fernandez, RSL’s latest Homegrown addition to the roster.

The 2012 season can almost be considered a fresh start for forward Cody Arnoux, who was injured upon joining Real Salt Lake last February and couldn’t return to the field from injuries until the season was mostly through. However, with a year of seasoning in RSL’s system under his belt, a completely clean bill of health and plenty of work ethic in tow, the former Wake Forest standout will be ready to make up for lost time and contribute major minutes off the bench during the Claret-and-Cobalt’s busy campaign.

If you were not aware of Sebastian Velasquez when Real Salt Lake selected him towards the end of the 2012 MLS SuperDraft, well, you weren’t alone … the plucky playmaker was the first Junior College player to be selected on draft day since Kansas City took another member of the RSL family, Yura Movsisyan, six years earlier. The Wasatch Front is a long way from Spartanburg Methodist College in South Carolina, but when word from collegiate scouting contacts about the “diamond-in-the-Upstate” came across RSL’s attention, due diligence by assistant coach Miles Joseph paid off for the now-21-year-old midfielder via an invite to the club’s December combine in Arizona. Velasquez impressed enough there to earn the nod to the next level, where he will be allowed plenty of time to learn how pull the strings on the top of RSL’s midfield diamond behind Javier Morales and Luis Gil.

What a difference a year made for defender Chris Schuler. After showing a glimpse of promise that was cut short due to injury in 2010, the Chicagoland native returned to the field with a vengeance in 2011, playing in 27 matches across all competitions as injuries and suspensions wrecked havoc at times on the RSL backline. Five months after breaking his foot just the day after RSL clinched a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League knockout phase, it was perhaps fate that Schuler would be called upon to serve in place of the suspended Nat Borchers right off the bat against Columbus in the CCL Quarterfinals. The 24-year-old would pass that test with flying colors, and, as the RSL Technical Staff began to grow more and more comfortable with him, Schuler would also begin to draw assignments at outside back as situations dictated.

While some may think it unfortunate to sit behind one of the best center back tandems in league history on the depth chart, it is clear during the 2012 preseason that Schuler has been soaking up knowledge from Borchers and Jamison Olave over the course of his first two pro seasons. Learning the tricks of the trade from those pillars both technically and leadership-wise will certainly pay off with even better performances when called upon down the road, which may occur just as much this season with another congested schedule on the docket for the Claret-and-Cobalt.


44 53LEONE CRUZ TERAKAZU TANAKADEFENDER DEFENDER

HEIGHT: 6-1 WEIGHT: 170 DOB: 6/13/87HOMETOWN: Round Rock, TXACQUIRED: Trade with Seattle, 1/17/12PRONOUNCIATION: lee-OH-knee KRUZELAST GAME: 3/27/12 - start/90’ in 0-1 L @ CHI (reserves)

HEIGHT: 5-8 WEIGHT: 150 DOB: 7/14/85HOMETOWN: Ibaraki, JapanACQUIRED: via Discovery option in Jan., 2012PRONOUNCIATION: tuh-KNOCK-uhLAST MLS GOAL: no goals in 1 career gameLAST MLS ASSIST: yet to record assist in 1 career gameLAST GAME: 04/04/12 - start/90’ in 1-0 W v MTL

The path to the ranks of Major League Soccer for Leone Cruz was not a common one, but, in the end, the talented center back appears to have found a willing dance partner in Real Salt Lake the second time around. After failing to stick around with Seattle Sounders FC after being drafted by the Cascadia outfit in 2011, Cruz chose to finish up his studies at Southern Methodist University and stay soccer-sharp by playing in matches in the newly-resurrected Reserve League. Those stints included a pair of games in Claret-and-Cobalt last summer, when RSL reaffirmed its pre-draft assessments of Cruz’s skills and kept the Texas native on its radar through January, when it swung a deal with Seattle during the Supplemental Draft to bring the defender on board. After winning a spot on the roster during preseason, Cruz will be expected to form a solid bond with fellow reservist Chris Schuler – with the added benefit of being able to learn from two of the league’s best “middle men” in Jamison Olave and Nat Borchers.

As proof the RSL Technical Staff is committed to leaving no stone unturned in its search for talent, enter Terukazu Tanaka, an outside back prospect GM Garth Lagerwey spotted during a combine in Tokyo shortly after the end of the 2011 season. The 26-year-old right-sided defender brings five years of professional experience in the Japanese first and second divisions with him across the Pacific, a pedigree he hopes will earn him not only a spot on the RSL roster, but a regular slot in the outside back rotation alongside returning vets Chris Wingert and Tony Beltran.

HC ACJASON KREIS JEFF CASSARHEAD COACH ASST. COACH

ALL-TIME RECORD: 62-51-43 (MLS); 77-65-52 (all comps)COLLEGE: Duke ‘94HOMETOWN: Omaha, NE APPOINTED: May 3, 2007PRONOUNCIATION: KRYSELAST SEASON: 15-11-8 (MLS); CCL Finalist; lost in Open Cup QtrsAS A PLAYER: scored 108 career goals w/ Dallas (1996-2004) & RSL (2005-07)

COLLEGE: Florida International University ‘97HOMETOWN: Livonia, MIAPPOINTED: May 2007PRONOUNCIATION: cuss-SARRAS A PLAYER: Played 11 seasons as a goalkeeper for Dallas, Miami and New York from 1996-2006 ...

Real Salt Lake Head Coach Jason Kreis traded in his record-setting boots and captain’s armband on May 3, 2007 to become the organization’s second head coach, overhauling a previously moribund locker room to become just two seasons later the youngest Cup-winning coach in MLS history, guiding RSL to the title in 2009. Under his watch, RSL has also advanced to three of the last four Conference Finals, become the first American side to win a CONCACAF Champions League group and the first U.S. team to advance to the CCL Finals. With back-to-back 15-win MLS seasons in 2010 and 2011, Kreis’ teams have earned points in two out of every three matches they play, as the intense, demanding leader now owns an all-time 77-65-52 mark as a head coach, breaking down as follows: MLS regular-season (62-51-43), CONCACAF Champions League (6-3-3), MLS Cup Playoff (4-4-4), Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (2-5-1) and international friendlies (3-2-1).

At the time of his hire, Mr. Kreis became the youngest active head coach in MLS at 34 years and 127 days of age. Kreis works closely with former Blue Devil and Dallas Burn teammate and current RSL General Manager Garth Lagerwey regarding player acquisitions, scouting, the MLS Draft and all player personnel-related matters. The Kreis-Lagerwey partnership has resulted in the implementation of a culture where players, staff and fans work as one for the RSL shield, epitomizing a “Team is the Star” attitude. Kreis, Lagerwey and the team’s coaching staff – Jeff Cassar, Miles Joseph and C.J. Brown – compose the lone technical staff among MLS’ 18 teams comprised entirely of ex-MLS players. This distinction means that the RSL braintrust now boasts cumulative MLS experience of 74,811 total minutes, covering 923 games and including 128 goals and 22 shutouts (the equivalent of nearly 30 complete seasons of service). The RSL staff has the unparalleled ability to tap into personal experience as it guides, assists and develops RSL players.

AC MILES JOSEPH ASST. COACH

COLLEGE: Clemson ‘98HOMETOWN: Clifton Park, NYAPPOINTED: February, 2010PRONOUNCIATION:AS A PLAYER: Played in six MLS seasons from 1996-2001 for New York and Dallas, scoring 12 career goals in 125 games ...

AC C.J. BROWN ASST. COACH

COLLEGE: Cal-State Hayward ‘96HOMETOWN: Hayward, CAAPPOINTED: January, 2011PRONOUNCIATION: AS A PLAYER: Won 4 U.S. Open Cups and one MLS Cup during 13-year MLS career with Chicago Fire ... Will be inducted into Chicago’s “Ring of Fire” as part of RSL visit to Toyota Park on May 9 ...

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# Player 1 2 3 4 5 6

LA NY RSL POR MTL COL

3-1 2-0 0-1 3-2 1-0 2-0

1 Eduardo Fernandez

2 Tony Beltran 90D 90D 90D 78D 90D 90D

3 Diogo de Almeida

4 Jamison Olave 90D 90D 90D 90D 90D 90D

5 Kyle Beckerman 90M 90M 90M 90M 90M 90M

6 Nat Borchers 90D 90D

7 Fabian Espindola 90F 90F 90F 20 90F 89F

8 Will Johnson 31 90M 90M

11 Javier Morales 23 28 45 90M 26

12 Emiliano Bonfigli 1

14 Yordany Alvarez 1 8

15 Alvaro Saborio 23 28 45 90F 13 90F

16 Nico Muniz

17 Chris Wingert 90D 90D 90D 90D 90D

18 Nick Rimando 90G 90G 90G 90G 90G 90G

19 Enzo Martinez

20 Ned Grabavoy 90M 90M 90M 90M 27

21 Luis Gil 67M 62M 71M 59M 64M 82M

22 Jonny Steele 6 19 12 63M 31

23 Paulo Junior 67F 62F 45F 70F 77F

24 Kyle Reynish

26 Sebastian Velasquez 89M 84M 45M 59M

27 Cody Arnoux

28 Chris Schuler 90D 90D 90D 90D

44 Leone Cruz

53 Terakazu Tanaka 90D

"00" = minutes played

F/M/D/G = starting position

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Game log:

Game #1 03/10/2012 RSL 3 at LA 1 W own goal (Franklin) 73; Morales 1 (unassisted) 80; Espindola 1 (Saborio 1) 85

Game #2 03/17/2012 RSL 2 vs NY 0 W Espindola 2 (Paulo Junior 1) 39; Gil 1 (unassisted) 58

Game #3 03/24/2012 RSL 0 vs CHV 1 L

Game #4 03/31/2012 RSL 3 at POR 2 W Saborio 1 (penalty kick) 39; Steele 1 (Johnson 1, Morales 1) 89; Beckerman 1 (Espindola 1) 93+

Game #5 04/04/2012 RSL 1 vs MTL 0 W Paulo Junior 1 (penalty kick) 13

Game #6 04/07/2012 RSL 2 vs COL 0 W Saborio 2 (Beltran 1) 20; Espindola 3 (Gil 1, Beltran 2) 57

mls game notes: sporting kc vs. real salt lake

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