Real Salt Lake
2008 season
OwnerSCP Worldwide
CoachJason Kreis
StadiumRice-Eccles Stadium (until Oct 9) Rio Tinto Stadium (from Oct 9)
MLS Cup PlayoffsConference Finals
2008 U.S. Open CupN/A
Rocky Mountain CupWinners
Highest home attendance26,391
(vs Chivas USA, 20 September)
Lowest home attendance10,333
(vs San Jose Earthquakes, 18 May)
Average home league attendance16,174[1]
Biggest winRSL 4-0 DC (4/12)
Biggest defeatDC 4-1 RSL (4/26)
← 2007
2009 →

The 2008 Real Salt Lake Season was the fourth season of the team's existence. It was the first season that the team made it to the MLS Cup Playoffs, thanks to some last minute heroics by Yura Movsisyan. After defeating Chivas USA in the first round of the playoffs, Real Salt Lake lost to New York Red Bulls in the Western Conference finals. The 2008 season was also the last season that Real Salt Lake played at Rice-Eccles Stadium, as they moved to the soccer-specific Rio Tinto Stadium on October 9, 2008.

Squad

First Team

As of November 15, 2008 Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK United States USA Chris Seitz
2 DF United States USA Tony Beltran
3 DF United States USA Robbie Russell
4 DF Colombia COL Jamison Olave
5 MF United States USA Kyle Beckerman (Captain)
6 DF United States USA Nat Borchers
8 MF Canada CAN Will Johnson
9 FW Argentina ARG Fabian Espindola
10 FW United States USA Robbie Findley
11 MF Argentina ARG Javier Morales
12 MF United States USA Nathan Sturgis
13 DF United States USA Ian Joy
14 FW Armenia ARM Yura Movsisyan
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 MF United States USA Kenny Cutler
16 FW Scotland SCO Kenny Deuchar
17 DF United States USA Chris Wingert
18 GK United States USA Nick Rimando
21 MF Ukraine UKR Dema Kovalenko
24 GK United States USA Kyle Reynish
25 FW United States USA Tino Nuñez
27 DF Argentina ARG Matias Mantilla
28 DF United States USA Dustin Kirby
33 DF United States USA David Horst
77 MF Jamaica JAM Andy Williams
84 MF United States USA Clint Mathis

Formation

Starting XI vs. New York on November 15, 2008

United States
Rimando
United States
Russell
Colombia
Olave
United States
Borchers
United States
Wingert
Ukraine
Kovalenko
Argentina
Morales
United States
Beckerman
Canada
Johnson
United States
Mathis
Armenia
Movsisyan

Results

League table

Conference

Pos Team
 Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Houston Dynamo 30 13 5 12 45 32 +13 51 MLS Cup Playoffs
2 Chivas USA 30 12 11 7 40 41 −1 43
3 Real Salt Lake 30 10 10 10 40 39 +1 40
4 Colorado Rapids 30 11 14 5 44 45 −1 38
5 FC Dallas 30 8 10 12 45 41 +4 36
6 LA Galaxy 30 8 13 9 55 62 −7 33
7 San Jose Earthquakes 30 8 13 9 32 38 −6 33
Source: MLS

Overall

Pos Team
 Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Columbus Crew (C, S) 30 17 7 6 50 36 +14 57 CONCACAF Champions League
2 Houston Dynamo 30 13 5 12 45 32 +13 51
3 Chicago Fire 30 13 10 7 44 33 +11 46 North American SuperLiga
4 Chivas USA 30 12 11 7 40 41 −1 43
5 New England Revolution 30 12 11 7 40 43 −3 43
6 Kansas City Wizards 30 11 10 9 37 39 −2 42
7 Real Salt Lake 30 10 10 10 40 39 +1 40
8 New York Red Bulls 30 10 11 9 42 48 −6 39 CONCACAF Champions League
9 Colorado Rapids 30 11 14 5 44 45 −1 38
10 D.C. United 30 11 15 4 43 51 −8 37 CONCACAF Champions League
11 FC Dallas 30 8 10 12 45 41 +4 36
12 Toronto FC 30 9 13 8 34 43 −9 35 CONCACAF Champions League[a]
13 LA Galaxy 30 8 13 9 55 62 −7 33
14 San Jose Earthquakes 30 8 13 9 32 38 −6 33
Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head record; 3) goal difference; 4) number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (S) Supporters' Shield
Notes:
  1. ^ As winners of the 2009 Canadian Championship

Summary

Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930
GroundHAHAAHHAAHHAHHAHHAHAAHAAHAAHHA
ResultTLWLLTWLLWTWTLLTWTWLLWTLLWTTWT
Source: MLS Results and League table
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; L = Loss; T = Tie

Regular season

March

March 29, 2008 Real Salt Lake 1 – 1 Chicago Fire Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Joy Yellow card 51'
Soumare 71' (og)
Findley Yellow card 78]'
Beckerman Yellow card 88'		 Pause Yellow card 89'
Blanco 90'		 Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Attendance: 20,272
Referee: Terry Vaughn

April

April 5, 2008 Chivas USA 3 – 1 Real Salt Lake Carson, California, USA
Stadium: The Home Depot Center
Attendance: 17,251
April 12, 2008 Real Salt Lake 4 – 0 D.C. United Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Attendance: 13,193
April 19, 2008 Toronto FC 1 –0 Real Salt Lake Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Stadium: BMO Field
Attendance: 20,219
April 26, 2008 D.C. United 4 – 1 Real Salt Lake Washington, D.C., USA
Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 23,269

May

May 3, 2008 Real Salt Lake 2 – 2 Los Angeles Galaxy Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Attendance: 25,500
May 10, 2008 Real Salt Lake 2 – 1 FC Dallas Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Attendance: 12,173
May 15, 2008 Colorado Rapids 2 – 0 Real Salt Lake Commerce City, Colorado, USA
Stadium: Dick's Sporting Goods Park
Attendance: 11,414
May 24, 2008 FC Dallas 2 – 1 Real Salt Lake Frisco, Texas, USA
Stadium: Pizza Hut Park
Attendance: 8,960
May 31, 2008 Real Salt Lake 3 – 1 San Jose Earthquakes Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Attendance: 15,977

June

June 7, 2008 Real Salt Lake 0 – 0 Kansas City Wizards Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Attendance: 11,327
June 14, 2008 Chivas USA 0 – 1 Real Salt Lake Carson, California, USA
Stadium: The Home Depot Center
Attendance: 10,573
June 18, 2008 Real Salt Lake 0 – 0 San Jose Earthquakes Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Attendance: 10,333
June 21, 2008 Real Salt Lake 2 – 1 New England Revolution Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Attendance: 11,965
June 28, 2008 Kansas City Wizards 1 – 0 Real Salt Lake Kansas City, Kansas, USA
Stadium: CommunityAmerica Ballpark
Attendance: 10,385

July

July 3, 2008 Real Salt Lake 0 – 0 Houston Dynamo Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Attendance: 17,898
July 12, 2008 Real Salt Lake 2 – 0 Columbus Crew Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Attendance: 12,378
July 19, 2008 Chicago Fire 0 – 0 Real Salt Lake Bridgeview, Illinois, USA
Stadium: Toyota Park
Attendance: 19,578
July 28, 2008 Real Salt Lake 2 – 1 Toronto FC Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Attendance: 12,319

August

August 16, 2008 Houston Dynamo 4 – 3 Real Salt Lake Houston, Texas, USA
Stadium: Robertson Stadium
Attendance: 13,579
August 23, 2008 Columbus Crew 3 – 0 Real Salt Lake Columbus, Ohio, USA
Stadium: Columbus Crew Stadium
Attendance: 12,448
August 29, 2008 Real Salt Lake 2 – 0 Colorado Rapids Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Attendance: 15,257

September

September 6, 2008 Los Angeles Galaxy 2 – 2 Real Salt Lake Carson, California, USA
Stadium: The Home Depot Center
Attendance: 27,000
September 13, 2008 New York Red Bulls 2 – 1 Real Salt Lake East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA
Stadium: Giants Stadium
Attendance: 11,692
September 20, 2008 Real Salt Lake 0 – 1 Chivas USA Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Attendance: 26,391
September 27, 2008 San Jose Earthquakes 2 – 3 Real Salt Lake Santa Clara, California, USA
Stadium: Buck Shaw Stadium
Attendance: 10,059

October

October 4, 2008 New England Revolution 2 – 2 Real Salt Lake Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA
Stadium: Gillette Stadium
Attendance: 18,893
October 9, 2008 Real Salt Lake 1 – 1 New York Red Bulls Sandy, Utah, USA
Stadium: Rio Tinto Stadium
Attendance: 20,008
October 18, 2008 Real Salt Lake 3 – 1 FC Dallas Sandy, Utah, USA
Stadium: Rio Tinto Stadium
Attendance: 17,628
October 25, 2008 Colorado Rapids 1 – 1 Real Salt Lake Commerce City, Colorado, USA
Stadium: Dick's Sporting Goods Park
Attendance: 16,047

MLS Playoffs

November 1, 2008 Conf. Semifinals Real Salt Lake 1 – 0 Chivas USA Sandy, Utah, USA
Williams Yellow card 29'
Beckerman Yellow card 42'
Movsisyan 90'		 Razov Yellow card 66'
Thomas Yellow card 75'		 Stadium: Rio Tinto Stadium
Attendance: 14,719
Referee: Ricardo Salazar
November 8, 2008 Conf. Semifinals Chivas USA 2 – 2 Real Salt Lake Carson, California, USA
Nagamura Yellow card 22'
Kljestan 31' (pen)
Bornstein Yellow card 60'
Braun 83'
Razov Yellow card 86'
Thomas Yellow card 90'		 Mathis Yellow card 10'
Borchers Yellow card 30'
Kovalenko 39'
Kovalenko Yellow card 42'
Morales 77'		 Stadium: The Home Depot Center
Attendance: 19,265
Referee: Michael Kennedy
November 15, 2008 Conference Finals Real Salt Lake 0 – 1 New York Red Bulls Sandy, Utah, USA
van den Bergh 28'
Goldthwaite Yellow card 45'
Rojas Yellow card 64'
Leitch Yellow card 90'		 Stadium: Rio Tinto Stadium
Attendance: 20,008
Referee: Jair Marrufo

Kits

Home
Away
Special
Type Shirt Shorts Socks First appearance / Info
Home Claret / Cobalt Cobalt Cobalt
Away White White White
Special Green White White US Open Cup, April 30 against San Jose → Green Awareness Game

References

  1. ^ "USA Major League Soccer - Attendance - 2008". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved October 23, 2010.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/team/stats?teamId=4771&season=2008&cc=5901&leagueId=19&league=usa.1&seasontype=1

External links

Major League Soccer
Real Salt Lake
2008 MLS season by team
2008 in American soccer
Categories