So this puts a Real damper on my plans for a extended Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas, or I should say it could put a damper on my plans. But the reality of how important the US Open Cup is, as it is the easiest path to a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League, win 5 matches and you are in. There is also a matter of allocation money, as Garth Lagerwey mentioned on #OnFrame on Monday night, there is now an allocation money bonus for teams that wins the US Open Cup, and for players there is also prize money at stake. So while it may be a bit inconvenient to my travel plans, this is one of the Trophies that we want and should be a part of every MLS teams real agenda of #TrohpiesNotFriendlies as we look to fill our schedules with matches that matter.

Real Salt Lake learned their fate for the 3rd round of the US Open Cup:

Real Salt Lake (MLS) at Minnesota Stars FC (NASL): National Sports Center; Blaine, Minn.; 7:30 p.m. CT

OR

Des Moines Menace (PDL) at Real Salt Lake (MLS): Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah; 7 p.m. MT

So depending on who wins the May 22nd match between the Minnesota Stars FC and the Des Moines Menace, RSL could either find themselves playing host or having to travel to Minnesota, Hey didn't we lose to them in US Open Cup action several years ago? Ah yes it was a 6-4 loss back in 2005, when they were the Minnesota Thunder. So I guess we will be cheering for Des Moines or will I be cheering for an extra day in Vegas and watching RSL online?

Ticket Update from RSL:

IF RSL ends up hosting on 5/29 vs Des Moines, tickets will be $12 for general public and $6 for current PRIDE Season Ticket Holders ...

Once the Minn/Des Moines game is over, people can buy tix at RealSaltLake.com and STH can get their seats AND buy unlimited amount of seats at their preferred pricing ...

anyhow after the jump you can see the full press release from US Soccer:

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So it has been a while and getting any official information from either Major League Soccer or the MLS Players Union about details of the Collective Bargaining Agreement that was agreed to just days before the 2010 MLS season was scheduled to start. It cause a lot of conflict and controversy between the league, the players and to some extent the fans, but in the end a deal was reached and the season went on and since then there have been little things that have signaled some of the changes but recently I was given access to what I was told was a partial summary of the CBA that currently governs MLS.

There was little shocking in the document, and not a lot that was really revealing but that is the nature of these types of documents. I did find some interest in the Salary Cap numbers that will be in play the next couple years:

Salary Budget

2010 $2,550,000

2011 $2,675,000

2012 $2,810,000

2013 $2,950,000

2014 $3,100,000

I had nope that maybe we would see the cap grow a bit more quickly, we have to remember that most players have contracts that grow 5-15% a season. In fact we know that for players that make under $125,000 a year that if they play in 66% of their teams matches they will get at a 10% raise, and if they play in 75% of a their teams matches they will get a 12.5% increase.

The cap isn't growing quickly enough to keep up with that and that means that teams are forced to let players go because of cap restrictions and less about performance. That seems like a real shame for a league that needs constant improvement in quality of play to keep growing.

more information after the jump:

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Well there are 34 regular season matches on the MLS schedule this year for each team, for Real Salt Lake they have had the busiest start of any team in the league with 13 matches already played. That means that RSL has completed almost 40% of their season and so far one would have to claim it has been a rather successful start of the year for the claret and cobalt.

So we can look at the what might be the most telling number, that is the number of points per match that teams are earning. The last two seasons the LA Galaxy have been the winners of the Supporters' Shield with and average of 1.97 points per match. So this year has seen a number of teams get off to very good starts, 5 teams are above that total as we stand today:

It is important to remember that no team has finished at 2.00 or above since 2005 when the San Jose Earthquakes (MLS version 1) finished with a 18-4-10 record to get 64 points from 32 matches.

you can check out the full MLS break down of points per match plus more after the jump:

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So last weekend we saw the opening of another Soccer Specific Stadium, this time in Houston and of course Don Garber was in the house for such a big event and Don made some interesting comments again about expansion. I have no doubt that he is still almost single mindedly focused on NY2. Which is an issue of it's own, but this was a chance for him to speak beyond team 20, something that while mentioned in the past has never really been talked about much.

I think a lot of people were hoping that maybe MLS would stop at 20 teams, and put more focus on a real second division (some combination of NASL/USL/??) which may someday in the distant future lead to some type of promotion and relegation within North American soccer. I just don't see a day when that happens in my lifetime, but some out there believe it must be for the sport to grow. Instead the reality is and I believe has been for years that while team 20 will mark a bit of a milestone for MLS, more of a figurative one than an actual. It is just a stepping stone to a larger league.

You can pick up the hints over the years if you listen carefully to MLS leaders talk about how big the US (now more about North America) is, and how all the sports have teams in a large number of cities. It isn't just a possibility that MLS will go beyond 20 teams it is a certainty. So while many of the purists, traditionalists, or "Euro-Snobs" may be offended by going beyond 20 teams it has in reality been the thought of MLS for a long time.

And Don confirmed it last week:

For now, Garber said, the league remains focused on getting something done in the New York market. But in the future, there are hopes for MLS to have a much larger footprint.

"This expansion project is a 20-year process," Garber said. "It's not a two- or three-year process. I can't imagine that 20 years from now we're not in markets like Miami or Minneapolis or [Atlanta]. I think we'll be in most major markets. We have to be. It's a big country. The question is: How long will that take?"

mlssoccer.com

I do believe they have slowed the progress to 20 and beyond to create an artificial demand for NY2, and thus a way to get their $100 million dollar expansion fee (to get their return on the interest of SUM they sold to finance their stadium location and paperwork project). That action has been at the frustration of some other potential markets, like Orlando who would love to have their team be #20.

So how did I know that MLS has had a plan in place to go beyond 20 teams? It is easy, back in 2009 they as much as said so in their pitch to potential sponsors and partners.

The proof and more thoughts after the jump:

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Well once again the RSL Communications team has put together a recap of Saturdays match, along with some facts and other info to help keep you informed and happy. It would just be wrong if I didn't share it with you:

REAL SALT LAKE EXTEND UNBEATEN STREAK TO FIVE IN A ROW FOLLOWING 1-0 VICTORY AT SEATTLE

RSL Defense Holds Sounders FC to Zero Shots on Goal; Espindola Notches Club-Record 30^th Regular Season Goal; Claret & Cobalt Improve to 8-3-2, League-high 26 Points

SEATTLE (Saturday, May 12, 2012) - Real Salt Lake (8-3-2, 26 points, West #1) extended its lead atop both the overall and Western Conference standings with tonight's 1-0 road victory over Seattle Sounders FC. RSL FW Fabian Espindola found the back of the net for the game's only goal early on in the second half, the opportunity created by 18-year old MF Luis Gil and FW Alvaro Saborio. The win paced RSL to its best-ever 13-game start in eight seasons of MLS play, and improved the once road-weary club to 3-2-2 away from home this year, with road victories against West rivals Los Angeles, Portland and now Seattle.

In front of 39,312 fans at Century Link Field, the RSL defense - with GK Nick Rimando returning to the starting lineup after missing Wednesday's match in Chicago - extending its shutout streak to 250 minutes and tallying the club's fifth clean sheet in its league-high 13 games this season, extending RSL's active unbeaten streak to five games entering a two-week bye.

For the second consecutive game, RSL manager Jason Kreis was forced to make an early substitution. The RSL defense suffered an early setback, as veteran DF Chris Wingert suffered a left hamstring strain in the 20^th minute, and made way for third-year DF Chris Schuler, appearing in just his fourth game at outside back. The RSL rearguard of Tony Beltran, Nat Borchers and Jamison Olave joined Schuler in holding Seattle without a shot on goal, allowing GK Nick Rimando - making his 300^th career MLS start (155^th with RSL, 145 with D.C. and Miami) - to come off his line and control Sounders crosses into the box.

Following a scoreless first half, RSL brought early energy to the second stanza, most of it through Espindola. The Argentine striker harassed the Seattle backline, his charging runs and persistent determination paying off in the 51^st minute. Strike partner Alvaro Saborio utilized a heel-flick on a give-and-go in the central channel with MF Luis Gil, who played a ball to the top of the box for an overlapping Espindola, who buried the bouncing turf ball with a left-footed volley, catching Seattle GK Bryan Meredith wrong-footed. The goal was Espindola's 30^th regular-season score in 105 career MLS matches, allowing him to break the 29-goal tie he shared with former RSL FW Robbie Findley. The tally was Espindola's 9^th career regular-season game-winning goal, with RSL improving to 18-6-7 all-time when Fabi finds the back of the net.

more after the jump:

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After a hard fought battle in Seattle that saw Real Salt Lake pick up the 1-0 win over the Sounders, the RSL Communications team was able to get us comments from both locker rooms, let's start with the guy who scored the only goal of the night:

Fabian Espindola - Real Salt Lake Forward

(On the goal...) "It was a good combination between Luis [Gill], [Alvaro] Saborio and me. Sabo trying to hold the ball then Luis putting it over the defenders and I finished after that."

(On the goal being for his newborn son...) "Of course [it was for him]. I'm so happy about that." "Every goal is going to be for him now."

(On the result...) "They are a good team but I think we played good soccer. We defended our goals after that."

(On the crowd playing a factor...) "I am used to it. It's always nice to play against a lot of people, you know. I don't think that affected us much. For me, no, it wasn't a big deal."

(On being back with the team after taking a break...) "It feels great to be back, I was cheering my team you know I always want to play. It was good to be with my wife and son. Good to be back and score again too."

after the jump more from both locker rooms:

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Well it wasn't a pretty match for RSL, but they stood tall and worked hard on both sides of the ball and were able to capitalize on a great goal by Fabian Espindola in 51st minute. The battle of the two midfields was exactly what I expected as neither side completed even 75% of their passes on the night, the Sounders played better in the first half but RSL had a couple of chances. I was a bit shocked early that Ned Grabavoy wasn't able to get a shot off early in the match when he had the ball at the top of the 18 and time, but a bit of pause and Osvaldo Alanso was there to get into the play.

It was clear that RSL was the road team in this match and that the Sounders were the more aggressive side for the majority of the match, something I don't like to see in a RSL match, but when you have two very good passing and possessing teams something is going to give. With the passing lanes being clogged by a very assertive Sounders midfield and back line it left RSL with having to attack up the sides and via long balls. I was worried for a moment when Chris Wingert went down in the 21st minute of the match and called for a sub, it put RSL in a bad position of having to use a sub early but wow was Chris Schuler something or what? Listen I am going to tell you this now, someone at US Soccer really needs to think about spending some time looking at what he can do. On both sides of the ball tonight Schuler was simply very solid, even when playing out of his natural center back position.

more thoughts after the jump

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For Major League Soccer, all attention will be focused on Houston as the Dynamo open their new stadium this week, probably then on Montreal as fans there are flocking to see David Beckham, but the real action of the weekend will be Saturday night at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.

The two teams that are fighting for the top spot in the Western Conference will do battle as the Seattle Sounders will play host to Real Salt Lake, both sides are right were most people expected them to be. The two teams have have faced each other 6 times in MLS action and are 2-2-2 against each other, they played twice in the playoffs last year and each team won the home leg of the series with RSL advancing 3-2 on goal differential, once they have played in the US Open Cup a match Seattle won back in 2008.

The two teams probably have a lot more in common than most people would like to admit, both like to possess the ball, both like to play a more offensive minded style, both have built solid defenses, both apply a lot of pressure in the midfield, and both can find offense from about any position. Both have build a lot of depth, which gives them a lot of options, and both teams have fallen victim to Steven Lenhart.

The Seattle Sounders have played 9 matches so far this year with 6 of their opening 9 being at home, they have a very impressive 7-1-1 record with 13 goals for and just 3 goals allowed. Their only loss came to San Jose, on a PK goal, they have 5 shutouts in their last 6 matches and simply have been impressive all season long.

For Real Salt Lake, this will be their 13th match of the season (most in MLS), they have 7-3-2 record and so far this year their matches have been split between home and away, this will be their 7th road match of the year. This match will mark the third time already this season that RSL has been faced with Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday matches, it also will be the last match the team plays until they face FC Dallas at home on May 26th.

After the jump, the Key Match Up, Wildcards, and more:

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