Viana set for chance to impress Kreis in Reserves, earn first-team contention

RSL newcomer David Viana is set to be handed a chance to impress coach Jason Kreis on Wednesday, when RSL's reserves take on Houston Dynamo at America First Field in MLS Reserve League action.

Although it remains unlikely that Viana will see first-team minutes in 2012, with only two regular season matches remaining, the reserves match affords him an opportunity to win minutes.

"It's all going to be dependent on what he does," Kreis said. "We have a reserve team game on Wednesday - it'll be critical for him to show us what he's made of."

Viana, a 20-year-old attacking midfielder brought up at RC Strasbourg in France before hard financial times saw them liquidated, spent time at Altetico Madrid C in 2011. He later underwent trials at Burnley and Birmingham City.

Joining Real Salt Lake in September, Viana has wasted little time in adapting to Kreis's tactical outlay. Still, that doesn't assure him a start, Kreis said.

"He's learning our system pretty quickly." Kreis said. "Odds are, I think it would be a tough situation, the odds are stacked against him. It takes other players here a while to transition."

Viana's arrival further bolsters RSL's ranks in attacking midfield, with Sebastian Velasquez, Luis Gil, Enzo Martinez and Javier Morales all able to fill the tip-of-the-diamond role.

Despite all the hurdles involved in getting minutes early in Viana's RSL career, Kreis isn't ruling it out.

"I certainly would never say never," he said.