Utah jousts with Knights in tourney

The Blitzz have always dabbled in the free agent market, but perhaps no more than this past offseason. The reasoning: complacency in the league, and aspirations of U.S. Open Cup success.

Coach Chris Agnello will find out tonight if the numerous transactions were worth it.

Utah hosts the Sacramento Knights at 7:30 p.m. in an Open Cup second-round game at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The winner moves on to face the Portland Timbers of the A-League, with that winner advancing to face an MLS team.

"The Open Cup is a special event," said Agnello. "If you can get to that next round and play the division above you, and in our case two divisions, it's exciting. It adds a certain element of excitement that may not exist at the league level."

Sacramento is an amateur team in the Men's Premiere Soccer League, the same league the Utah Salt Ratz compete in. The Knights are tied for fifth with the Ratz in the 10-team league, hardly a juggernaut squad. That's the purpose of the Open Cup, in its 90th year. The tournament gives teams throughout the country, regardless of status or league affiliation, the opportunity to compete among each other.

"We think they're a very good team," said Agnello about Sacramento, which beat Spokane in the first round. "Their coach is a very smart coach, and he's been around a lot of years. He knows what to do tactically to make life difficult for us."

That could mean the Knights pack it in defensively and hope for a counterattack goal. Then again, with a squad full of former indoor soccer players, they may try and knock the ball around and attack that way.

"Not knowing this team, we'll be cautious and respect their abilities," said Agnello. "But that doesn't mean we'll sit back and watch their game."

Through the years, the Blitzz have had mixed Open Cup results.

During its expansion year in 2000, the Blitzz failed to qualify for the Open Cup. In 2001 Utah lost in the second round to Milwaukee of the A-League, and then in 2002 bowed out to another A-League team, Seattle, in the second round.

Last year the Blitzz were blasted by Fresno 4-0 in the first round.

ENDLINES: The Blitzz are close to signing two new players: Trevor Persson, a big defender currently training with the Los Angeles Galaxy, should be in town by Wednesday. Byron Carmichael, one of the top goal scorers in the PDL with the South Jersey Barons, could be in a Blitzz uniform by next week. The Barons have an Open Cup game this weekend and want to finish that out before moving Carmichael up to the Blitzz. Utah's Sunday game with the Nevada Wonder most likely will be played in Park City instead of Wendover, Nev.

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E-mail: jedward@desnews.com