Mathis shines in first practice for Real Salt Lake

BRADENTON, Fla. — Friday's Real Salt Lake training session was all about picking up the pace.

With Clint Mathis, Senad Halilovic and Michael Lookingland all participating in their first practice, coach John Ellinger used cones to shrink the field and tighten the spaces.

"You'll find most of the time the game is really only 40 yards in length. The action usually only takes place in 40-yard chunks around the field," said Ellinger. "They've got to get used to playing with that."

The 11-on-11 scrimmage lasted about 40 minutes, and Mathis shined in the tight spaces. Even though Mathis missed the first week of RSL's training camp at the IMG Academy, he was participating in a more intensive camp with the U.S. National Team in preparation for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier at Trinidad & Tobago.

His presence on the field Friday created space for everyone around him.

"Things are getting sharper everyday, and then you throw Clint into the mix, and he helps raise the level as well," said Ellinger, who said he's noticing a drastic improvement from the team since training camp opened 10 days ago.

Perhaps the thing he's most impressed with is RSL's conditioning.

In 10 days, only Kevin Ara has missed practice time, and that was due to an elbow to the face, not conditioning.

"With the warm-up and cool down, we really haven't had a lot of muscle concerns, and that's really a tribute to Jake Joachim and his program. That's why he's here," said Ellinger, about Joachim who worked with Ellinger with the U.S. under-17 national team the past couple of years.

LONG-TIME COMING: To his credit, Halilovic looked pretty sharp in his first RSL training session Friday.

The Bosnian was ready to join Salt Lake when training camp opened Feb. 1, but he was delayed in obtaining his work visa. He was finally cleared Thursday morning, and he quickly jumped on a plane departing Sarajevo. After 20 hours of traveling, he was finally greeted by a familiar face at the Tampa, Fla., airport.

Tony Francovich, whom Utahns may remember as a Sparta youth soccer coach from 1996 to 2000, has served as Halilovic's agent since the 6-foot-4 defender signed with Real Salt Lake. Francovich also has Bosnian heritage, and was responsible for referring Halilovic to Salt Lake's coaching staff.

Ellinger was glad to get another defender into training camp.