RSL ready for historic home-opener at Rice-Eccles

Seventy degrees and sunny, just like Steve Pastorino predicted.

Way back in October during a festive unveiling of Real Salt Lake's name and logo at Rice-Eccles Stadium, the general manager proclaimed to the thousands attending he couldn't wait to see everyone back again on April 16, when it is 70 degrees and sunny.

It turns out Pastorino was exactly right.

A perfect April forecast is expected for Real Salt Lake's home opener against the Colorado Rapids at 1 p.m., a nationally televised game on ESPN2 that is expected to draw a crowd of more than 20,000.

"We're excited. Obviously we want to get our first win, and get that baby grand off our backs, but we want to play well, too," said RSL coach John Ellinger. "We want to sell the sport."

Salt Lake earned a point in its inaugural match at the MetroStars two weeks ago, a game plagued by miserable weather. Last week, however, the expansion MLS franchise appeared to take a step back in a humbling 3-1 loss at Los Angeles as Landon Donovan torched RSL with two goals and an assist.

"There's no question at times during the game Saturday night we looked like an expansion team and were acting like an expansion team," said Ellinger. "I think we're too good for that."

That's a big reason why Ellinger's starting 11 today will be vastly different than the previous two games.

In addition to Brian Dunseth, Luke Kreamalmeyer and Chris Brown all getting their first starts, only five players will play the same position against the Rapids as they did against the Galaxy.

Midfielder Andy Williams' groin injury is a big factor in the changes. Without the Jamaican playmaker, Ellinger will move Clint Mathis from forward to attacking midfielder, while moving wide midfielder Dipsy Selolwane up to his natural forward.

"(Clint) is a different type of personality than Andy," said Ellinger. "Clint likes to be very unpredictable at midfield."

While Mathis' improvisation at midfield could make things confusing for holding midfielder Brian Kamler, it shouldn't affect how wide midfielders Brown and Kreamalmeyer approach the game.

In addition to his leadership, Brown provides Salt Lake with better toughness and defensive presence out wide than Selolwane could in his unfamiliar midfield role.