RSL falls to Spanish club, 2-0

MADRID — Real Salt Lake allowed goals in the 27th and 31st minutes in falling to Spanish second division club San Sebastian 2-0 in its final preseason game in Spain.

"We weren't able to connect on the final pass today, and our combination play wasn't as strong as it had been for the last week," said RSL coach John Ellinger. "However, this is certainly the highest quality of competition we have seen in the preseason in any of our three years, and this loss should remind us of all the things we need to do to succeed. This has been a very successful trip; results don't matter until April 7."

RSL started the game in a 4-4-2 formation, with keeper Nick Rimando behind a new-look back four, as Chris Lancos joined the selection on the right next to Eddie Pope and Daniel Torres, pushing Jack Stewart to left back. Captain Jason Kreis and Carey Talley assumed their usual midfield positions, with Chris Klein on the right and Freddy Adu as a pinched-in left midfielder, behind front-runners Luis Tejada and Jeff Cunningham.

Real returns to the United States Friday night and will train in Salt Lake City on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before heading to Los Angeles for five days.

RSL's lineup: Rimando (Chris Seitz 46); Lancos (Atiba Harris 72), Pope, Torres, Jack Stewart; Klein, Talley, Kreis, Adu, Cunningham, Tejada (Jean-Martial Kipre 46).