Real Salt Lake mixes it up with Wildcats

LEHI — Instead of its typical mid-week tactical training session, Real Salt Lake decided to mix things up at Xango Field on Wednesday.

RSL held a 90-minute scrimmage against Weber State's club team and easily prevailed, 6-0.

"Typically on the Wednesdays, we're looking for more of a tactical session. Oftentimes, we'll end up playing ourselves or putting in some restrictions that are unrealistic," said RSL coach Jason Kreis. "I think it's good to just send the guys out and let the game do the teaching and play an opponent. Whether that opponent is strong enough for me ultimately doesn't matter, as long as we're doing the right things."

The match was divided into three 30-minute mini games, with most RSL players playing a combined 60 minutes.

Pablo Campos scored three goals, while Will Johnson chipped in with a pair and Kyle Beckerman added one.

For players including Chris Wingert and Javier Morales, the match was all about trying to improve their fitness for the weekend.

"It was nice for me to get 60 minutes in a game situation," said Wingert. "I think that's true for a lot of the guys."

CONTRIBUTION LULL: Real Salt Lake has scored nine goals so far this season, but only two have been scored by the forwards. Fabian Espindola scored a goal in the season-opener at San Jose, and then two weeks later Alvaro Saborio scored a dramatic equalizer in the home-opener against Seattle.

Kreis isn't too concerned that his strikers aren't scoring, because his wealth of experience in MLS has taught him that goal-scorers go through scoring droughts.

"Oftentimes, you think your only job is to score goals, and then you put pressure on yourself, and then you start to listen to what other people are saying, and then you read articles that are maybe critical of you," said Kreis. "It can be a very difficult situation to be in."

Despite the absence of goals, Kreis said he has been pleased with the way the forwards are playing and believes the goals will eventually come in bunches.

Robbie Findley hopes that time comes soon. He led RSL with 12 goals a year ago, but he hasn't found the back of the net once this season.

ESPINDOLA DOUBTFUL: Fabian Espindola didn't participate in any portion of Wednesday's scrimmage with Weber State, and coach Jason Kreis said he's extremely doubtful for this Saturday's game against expansion Philadelphia.