Real Salt Lake: Newest RSL player set to play next week

SANDY — Real Salt Lake newcomer Kyle Davies was officially added to the team's senior roster on Friday, with rookie Raphael Cox being bumped down to the development roster.

Davies will likely see his first action with RSL this Tuesday in a U.S. Open Cup qualifying match at Seattle.

For a few additional RSL players, that match might be their final opportunity to make an impression on the coaching staff. When Argentine striker Fabian Espindola joins the team in a little more than a week, the team will have one too many players on its 24-man roster.

"We'll have 25 players at that point, and we need to have 24. We'll have to do something," said RSL general manager Garth Lagerwey prior to Saturday's game against New England.

Lagerwey isn't 100 percent sure when Espindola will join RSL, but he did confirm that Espindola has his visa appointment in Buenos Aires, Argentina, early next week. Assuming that goes well, Lagerwey said the best-case scenario would get Espindola into the United States by Saturday, but more realistically he'll arrive Monday. Either way, he won't be available for the club's game at Colorado on May 2.

The imminent departure of a player hasn't been a distraction, according to Lagerwey.

"I don't think it affects the locker room that much. These guys are pro athletes; they can handle it," said Lagerwey.

RSL is exploring all options with regards to its extra player, including a potential trade.

Lagerwey didn't mention any names, but if a trade isn't finalized in the coming week based on MLS experience, it would seem that forward Tino Nunez and goalkeeper Kyle Reynish would be the players in danger of being released.

NEARING A SUSPENSION: RSL midfielder Javier Morales was shown a yellow card in the first half for arguing with the official. It is his fourth yellow card of the season the season in five games, and he's one away from an automatic one-game suspension.

Morales has already eclipsed the three yellow cards he received all last season.

OUT OF ACTION: Leading up to Saturday's game all reports out of New England were that all-stars Matt Reis and Steve Ralston would be in the starting lineup. Ironically enough, neither ended up playing.

An aggravated groin injury prevented Ralston from making the trip to Utah, whereas Reis' knee injury made him a late scratch in favor of Brad Knighton.

The start was Knighton's fourth of the season, as he sported a 1-0-2 record entering the match.

BACK IN THE MIX: After sitting out last week's game at New York to rest his knee, RSL defender Jamison Olave was back in the starting lineup at center back on Saturday against New England.

Olave and Robbie Russell were the only two players on the field for Real Salt Lake who haven't started all five games this year.

E-mail: jedward@desnews.com