What a great thing for a local soccer fan. Both programs are getting stronger and both teams are fun to watch. Go Cougs! Go RSL!

When is Football Season starting? I think again that for those who learn the rules of the game it makes all the difference in the world in it's enjoyment. Soccer can be a great game, I love playing it on my PS-2!!! and my kids like it.

This article seems odd in that it tends to make the evening out to be a huge disappointment. Hey, this is a pro team (at least its reserves) against college kids. The pros want conditioning. The college kids want the experience. Both want to introduce the new field to the public. But where are the pictures of the new field, the new stands, or anything else but RSL players? Some of us could not be there.

Congratulations, BYU. As a Ute fan, I am envious of your men's soccer program.

On a side note, it would be great if UVU's men's program could either follow BYU and enter the PDL, or even better, compete in the NCAA.

It's great to see the local soccer community grow.

Hardly....Findley is a first teamer...and Mathis has played all over the world. I wouldn't say that BYU lost to the "reserves".

Anywho...great turnout. BYU has some great things going for it.

If you were there you would know that outside of Findley there wasn't much quality on the field. He, Beltran, Nimo and Horst were the lone bright spots on the field and Findley and Beltran sat after half time. Mathis is in no shape to be a starter in any league right now, and the other regulars for RSL looked horrid (Deuchar, Cutler, and Wingert had some time).

Anyway, Nimo and Findley looked good while Horst looked like he was messing around with the BYU forwards. He is going to be good next season. If we can hang on to him and Olave and pair them in the middle we will do some damage next season. He has great feet and speed as well as good size.

Deuchar failed to convert his opportunities again. For someone struggling to get goals in the first team I would think he would be pulling the trigger all over the place in reserve games. Oh well. This next game against Chicago should be interesting.

When RSL's entire squad is healthy Findley isn't a starter, but usually comes on in the final 25 minutes. Mathis hasn't been a regular in any starting line-up for the last couple years. Not to take anything away from BYU, they have a great program and an awesome new field/stadium. I only wish they could leave the PDL and join the NCAA so local kids could have the exposure to collegiate soccer.

I hope someday local PDL teams will provide the MLS some talent.

NCAA soccer is the last place BYU should go. Too many restrictions prevent player development. More schools should follow BYU's lead and ditch the NCAA and its archaic restrictions on number of games that teams can play, times of year that teams can practice, international trips, etc.

So a pro team beat a college team? It should only be news if it was the other way around.

...I think you just proved my point. I think you named like 8 of our first team players saw "minutes" last night. Hmm...quality or not..they arent our "reserves".

Also...ask Horst how well he did against Santos forwards...was he just "playing with them" as well?

re: Re: Reserves: "I hope someday local PDL teams will provide the MLS some talent."

I don't have the numbers in front of me anymore, but the last MLS draft saw something on the order of two-thirds of the draftees showing PDL experience. I think we're already seeing some level of PDL influence on MLS Developmental players.

What I'd love to see is an RLS associated PDL team in SLC, along the lines of what the Vancouver Whitecaps are doing with their Vancouver Whitecaps Residency side.

I can't think of anything worse that RSL/BYU soccer.

re: Nothing could be worse

Sure you can. There are lots of things, like having to read anti-soccer trolls in the comments of every soccer related story on the Deseret News website.

Clint Mathis playing with our reserves is weird...

Re: Worse

I sometimes feel sorry for bloggers who are so bored and/or hate-filled, that they browse articles about things they have absolutely no interest in, like soccer, or teams/schools/organizations that they hate, like BYU, for the sole purpose of posting mindless, hate-filled comments.

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More pics of the actual subject of the article, the new stadium, would have been nice.

Ankle Biter,
you're right some more pictures would have been nice. They'd hardly have done the place justice though. It was way louder than any of last years games, and the crowd overflowed the seats to stand at either end of the bleachers with even more spectators hanging over the fence and watching for free.

I sure hope they keep the attendance and interest up.

Kries did not play Findley in the friendly against Santos, but plays him Tuesday night?

I see here and in BigSoccer quite a few people concerned about Clint Mathis playing for our reserves.

It isn't a big deal at all, he is friends with many within the organization and is getting ready for the Euro season.

It is similar to when college graduates train with their former teammates while preparing for pro drafts, combines, or seasons. It happens quite often.

I don't see any problem with him taking a few minutes from our reserves in a meaningless friendly. What would bother me more is if he were actually trialling with the team. We have finally changed the culture of RSL soccer...the return of Cletus could only mean a step back in attitude, heart, and desire.

And as a Ute fan, like Oussan I hate to say it, but congrats to BYU on what they've accomplished in the soccer world. I'd love to see a program developed on the hill.

Apparently the LA Galaxy still own the rights to Clint Mathis. He is also out of contract in Greece. One news article quoted GM Garth Lagerway as stating the we are considering a trade or two. Maybe that might involve a trade to the Galaxy to land Clint. As for his recent performance, Clint was AWESOME for the Red Bulls last year. He definitely had an off year in 2005 with RSL but really who didnt for us that year? He is also the type of player that rises to the quality of players around him on the field or sinks to their level depending. The Cletus that played last year with Altidore, Reyna, and Angel was definitely playing at another level. Surround him on RSL with Beckerman, Morales, and Dema and we will probably see an improved version of Clint than what we saw in 2005.

scads, Clint didn't play a few minutes, he played most of the game (probably 75 minutes or so). On the other hand, he was obviously holding back. I didn't see him pushing for goals or trying to assert himself. He held the ball and played some nice passes to the RSL reserves.

I agree that it would be great to see more Utah based PDL action. Heck, a Boise team would be nice.

There are the Ogden Outlaws, a PDL team. I think you can even see their games if you have comcast ondemand.

I've been tempted to go see them, but RSL rules my free time. If I lived in Ogden, it would be more likely.

As for Mathis, he stopped and talked to us after one of the C.Rapids games and was a really descent fellow. He said he didn't want the trade in the first place, and that it was the business and he had to go. So, maybe he didn't want to leave in the first place. One thing I do know, he scored in every uniform he wore - against us! LOL!

I see him as the ideal 70-80th minute sub that will kick some butt at the end. However, I think he should be paid accordingly, and not like he was. I'd like to see a cheap mathis in an rsl kit, not an expensive one. The dude does have game.

Re: Re: Yes Reserves.

To be fair, I mention 5 first team players, but I only think 2 of them deserve to be first team right now: Findley and Beltran. Wingert is horrible no matter how you look at him, Deuchar is effective on his best days, and Cutler looked clueless and incapable playing against BYU let alone an MLS squad. The real reserves (Horst and Nimo) outplayed 3 of the 5 first teamers.

Pro teams play reserve games to get players that are struggling back in form, it shouldn't be of any surprise that these players played against BYU.

If I remember correctly Horst is still in his first year in the MLS, and he didn't get beat on any of the goals against Santos (I might be wrong, but he played well that game regardless).

One question i do have: Does anyone know who the forward and winger that came on for RSL later in the game are? Are they on trial, just practicing with us, etc.

Re: Ogden

Yeah, I know about the Outlaws, I'd still like to see more Utah PDL action. In the Northwest Division, BC has two teams (with a third on the way for 2009), WA has three, UT has two, and OR has only one. CA on the other hand has all ten teams in the Southwest.

I'm not saying we need ten teams here in Utah, but I wouldn't mind seeing three or four. It would sure make for a cool Wasatch Cup competition along the lines of the USL1 Cascadia Cup.

I love soccer but what I really want to say is...Harvey Unga GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!

Go Cougar football!

There is no reason for Ute fans to be envious. This is a club team, which means it is not a BYU "program".

BYU's men soccer program is in no way a club. It is a semi-professional team playing in the minor leagues of american soccer. Over 70% of the players drafted into the MLS every year come from the PDL league which the team competes in.