"There's no question we have the best and most formidable strike force in Major League Soccer right now," Ellinger said.

Bold words, coming from a coach whose team has failed to make the playoffs in its first two seasons. But they certainly reflect the soaring hopes of a fledgling franchise that believes it finally - with the addition of Tejada to work as a partner with league scoring leader Jeff Cunningham - has the right combination of talent up front to lead it into the postseason.

"We're very, very excited to put all of this talent on the field at the same time," general manager Steve Pastorino said, while introducing Tejada at a press conference.

The 24-year-old from Panama has scored 105 goals with his club and national teams the past six years, and was the Most Valuable Player of the 2005 Gold Cup tournament in which Panama lost to the United States in a shootout final. And at 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, he's big and physical enough that RSL views him as the "ideal" partner for the smaller but faster Cunningham.

"This is a pure lethal, big, strong goal-scorer, the likes of which we have not seen here in Salt Lake City," Pastorino said.

Technically, Tejada is joining RSL on loan from Plaza Amador in his native country, Pastorino said, but the club has an option to purchase his rights following the 2007 season. Part of the deal also includes RSL hosting Plaza Amador for training and an exhibition next season - "another international relationship," Pastorino said - and perhaps traveling to Panama for training camp in 2008.

"I don't feel any pressure," Tejada said, through an interpreter. "I think I'm ready to come in here and just get along with the team, get along with my teammates and start producing."

RSL officials said they began pursuing Tejada 18 months ago, when he was rocketing to international prominence on the strength of his Gold Cup performance. At the time, his price was too high for RSL, and Tejada wound up at Al Ain FC in the United Arab Emirates, for a seven-figure salary.

He stayed only briefly, however, because he was unhappy living in the unfamiliar UAE and his wife was uncomfortable with the subordinate role of women in society there, Pastorino said.

Tejada joined Plaza Amador last season - he scored 11 goals - and already had learned from his agent of RSL's interest in acquiring him when he watched RSL play Real Madrid in a heralded exhibition game in July.

"I liked the way they played and the way they battled," Tejada said, "and I told my agent to get to work."

Now, it's his turn.

Having ranked as one of the top scoring teams in the league last season with 45 goals, RSL envisions the 17-year-old Adu feeding Cunningham and Tejada for even more this season. Adu even speculated during his own introductory press conference Cunningham will score 30 goals next season - nearly double the career-high 16 that led the league last season.

"We've actually got some offensive weapons right now," Ellinger said, "and I don't think any coach will say that he ever has enough weapons."

mcl@sltrib.com

Stunning strike

RSL's Luis Tejada scored one of the most dazzling goals of all-time for his native Panama against Mexico during World Cup qualifying last year. The bicycle-kick strike was named the "Western Hemisphere Goal of the Year" in 2005, and you can view it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhNzLFjrgfQ