Sandy » So much for sneaking up on the rest of Major League Soccer.
Real Salt Lake put the finishing touches on an encouraging exhibition season Saturday afternoon at Rio Tinto Stadium with a dominating 3-1 victory over the Austin Aztecs.
A surprise Western Conference finalist in 2008, RSL outscored its opponents 25-5 while finishing the preseason with a 7-1-1 record.
So much for surprising anyone this year.
"When you look at our results, you have to say we're OK," said general manager Garth Lagerwey. "I think it justifies the decision to bring everybody back and keep our core players together -- playing in the same system again.
"We still have some work to do. We're still not smooth at times. But I think we did a lot of good things today and we're excited and optimistic heading into Seattle next week."
Real Salt Lake opens the regular season Saturday against the expansion Sounders, who beat New York in their debut Friday night, 3-0.
Said Lagerwey: "Obviously going up there and playing in front of a sold-out crowd -- they had about 32,000 for their first one and expect the same for us -- it's going to be a hostile environment and a really good test for our team."
Like Lagerwey, coach Jason Kreis was optimistic after defeating the Aztex, a United Soccer League Division I club that was a respectable 1-1-1 against Major League Soccer opponents in the preseason before running into RSL.
"Very happy," Kreis said. "Some of the stuff we're doing makes it look like we're ready. Obviously we're not where we're going to be later in the season -- or where we were at the end of last season -- but there are some very nice signs."
Two weeks ago, Kreis was concerned about the fluidness of RSL's offense.
Not now.
"We've seen some moments this last few preseason games that have been glittering ... spectacular ... fun to watch," Kreis said.
Against Austin, Jamison Olave scored in the 37th minute, Yura Movsisyan snapped a 1-1 in the 82nd minute and Javier Morales scored moments before the end of stoppage time as RSL raced into the regular season with an encouraging victory.
Real Salt Lake dominated from the start, but it didn't pay off until Jamison's header off a corner kick by Morales eluded Austin keeper Miguel Gallardo.
After RSL squandered a handful of chances to extend its lead, Austin tied the game in the 72nd minute when Kieron Bernard scored on a header after a loosely defended corner kick.
Ten minutes later, however, Movsisyan scored the go-ahead goal. Will Johnson had two cross attempts blocked by the defense, but the ball came right back to him.
On his third try from near the end line, Johnson's lob got past the defense and over the outstretched arms of Gallardo. Movsisyan was perfectly positioned to head the ball into the net.
