Real Salt Lake and veteran midfielder Damir Kreilach are parting ways. The MLS side announced Kreilach’s departure in a social media post on Wednesday.

Kreilach, who served as the team’s captain for the past two years, saw his 2024 club option decline at the end of the last season.

Kreilach joined Real Salt Lake in 2018 and quickly established himself as an indispensable player for the club. He had his best season with the club in 2021, when he scored 16 goals and added nine assists en route to an All-Star appearance.

However, a back injury held Kreilach out of action for the entire 2022 season, and he hasn’t looked the same once he returned to the field. The 35-year-old player played 27 games in 2023 but managed only four goals and one assist.

“It’s impossible to put into words what Damir has meant to our club during the last six years,” said Real Salt Lake’s sporting director Kurt Schmid in a statement. “Damir is the consummate professional, a true gentleman, and an unequivocal leader who holds himself and his teammates to the highest of standards.”

Kreilach isn’t expected to retire and will instead look for a new club. He previously played with Rijeka in his native Croatia and had a stint with Germany’s Union Berlin before joining Real Salt Lake. 

The post Real Salt Lake Announces Departure of Captain Damir Kreilach appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Real Salt Lake delivered the biggest upset so far in the 2021 MLS Cup playoffs by eliminating the No. 2 seed Seattle Sounders in the first round. The game was decided via penalty-kick shootout after a scoreless regulation and extra time.

Sounders entered the game as overwhelming favorites, and it showed right away. They dominated the first half and didn’t allow a single shot from the opponent. The same continued in the second period, but Real’s defense and goalie David Ochoa showed impressive composure to keep their net intact.

After the regular 90 minutes wrapped up with teams tied, Seattle pushed all their chips upfront and continued the heavy attacks. However, only one of their 10 shots was on goal, which wasn’t enough to change the score. Salt Lake, on the other hand, went both regulation and extra time without registering a single shot.

Both teams were coolheaded to start the shootout, making each of their first five penalties. In the sixth series, Ochoa came through once again and saved the shot from attacking midfielder Kelyn Rowe. Real’s defender Justen Glad stepped up to take the deciding penalty and managed to get it in despite Sounders’ goalie Stefan Frei getting a hand on the ball.

Salt Lake, who entered the playoffs as a seventh seed, will face Sporting Kansas City in the Western Conference semifinals. The remainder of MLS semifinal matchups is in place as well, with Colorado Rapids facing the Portland Timbers, New England Revolution playing NYCFC, and Nashville FC going up against Philadelphia Union.

The post Salt Lake Upset Sounders via PK Shootout, Advance to MLS Cup Semis appeared first on SportzBonanza.

USMNT and MLS legend Landon Donovan is no longer in consideration to be the new manager for Real Salt Lake. According to ESPN, Donovan decided not to pursue the job further as he believes the team is not “the right fit” for him.

RSL has been searching for a new manager ever since Freddy Juarez left the team in early September to become an assistant with the Seattle Sounders. Besides Donovan, the team has reportedly talked with several other candidates, including ex-FC Dallas manager Luchi Gonzalez and Philadelphia Union assistant coach Pat Noonan.

Interim manager Pablo Mastroeni is also believed to have received a look, especially after the team played well with him in charge. RSL won five games under Mastroeni and currently finds itself 5th in Western Conference.

Donovan currently manages USL Championship side San Diego Loyal and serves as the club’s vice president of soccer operations. Donovan, who is also Loyal’s co-owner, has a 20-10-14 managerial record since taking over in 2020.

While he isn’t interested in RSL, Donovan reportedly wants to take the next step in his managerial career and work for the MLS. He has been pursuing managerial jobs in the league before and might be a candidate for other franchises with vacancies like the Chicago Fire, FC Cincinnati, and FC Dallas.

The post Landon Donovan No Longer Pursuing Real Salt Lake’s Managerial Job appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Former Italy national team striker Giuseppe Rossi has joined Real Salt Lake of the MLS just before the beginning of the North American league’s season, adding strength to his new team’s attack and bringing a prominent name to the league.

Rossi, who was born and raised in the United States but chose to represent Italy internationally based on his heritage early in his career, has a career resume that is unmatched by most players in Major League Soccer.

The New Jersey native began his professional career at Manchester United, where he made only five appearances under Sir Alex Ferguson. Rossi’s best stretch of performances came after making the move to Villarreal in Spain’s La Liga.

While playing for the Yellow Submarine, Rossi scored 54 goals in 136 appearances between 2007 and 2013, becoming one of Spain’s premier forwards.

Injuries have plagued the striker throughout his career, beginning during his final seasons at Villarreal. After moving to Fiorentina and then subsequently to Levante and Celta Vigo, he had trouble finding rhythm and consistency due to constant knee problems.

Rossi has been without a team since appearing in 9 matches for Genoa in the 2017-18 season.

Now, the 33-year-old striker will have the opportunity to star for Real Salt Lake if injuries allow him to stay on the field, instantly becoming one of the league’s most prominent and recognizable faces.

The post Striker Giuseppe Rossi Joins Real Salt Lake appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Real Salt Lake decided to keep the core of their team together for 2019 MLS season and have re-signed midfielder Luke Mulholland to a one-year deal. The news was announced on Tuesday by Salt Lake’s general manager Craig Waibel.

“Luke has been an important part of our locker room for the last five years.  He is a veteran presence on the field that can play in multiple roles, which is important to us,” – said Waibel in a statement.  “He not only is a valuable player on the field and in the locker room, but really represents the club well in the community and we’re glad to have him back.”

Luke Mulholland didn’t have the best season in 2018, struggling with injuries that have limited him to just two regular-season appearances. The 30-year-old, however, managed to give his contribution in the playoffs, being featured in all three of the club’s postseason games.

“Last year was a difficult season for me because I’ve never missed a game because of injury.  Dealing with that adversity made it the toughest season of my career, but I’m happy with my health right now and I’m delighted to stay with Real Salt Lake,” – said Mulholland after inking a new deal.  “I feel like I have unfinished business and the best is yet to come for Luke Mulholland and I’m really excited to give my best for the fans in Utah.”

After playing college soccer with Wingate Bulldogs, Luke Mulholland spent the early portion of his professional career with lower tier clubs before signing with Real Salt Lake in 2014. After a successful first season with the team, in which he provided six goals and seven assists in 31 games, Mulholland established himself as an important part of Real’s starting lineup. He played a total of 122 games in MLS in the past five seasons and managed to score 16 times.

The post Real Salt Lake Re-Sing Veteran Midfielder Luke Mulholland appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Real Salt Lake decided to give Slovak international midfielder Albert Rusnak a lucrative multi-year contract extension, keeping the 24-year-old in MLS. According to FOX Soccer analyst Stuart Holden, Rusnak will become the highest paid player in the franchise’s history with the new deal.

.@stuholden reports that Albert Rusnak and RSL have agreed to a new multi-year deal that will make the Slovakian the highest-paid player in club history. Rusnak has been vocal about wanting a new deal all season. Previous contract ran through 2020.

— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) September 30, 2018

Although his current deal ran through 2020, Albert Rusnak reportedly demanded a new contract for some time now. The negotiations were long and tense, with Rusnak even threatening to sit out games if he doesn’t get his demands fulfilled.

Eventually, Salt Lake decided to get the deal done now in order to make their best player happy for the upcoming playoff battle. The team is currently occupying the last playoff spot in the Western Conference, being two points ahead of LA Galaxy.

Albert Rusnak is playing in excellent form in 2018, scoring 10 goals and adding seven assists. In 59 games played in MLS for Real, he has scored 17 goals and had 21 assists.

Rusnak started his professional career with English Premier League giants Manchester City but failed to broke into the first team and spend the majority of his early years on loan. In 2014, he joined Netherland’s FC Groningen before making a move to Real Salt Lake in 2017.

The post Albert Rusnak and Real Salt Lake Agree to a Record-Breaking Contract Extension appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Real Salt Lake and veteran midfielder Damir Kreilach are parting ways. The MLS side announced Kreilach’s departure in a social media post on Wednesday.

Kreilach, who served as the team’s captain for the past two years, saw his 2024 club option decline at the end of the last season.

Kreilach joined Real Salt Lake in 2018 and quickly established himself as an indispensable player for the club. He had his best season with the club in 2021, when he scored 16 goals and added nine assists en route to an All-Star appearance.

However, a back injury held Kreilach out of action for the entire 2022 season, and he hasn’t looked the same once he returned to the field. The 35-year-old player played 27 games in 2023 but managed only four goals and one assist.

“It’s impossible to put into words what Damir has meant to our club during the last six years,” said Real Salt Lake’s sporting director Kurt Schmid in a statement. “Damir is the consummate professional, a true gentleman, and an unequivocal leader who holds himself and his teammates to the highest of standards.”

Kreilach isn’t expected to retire and will instead look for a new club. He previously played with Rijeka in his native Croatia and had a stint with Germany’s Union Berlin before joining Real Salt Lake. 

The post Real Salt Lake Announces Departure of Captain Damir Kreilach appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Real Salt Lake delivered the biggest upset so far in the 2021 MLS Cup playoffs by eliminating the No. 2 seed Seattle Sounders in the first round. The game was decided via penalty-kick shootout after a scoreless regulation and extra time.

Sounders entered the game as overwhelming favorites, and it showed right away. They dominated the first half and didn’t allow a single shot from the opponent. The same continued in the second period, but Real’s defense and goalie David Ochoa showed impressive composure to keep their net intact.

After the regular 90 minutes wrapped up with teams tied, Seattle pushed all their chips upfront and continued the heavy attacks. However, only one of their 10 shots was on goal, which wasn’t enough to change the score. Salt Lake, on the other hand, went both regulation and extra time without registering a single shot.

Both teams were coolheaded to start the shootout, making each of their first five penalties. In the sixth series, Ochoa came through once again and saved the shot from attacking midfielder Kelyn Rowe. Real’s defender Justen Glad stepped up to take the deciding penalty and managed to get it in despite Sounders’ goalie Stefan Frei getting a hand on the ball.

Salt Lake, who entered the playoffs as a seventh seed, will face Sporting Kansas City in the Western Conference semifinals. The remainder of MLS semifinal matchups is in place as well, with Colorado Rapids facing the Portland Timbers, New England Revolution playing NYCFC, and Nashville FC going up against Philadelphia Union.

The post Salt Lake Upset Sounders via PK Shootout, Advance to MLS Cup Semis appeared first on SportzBonanza.

USMNT and MLS legend Landon Donovan is no longer in consideration to be the new manager for Real Salt Lake. According to ESPN, Donovan decided not to pursue the job further as he believes the team is not “the right fit” for him.

RSL has been searching for a new manager ever since Freddy Juarez left the team in early September to become an assistant with the Seattle Sounders. Besides Donovan, the team has reportedly talked with several other candidates, including ex-FC Dallas manager Luchi Gonzalez and Philadelphia Union assistant coach Pat Noonan.

Interim manager Pablo Mastroeni is also believed to have received a look, especially after the team played well with him in charge. RSL won five games under Mastroeni and currently finds itself 5th in Western Conference.

Donovan currently manages USL Championship side San Diego Loyal and serves as the club’s vice president of soccer operations. Donovan, who is also Loyal’s co-owner, has a 20-10-14 managerial record since taking over in 2020.

While he isn’t interested in RSL, Donovan reportedly wants to take the next step in his managerial career and work for the MLS. He has been pursuing managerial jobs in the league before and might be a candidate for other franchises with vacancies like the Chicago Fire, FC Cincinnati, and FC Dallas.

The post Landon Donovan No Longer Pursuing Real Salt Lake’s Managerial Job appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Former Italy national team striker Giuseppe Rossi has joined Real Salt Lake of the MLS just before the beginning of the North American league’s season, adding strength to his new team’s attack and bringing a prominent name to the league.

Rossi, who was born and raised in the United States but chose to represent Italy internationally based on his heritage early in his career, has a career resume that is unmatched by most players in Major League Soccer.

The New Jersey native began his professional career at Manchester United, where he made only five appearances under Sir Alex Ferguson. Rossi’s best stretch of performances came after making the move to Villarreal in Spain’s La Liga.

While playing for the Yellow Submarine, Rossi scored 54 goals in 136 appearances between 2007 and 2013, becoming one of Spain’s premier forwards.

Injuries have plagued the striker throughout his career, beginning during his final seasons at Villarreal. After moving to Fiorentina and then subsequently to Levante and Celta Vigo, he had trouble finding rhythm and consistency due to constant knee problems.

Rossi has been without a team since appearing in 9 matches for Genoa in the 2017-18 season.

Now, the 33-year-old striker will have the opportunity to star for Real Salt Lake if injuries allow him to stay on the field, instantly becoming one of the league’s most prominent and recognizable faces.

The post Striker Giuseppe Rossi Joins Real Salt Lake appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Real Salt Lake decided to keep the core of their team together for 2019 MLS season and have re-signed midfielder Luke Mulholland to a one-year deal. The news was announced on Tuesday by Salt Lake’s general manager Craig Waibel.

“Luke has been an important part of our locker room for the last five years.  He is a veteran presence on the field that can play in multiple roles, which is important to us,” – said Waibel in a statement.  “He not only is a valuable player on the field and in the locker room, but really represents the club well in the community and we’re glad to have him back.”

Luke Mulholland didn’t have the best season in 2018, struggling with injuries that have limited him to just two regular-season appearances. The 30-year-old, however, managed to give his contribution in the playoffs, being featured in all three of the club’s postseason games.

“Last year was a difficult season for me because I’ve never missed a game because of injury.  Dealing with that adversity made it the toughest season of my career, but I’m happy with my health right now and I’m delighted to stay with Real Salt Lake,” – said Mulholland after inking a new deal.  “I feel like I have unfinished business and the best is yet to come for Luke Mulholland and I’m really excited to give my best for the fans in Utah.”

After playing college soccer with Wingate Bulldogs, Luke Mulholland spent the early portion of his professional career with lower tier clubs before signing with Real Salt Lake in 2014. After a successful first season with the team, in which he provided six goals and seven assists in 31 games, Mulholland established himself as an important part of Real’s starting lineup. He played a total of 122 games in MLS in the past five seasons and managed to score 16 times.

The post Real Salt Lake Re-Sing Veteran Midfielder Luke Mulholland appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Real Salt Lake decided to give Slovak international midfielder Albert Rusnak a lucrative multi-year contract extension, keeping the 24-year-old in MLS. According to FOX Soccer analyst Stuart Holden, Rusnak will become the highest paid player in the franchise’s history with the new deal.

.@stuholden reports that Albert Rusnak and RSL have agreed to a new multi-year deal that will make the Slovakian the highest-paid player in club history. Rusnak has been vocal about wanting a new deal all season. Previous contract ran through 2020.

— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) September 30, 2018

Although his current deal ran through 2020, Albert Rusnak reportedly demanded a new contract for some time now. The negotiations were long and tense, with Rusnak even threatening to sit out games if he doesn’t get his demands fulfilled.

Eventually, Salt Lake decided to get the deal done now in order to make their best player happy for the upcoming playoff battle. The team is currently occupying the last playoff spot in the Western Conference, being two points ahead of LA Galaxy.

Albert Rusnak is playing in excellent form in 2018, scoring 10 goals and adding seven assists. In 59 games played in MLS for Real, he has scored 17 goals and had 21 assists.

Rusnak started his professional career with English Premier League giants Manchester City but failed to broke into the first team and spend the majority of his early years on loan. In 2014, he joined Netherland’s FC Groningen before making a move to Real Salt Lake in 2017.

The post Albert Rusnak and Real Salt Lake Agree to a Record-Breaking Contract Extension appeared first on SportzBonanza.