# 2008 Real Salt Lake season

The 2008 Real Salt Lake Season was the fourth season of the team's existence. It was the first season that the team made it to the MLS Cup Playoffs, thanks to some last minute heroics by Yura Movsisyan. After defeating Chivas USA in the first round of the playoffs, Real Salt Lake lost to New York Red Bulls in the Western Conference finals. The 2008 season was also the last season that Real Salt Lake played at Rice-Eccles Stadium, as they moved to the soccer-specific Rio Tinto Stadium on October 9, 2008.

## Squad
### First Team

As of November 15, 2008
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | USA | Chris Seitz |
| 2 | DF | USA | Tony Beltran |
| 3 | DF | USA | Robbie Russell |
| 4 | DF | COL | Jamison Olave |
| 5 | MF | USA | Kyle Beckerman (Captain) |
| 6 | DF | USA | Nat Borchers |
| 8 | MF | CAN | Will Johnson |
| 9 | FW | ARG | Fabian Espindola |
| 10 | FW | USA | Robbie Findley |
| 11 | MF | ARG | Javier Morales |
| 12 | MF | USA | Nathan Sturgis |
| 13 | DF | USA | Ian Joy |
| 14 | FW | ARM | Yura Movsisyan |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 15 | MF | USA | Kenny Cutler |
| 16 | FW | SCO | Kenny Deuchar |
| 17 | DF | USA | Chris Wingert |
| 18 | GK | USA | Nick Rimando |
| 21 | MF | UKR | Dema Kovalenko |
| 24 | GK | USA | Kyle Reynish |
| 25 | FW | USA | Tino Nuñez |
| 27 | DF | ARG | Matias Mantilla |
| 28 | DF | USA | Dustin Kirby |
| 33 | DF | USA | David Horst |
| 77 | MF | JAM | Andy Williams |
| 84 | MF | USA | Clint Mathis |

### Formation

Starting XI vs. New York on November 15, 2008

## Results
### League table

Conference
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Houston Dynamo | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 45 | 32 | +13 | 51 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 2 | Chivas USA | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 40 | 41 | −1 | 43 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 3 | Real Salt Lake | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | 39 | +1 | 40 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 4 | Colorado Rapids | 30 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 44 | 45 | −1 | 38 | |
| 5 | FC Dallas | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 45 | 41 | +4 | 36 | |
| 6 | LA Galaxy | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 55 | 62 | −7 | 33 | |
| 7 | San Jose Earthquakes | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 32 | 38 | −6 | 33 | |
Overall
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Columbus Crew (C, S) | 30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 50 | 36 | +14 | 57 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 2 | Houston Dynamo | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 45 | 32 | +13 | 51 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 3 | Chicago Fire | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 44 | 33 | +11 | 46 | North American SuperLiga |
| 4 | Chivas USA | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 40 | 41 | −1 | 43 | North American SuperLiga |
| 5 | New England Revolution | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 40 | 43 | −3 | 43 | North American SuperLiga |
| 6 | Kansas City Wizards | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 37 | 39 | −2 | 42 | North American SuperLiga |
| 7 | Real Salt Lake | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | 39 | +1 | 40 | |
| 8 | New York Red Bulls | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 42 | 48 | −6 | 39 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 9 | Colorado Rapids | 30 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 44 | 45 | −1 | 38 | |
| 10 | D.C. United | 30 | 11 | 15 | 4 | 43 | 51 | −8 | 37 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 11 | FC Dallas | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 45 | 41 | +4 | 36 | |
| 12 | Toronto FC | 30 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 34 | 43 | −9 | 35 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 13 | LA Galaxy | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 55 | 62 | −7 | 33 | |
| 14 | San Jose Earthquakes | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 32 | 38 | −6 | 33 | |
* ↑ As winners of the 2009 Canadian Championship

### Summary

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Ground | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | H | A |
| Result | T | L | W | L | L | T | W | L | L | W | T | W | T | L | L | T | W | T | W | L | L | W | T | L | L | W | T | T | W | T |

### MLS Playoffs
## Kits

| Home | Away | Special |
| Type | Shirt | Shorts | Socks | First appearance / Info |
| Home | Claret / Cobalt | Cobalt | Cobalt | |
| Away | White | White | White | |
| Special | Green | White | White | US Open Cup, April 30 against San Jose → Green Awareness Game |