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SALT
LAKE CITY
- Real Salt Lake General Manager Steve
Pastorino and Head Coach John Ellinger today
announced the acquisition of striker Melvin
Tarley, a Liberian-born forward who has
scored six goals in three Lamar Hunt U.S.
Open Cup Games for the giant-slaying
Minnesota Thunder (USL First Division).
In order to clear roster space for today's
acquisition, RSL placed DF Matt Behncke on
waivers. Behncke appeared in eight RSL games
this season, starting seven and logging a
total of 587 minutes for the senior team.
Tarley, a 22-year old forward who stands at
6-1, 175, found the back of the net twice in
the Thunder's 6-4 win over Real Salt Lake on
July 13 and tallied all four Thunder goals
in the team's 4-1 win over the Colorado
Rapids on August 3.
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Melvin Tarley, 22, drives
his way to Major League Soccer -
USA |
Tarley started and played 88 minutes in
Minnesota's 3-1 win over the Kansas City
Wizards on August 24, advancing the USL
First Division squad to the Open Cup
Semifinals against the Los Angeles Galaxy on
September 14.
"One of the best ways to evaluate players is
to view them playing against your own team,
and Melvin Tarley displayed his abilities
against us in the third round of the 2005
U.S. Open Cup," Ellinger said.
"He is somebody we felt that we should
immediately add to our roster. Tarley is a
forward that has good pace, great size and
holds the ball well, and we welcome him as
we make our push for a playoff berth."
As part of the transfer, RSL and Minnesota
have agreed that Tarley will be available to
return to his former team for its 2005 U.S.
Open Cup semifinal game against the Los
Angeles Galaxy at the Home Depot Center in
Carson, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 14.
Should Minnesota advance to the final,
Tarley will be available for his former team
for the 2005 U.S. Open Cup finals.
Tarley began his career with the Thunder
during the 2003 season and logged just 400
minutes during his rookie season, scoring
once in 16 appearances. The speedy forward
led Minnesota with eight goals during the
2004 season, while playing 1,313 minutes in
24 games. Tarley has a "green card" and will
not count as one of RSL's international
players.
"Any player who can score 10 goals in a
month has some special talent," Pastorino
said, noting that the striker has scored
seven goals in 25 regular-season games this
year, in addition to his outstanding Open
Cup performances.
"Melvin Tarley has really grown as a player
and a person with the Minnesota Thunder, and
we feel he is ready to take his game to the
next level."
In 2002, Tarley recorded 22 goals and 27
assists in 14 games with his amateur team,
Alliance FC. One year later, he joined the
Thunder, and after an adjustment period, led
the Thunder in goals (8) and assists (17) in
the 24 games played during his second season
with the team.
"Being picked up by Real Salt Lake means a
whole lot to me because I have been training
to get into the MLS, especially with a new
team," Tarley said.
"I am willing to do what I have been doing
with the Minnesota Thunder, which is score
goals, and along with my new teammates from
RSL, I hope to make playoffs. I am excited
and can't wait to play my first game in a
Real uniform." |
