Now in MLS-heavy Round of 32, is RSL all-in on Open Cup during busy stretch?

How strong of a side will RSL roll out at Portland in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32? 'Pablo made it very clear that we’re trying to win the Open Cup,' midfielder Emeka Eneli said.

HERRIMAN, Utah — Emeka Eneli’s time with Real Salt Lake is only beginning, but the rookie already has the experience of a third of an MLS season.

The 24-year-old first-round pick out of the MLS SuperDraft has appeared in six matches for the Claret-and-Cobalt, totaling 259 minutes that include two starts. But what’s more strange is the 5-foot-9 adaptive midfielder from Dublin, Ohio hasn’t fit into a singular mold.

Instead, Eneli has played all over the place, from outside back to wing midfield to entering as a halftime substitute for Scott Caldwell in RSL’s double-pivot midfield during a 0-0 draw at Houston over the weekend.

Is that just an example of a young player seeking playing time, trying to help the team whatever way he can — or is there something more there from a one-time forward who starred for the Columbus Crew Academy from 2012-17 and won an ENPL national title with Ohio Premier in 2018?

“I feel good as an eight or a 10. But in the professional game, you have a lot of players that move around,” said Eneli, the All-Ivy League first-team selection who scored 20 goals with 17 assists in 60 games played for Cornell. “You have players who start as wingers who go back to fullback, players who go to pivots and then fullback.

“I think I’m just trying to learn as much as I can in every position, and apply it. That’s the most important thing right now.”

Wednesday will be another chance for Eneli to see time for RSL when the club travels to Portland for the Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, where Real Salt Lake is one of 24 MLS sides (including one that has already lost via Pittsburgh’s shocking upset of New England). The match, which will be streamed live on the Bleacher Report app and B/R Football YouTube channel at 8:30 p.m. MT, has traditionally been an opportunity for younger MLS players and MLS NEXT Pro call-ups to prove themselves and make a further impression on coaching staffs.

That may be the case for Eneli, to an extent. But head coach Pablo Mastroeni and club management have strongly stated what American soccer’s version of the FA Cup means to the organization in 2023.

“Pablo made it very clear that we’re trying to win the Open Cup,” Eneli said. “We have a bunch of guys here obviously, and every player can perform very well. No matter what lineup we put out, it’s going to be very strong. We’re going to go to win the competition.”

With LAFC on the other side of the Open Cup for the third match in eight days (and potentially as many as 14 games in 48 days across multiple competitions), squad rotation will likely be a necessity. New names and new faces will undoubtedly dot the lineup Wednesday night, but several sources have indicated to Salt City FC that the club plans to roll out a “very strong side” intent on advancing to the Open Cup Round of 16.

“I think it’s going to be tough,” Mastroeni said. “Without a doubt, I think guys will be put in different positions. The one thing that makes me feel good is that they’re understanding their roles and responsibilities, like when they went into Houston and got a difficult result in a difficult environment — and even had some opportunities to potentially win the game. That was a good sign for us.

“These parts of the season are always a challenge. We always talk about expecting life to go the way we plan, but really we should be grateful for those moments; it happens less than we think. It’s about mindset and mentality, and guys digging deep. I think that’s what we’re going to do when we go to Portland, and then come back to play LAFC.”

RSL will also get back a number of players on the mid-week match that weren’t available Saturday — perhaps potentially the most notable being midfielder Pablo Ruiz, who was suspended with a second-yellow red card against the Dynamo.

Andrew Brody also made a return from injury, Bode Hidalgo has been sharp in training, and Marcelo Silva was recovering well from a back injury until he pulled himself out of Monday’s practice early.

“That’s looking a bit ominous,” said Mastroeni, who admitted the coaching staff “may think about” changing formations to account for injuries to Silva and fellow center back Erik Holt. “But everything is so fluid.”

For the first time in 2023, every match of the Open Cup will be streamed live and free on three platforms: the Bleacher Report app and B/R Football YouTube channel; CBS Sports Golazo network, available on Paramount+, Pluto TV, and the CBS Sports app; or the U.S. Soccer YouTube channel.

Here’s a look at RSL’s Open Cup history, as well as its opponent, Portland Timbers FC, courtesy of TheCup.us.

• Real Salt Lake (MLS) at Portland Timbers FC (MLS)
  Providence Park – Portland, Ore.
  Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. MT
  BROADCAST: Bleacher Report

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Real Salt Lake (MLS)
13th US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 10-11-2 (1-1 PK)
Away: 1-5-0
vs. MLS: 3-6-1 (0-1 PK)
Best finish: 2013 Runner-Up

Portland Timbers FC (MLS)
17th US Open Cup appearance (10th as MLS team)
Overall: 20-15-1 (0-1 PK) | 13-9-0 as MLS
Home: 10-6-1 (0-1 PK) | 8-2-0 as MLS
vs. MLS: 9-11-1 (0-1 PK) | 9-8-0 as MLS
Best finish: Semifinals (2013, 2019)