MLS notes

Real Salt Lake sends Mathis to Rapids for Cunningham.

Clint Mathis moves to Colorado and his fourth MLS team. -- Real Salt Lake web site photo --

SALT LAKE CITY (Monday, December 12, 2005) -- Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids traded Major League Soccer veterans today. RSL acquired eight-year MLS striker Jeff Cunningham, sending attacker Clint Mathis to Colorado.

Mathis, who has played seven years in MLS, returned to Salt Lake in 2005 after spending a season with Hannover 96 in Germany's Bundesliga. After playing one season for RSL, the Rapids will become Mathis' fourth MLS team.

"Clint is undeniably one of the best players the United States produced in what I like to call the 'First MLS Generation,' " Colorado coach Fernando Clavijo said in a team press release. "His passion and fiery personality, which are clearly tangible both on and off the field, will be a great addition to the Rapids."

Starting all 27 games he played, Mathis, 29, had three goals and four assists in 2005, giving him MLS career regular-season totals of 51 goals, 42 assists and 136 starts in 159 games played.

Once considered the up-and-coming star of the United States men, Mathis appeared twice and scored one goal for the U.S. in 2005, but was not seen after the 1-0 victory over Honduras March 19. He did not appear in any of the Americans' final-round World Cup qualifiers in 2005.

Mathis has made 46 appearances for the U.S., including three in the 2002 World Cup, and 30 starts. Known as a unique character, Mathis donned a Mohawk haircut for the 2002 Cup and scored for the Americans in the 1-1 draw with co-host South Korea.

His individuality also rubbed some the wrong way and his career was hampered by injuries after the 2002 Cup. He is officially part of the national player pool, but doesn't seem to be in the mix for Germany 2006.

After seven season with Columbus, Jeff Cunningham has been traded twice in less than a year. -- Colorado Rapids web site photo --

Real Salt Lake continues to retool a team that went 5-22-5 in its inaugural 2005 season with the latest in a string of transactions.

Cunningham, 29, finished fourth in MLS with 12 goals in 2005 and added three assists. He ranks seventh all-time in MLS regular-season history in goals (74) and shots (472) and his 24 game-winning goals are second behind new teammate Jason Kreis (30). He is tied with Brian McBride as the all-time leading goal scorer in Crew history with 62 goals.

After being a member of the Columbus Crew from 1998-2004, Cunningham, a Montego Bay, Jamaica, native, was traded to Colorado last season. He has three goals and five assists in 16 playoff appearances.

"RSL looks forward to welcoming one of MLS's most lethal goal scorers into the lineup," Salt Lake general manager Steve Pastorino said in a club press release. "Jeff's speed and guile will invigorate our attack and all of our attacking players should benefit from the energy he brings.

Cunningham has nine caps over the last five years with the U.S. men.

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