
Jamaica-born Jeff Cunningham of the United States national football team. - FILE
salt lake city, cmc
JAMAICA-BORN STRIKER Jeff Cunningham has signed for the Real Salt Lake in a move that has seen midfielder Clint Mathis move to Colorado Rapids in exchange.
The 29-year old Cunningham had one of his most productive seasons in Major League Soccer last season after scoring 12 goals for the Rapids, which tied him with Los Angeles Galaxy striker Landon Donovan for third in the league.
Cunningham, who moved to the United States at age 14, and gained US citizenship in 2001, now has 74 goals in the MLS and lies seventh on the all-time list of the league's goalscorers. "RSL looks forward to welcoming one of MLS' most lethal goal scorers into the line-up," Steve Pastorino, Real Salt Lake's general manager, said. "Jeff's speed and guile will invigorate our attack - and all of our attacking players should benefit from the energy he brings." Cunningham's move is his second in as many years, after leaving Colombus Crew in 2004, the club he had represented for his entire career up to that point.
After his switch to Colorado, he proceeded to score in each of his first four games and also banged in a hat-trick against Chivas USA. Although he only earned an invitation to the Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game as an injury replacement for FC Dallas striker Eddie Johnson, he was named to the MLS Select Team that was beaten 5-0 by Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.