Real Salt Lake’s long home stand ended with fireworks, both literally and figuratively.
RSL came up with a key win over Sporting Kansas City 2-1 on Friday night, coming out on top in a rivalry that’s gotten increasingly heated every match since 2013. The win was obviously important to the fans, who booed several SKC players rancorously, but was even more important for Real’s playoff hopes. With Portland and Seattle both losing this past weekend, Real got a critical three points to come within three points of both teams in the standings and a theoretical playoff spots.
Javier Morales’ goal put RSL up in the first half, in which Real looked pretty confident. However, the problem of conceding leads came back to bite RSL at the beginning of the second half, when SKC came out looking much better and Real looked a bit flat-footed for several minutes at the beginning of the half.
However, the back four looked strong, keeping Dom Dwyer largely out of the action, and Jeff Attinella made several key saves, turning in another solid performance. After a tumultuous late spring and early summer, RSL has been looking better defensively in recent matches — Chris Schuler and Jamison Olave will have to earn their way back into the starting lineup after they have recovered from their injuries.
But can RSL keep up the momentum over the next few weeks, with a road trip that will involve the East Coast, Guatemala, Canada, and Kansas City before returning to the cozy confines of Rio Tinto Stadium on August 15?
The odyssey, beginning on August 1, will prove to be a critical stretch of games. First up will be a showdown with recently-traded Alvaro Saborio and DC United, then a quick jaunt to Guatemala for a CCL matchup with Municipal on August 4, a huge Western Conference match at Vancouver on August 8, and finally, an Open Cup semifinal at Kansas City on August 12.
The form of Morales bodes very well for RSL’s chances, while Joao Plata and Sebastian Jaime are starting to pick up goals regularly as well. However, depth has been an issue for Real in particular positions; that will definitely be tested over the next few weeks.
The upcoming schedule makes the last few weeks, in which RSL had a long streak of home matches both in the league and in Open Cup play, seem positively leisurely. Can Real keep up its form in the league and Open Cup while adding the CCL into the mix?
The next few weeks will tell.
