Real Salt Lake are drawing closer to wrapping up a playoff spot entering Saturday’s match against the San Jose Earthquakes in Sandy, Utah.
A 2-1 comeback victory over FC Dallas offered an important step forward. Not only did Salt Lake (13-12-6, 45 points) earn a second-ever road win over Dallas, but the Utah club also moved up to seventh place in the Western Conference standings.
With three matches remaining, Real Salt Lake have a shot at clinching a playoff berth this weekend. They need a win over San Jose, coupled with a loss or tie by Los Angeles FC and a loss by Minnesota, or a loss or tie by the LA Galaxy this weekend, to lock in that spot.
“I am hoping that we are going to be above the playoff line, but I don’t know who plays who,” RSL forward Albert Rusnak said. “We don’t care about that. We knew that we had to take care of our game first and then see what the other results are.”
Rusnak and fellow forward Damir Kreilach each scored a late goal to spearhead the second-half Salt Lake rally. They are closing in on becoming the first players in club history to record double-digit goals and assists in a single season. Kreilach has 15 goals and eight assists while Rusnak sits at eight goals and 11 assists.
San Jose is in a much different spot entering Saturday’s match. The Earthquakes (9-13-10, 37 points) are merely hoping to be a spoiler to RSL’s postseason plans since they have been eliminated from playoff contention.
The final nail in their postseason coffin came with a 2-0 loss to Portland on Wednesday. JT Marcinkowski made a single-match career-high 10 saves, but it wasn’t enough to hold off a Timbers’ offense that dominated for the bulk of 90 minutes.
Playing for pride is the only thing left for San Jose at this point.
“We have to finish the season in the best possible way,” Earthquakes coach Matias Almeyda said. “There’s a week and a half left. We have to try to leave a good image.”
–Field Level Media
