Real Salt Lake gets a lot of help from others
October 12, 2008 by f4denz.
4 days that kept RSL’s playoff hopes alive
Real Salt Lake dug themselves a hole on Thursday by only getting one point in their tie with New York, both Dallas and Colorado could have leapfrogged RSL in the Western conference standings. RSL found themselves sitting at 36 points after the match, while Dallas and Colorado both were sitting with 34 points, and worse yet for RSL, Dallas was facing TFC the bottom dweller in the East and Colorado was facing the Galaxy, the very bottom team in all of MLS. It did not looks good for RSL who currently would lose the tiebreaker with New York, so wins by Colorado and Dallas and RSL would be on the outside looking in at the playoffs and the pressure would have been enormous in the final two matches for RSL.
Dallas vs. TFC
Well it didn’t look too good for RSL as Kenny Cooper scored his 17th goal of the season and Dallas took a 1-0 lead into halftime. TFC was missing a number of players on national duty on this World Cup qualifying weekend, but they showed a ton of heart in the second half and controlled much of the play after coming back from the break. In the 73rd minute Marco Velez scored for TFC and the Red’s were reenergized, and just 15 minutes later it looked like they put it on ice as Marvell Wynne had one of the best plays of the year and put TFC up 2-1 with just minutes left. As is often the case in MLS this year, the officials would put their mark on the match, they called a foul or handball against TFC in the 3rd minute of stoppage time (the handball was actually a Dallas player as the replay clearly showed), and after a PK that was called back, Kenny Cooper put the ball into the back of the goal and it ended up being a 2-2 draw, not the best result for RSL as Dallas now has 35 points, but it allowed RSL to keep a playoff spot no matter what would happen on Sunday.
Colorado vs. LA Galaxy
About a month ago RSL went to LA to face a Galaxy team that was missing their big names, and Colorado had a very similar chance as they faced off against a Beckhamless Galaxy, also Landycakes had played a US National match on Saturday night in DC, so had to catch a long flight and wasn’t in the starting 11. But just like Real, Colorado could not take advantage of the Galaxy, a team with just one win since the All Star break. LA came out and scored first as Buddle got his 14th goal of the season in the 36th minute of the match, but just before the half Cory Gibbs got his first MLS goal since joining the Rapids at midseason, and we went into the half tied 1-1, not too bad for RSL.
In the 70th minute LA got some help as Ugo Ihemelu scored an own goal to give the Galaxy a 2-1 lead, and then just 10 minutes later Brandon McDonald got his first MLS goal, on what should be the goal of the week on a long range shot that found the upper corner of the net and gave LA a 3-1 lead with just under 10 minutes left in the match. Oh but again the MLS officials would become involved in the final few minutes of a match, this time a handball was called against LA (the replay left some doubt in my mind) but Tom McManus put the ball into the back of the net and all of a sudden Colorado had a lifeline for the final few minutes of the match, but some smart plays by LA and the whistle blew with LA getting their second win since the All Star match, and Colorado is still sitting with 34 points.
Three teams, two matches, and the playoffs hang in the balance
Well there are two weeks left of the MLS regular season, and RSL has a chance to make a huge move on Saturday as the face the team just below them in the standings as FC Dallas comes to town. A single point separate these two teams in the Western Conference standings, as RSL is holding on to the final guaranteed playoff spot for the Western conference, Dallas is sitting just one point out of the playoffs as their 35 points trail New York and Kansas City both who have 36 points and would be the two wildcard teams if the playoffs started today.
Rio Tinto stadium will get its second match in as many weeks, and tickets for the matchup are going quick (less than 4,000 were left on Friday of last week). RSL will be able to play without as much media attention and distractions of the stadium opening, and will need to put in a very solid effort to pick up the needed 3 points. It has been 4 months since the last time RSL faced off against Dallas, at home they won the match 2-1 on May 10th, and the return match on the 24th of May in Dallas saw RSL lose a 1-0 lead with just 7 minutes left in the match as Dallas scored two goals in the final few minutes to get the 2-1 win. So this matchup will not only be important for the points, but a win would give RSL the upper hand in any tiebreaking situations.
There are other matches on Saturday that will impact RSL’s playoff hunt, but the most important match will be the Sunday matchup between Colorado and Chivas, as the Rapids will have another match in LA. Chivas may be the hottest team in MLS right now as they have won 4 straight matches and 5 of their last 6. Colorado will have a big mountain to climb as Chivas has scored 7 goals in their last 4 matches and given up just one goal. A loss by Colorado and their playoff hopes will be gone, as a draw would keep their hopes alive but very slim hopes they would be.
So the next 7 days will be very important, the playoff picture is clear for 5 teams as Houston, Chivas, Columbus, New England, and Chicago are in, and the final 3 spots are up for grabs (third place in the West- currently held by RSL with 36 points, to 35 for Dallas and 34 for Colorado), while the two wildcard spots currently are held by New York and KC (36 points each), followed by Dallas with 35, Colorado and DC United with 34, LA and TFC each have 32 points, and San Jose has 30 but they have a midweek match with Houston (rescheduled from their delayed season opener). So nobody is out based on this weekends results, oh my how things could have been much easier for RSL if they had been able to put away New York, or held onto their lead in New England, or not had the defensive meltdown against Chivas. But you can’t change the past, and for RSL the future is really in their own hands, two wins and no matter what else happens and they are in, anything less and they will need another weekend where someone else gives them a helping hand.
OFF MY SOAPBOX