There has been a palpable feeling of disappointment in the Real Salt Lake locker room in the last two league matches as RSL settled for draws against Columbus Crew SC and Orlando City SC on consecutive weekends. Those results left RSL in eighth in the Western Conference, but remain just four points behind Sporting Kansas City for the sixth playoff position and nine points behind Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Seattle Sounders FC for the top spot in the West.
“At the end of the day, we’re nine points out of first place, we’re in the quarterfinals of the Open Cup and we’ve qualified for the Champions League and that’s getting started in August,” RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar said in his weekly segment on The Bill & OC Show on ESPN 700 on Tuesday. “We have everything in front of us. What we’ve got to do is seize our opportunities when they come and not be content.”
On a recent stretch of six matches in 19 days, RSL went 3-1-2 – a very respectable, if not outstanding, record over a grueling period like that. However, expectations are greater in the locker room and in the stands at Rio Tinto Stadium, where three points is the expectation at every home match. Instead, RSL earned just five points from its three home league matches in that stretch and were left feeling like points were left on the table.
With a team that has been teetering on the brink of that breakthrough performance for much of the year, Cassar expressed optimism heading into the next stretch of matches that includes a road clash with the Colorado Rapids on Saturday and the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match against the LA Galaxy on Tuesday at Rio Tinto Stadium.
“I think we’re in a great spot mentally with our team. We’re starting to find our rhythm. We’re, at times, being rewarded for our good play. I believe the guys are moving forward and we’re getting better, stronger mentally and I like where we’re at,” Cassar said. “We need to impose our will and also be rewarded for our good play. I believe the last five games we’ve played very good soccer. We’ve created a ton of chances, played good soccer and made some errors that we’ve paid for.”
To hear the full interview, click here.
