Real Salt Lake has one remaining home match in the 2015 MLS regular season schedule and club captain Kyle Beckerman wants to ensure that the fans who have continued to make Rio Tinto Stadium one of the greatest home fields in Major League Soccer can go home knowing that their club fought to the end.
RSL is not mathematically eliminated from postseason contention, but it would take a lot of things falling its way for the playoffs to be a reality this season. Beckerman only knows one approach though, and will make sure that his team remains focused on the task at hand.
“We’re going to go swinging until there is absolutely no hope. And if there’s no hope then we’ll still keep fighting,” Beckerman said in an interview on The Bill & OC Show on ESPN 700 Thursday. “That’s all we can do for our fans and to respect the sport. We’ll keep at it. We’re going to try and win the rest of our games and we’ll see what happens.”
With still two home matches to play – against FC Dallas on Saturday in MLS play and in CONCACAF Champions League on Tuesday against Municipal from Guatemala – and a road bout with Seattle Sounders FC on October 25, RSL has more than just pride to play for. Even with the playoffs a far-off dream, the club can still establish the start of a winning mentality for the 2016 season and qualify for the Quarterfinal Round in Champions League.
“First and foremost we want to always have Rio Tinto be a fortress and be a place that we go in and expect to win – anything less is unacceptable. That’s something you’ve got to earn and you’ve got to make happen. No team is going to come in and just lay down for you. We’ve got to continue to try and get that winning mentality,” Beckerman said. “If we can finish off the year in a positive light, that’s definitely a way in the right direction. There is a bunch of things we can do better going into next year. But if we can finish out the right way and in a positive light, that will be better for the fans and for us as well.”
To hear the full interview, click here.
