During Real Salt Lake’s run of seven consecutive playoff seasons, it was rare for a team to come into Rio Tinto Stadium and walk out with three points. During that time, the Claret-and-Cobalt averaged less than two home defeats per season and averaged over 2.00 points per match in each season, capping out at 2.47 in 2010 when RSL went 11-0-4 at home.
In 2015, the first year RSL missed the postseason since 2007, that record dipped to 7-4-6 – just 1.59 points per match. That, clearly, was something Head Coach Jeff Cassar wanted to address in the off season and the results have been inarguable as RSL is 8-0-5 (2.23 points per match) through the first 13 home matches entering Wednesday night’s pivotal Western Conference matchup with the LA Galaxy.
“It was something that we addressed at the end of last year – that we want to make RTS a fortress. This year we’ve done a very good job of that,” Cassar said Tuesday on ESPN 700’s Bill Riley Show. “I think we still have left some points out on the table, but we have reestablished that we are the aggressors at our house and teams are going to have to deal with us for 90 minutes. Minus dropping some points I think we’ve done that in every single home match.”
As Real Salt Lake nears the finish line on the 2016 MLS regular season and powers into the playoffs, that home record has proven vital in keeping RSL among the Western Conference elite. Currently in a three-way tie for second in the West with the LA Galaxy and Colorado Rapids, RSL will look to its four remaining home matches to buoy the club to one of the top two spots in the conference and a bye to the Western Conference Semifinals.
That starts Wednesday night against the Galaxy, against whom RSL hasn’t lost at home since 2013, a streak spanning seven matches across all competitions.
To Cassar the key to ensuring success against a Galaxy side riddled with injuries and in the midst of a three-match week will be getting off to a fast start.
“We have to come out with the right energy. We have to be aggressive, put one in the back of the net early,” Cassar said. “We have to make sure that we are the aggressors, that we are the aggressors with the mentality as well and really make them deal with us the entire game.”
To hear the full interview, click here.
