With five matches left to play over the next six weeks, Real Salt Lake is ensconced in a chase for the top positions in the Western Conference playoff bracket. Currently in fourth place, which would ensure home-field advantage in the Knockout Round, RSL is aiming higher, hoping to land in one of the top two spots that would mean a bye into the Western Conference Semifinals.
“Every game is meaningful,” RSL Head Coach Jeff Cassar said on ESPN 700’s Bill Riley Show on Tuesday.
Three of RSL’s five final matches will come at home, including the next two against the Houston Dynamo on Saturday and FC Dallas on September 24. That will be followed by a road contest against the San Jose Earthquakes, a home tilt with Sporting Kansas City and then the regular season finale on the road against Seattle Sounders FC.
While that means just two of the final five matches are against teams that are currently above the red line – Dallas and Kansas City – the other three matches, including both road matches remaining, come against teams trying to claw their ways into the postseason berths.
For Cassar, it is more about targeting RSL’s own postseason hopes than what is going on with opponents or scoreboard watching.
“I think the schedule is in our favor and we just have to take advantage of that. Next weekend we could jump back up into second or third place and get right back in the mix of it,” he said. “We definitely have to have the mindset that we’re going to have to take care of business at home. We have three more remaining games and that would be 53 points. We have to get those results there.”
Outside of Aaron Maund’s foot fracture, Cassar has virtually everyone available. Javier Morales left Saturday’s 1-0 loss to the Portland Timbers with a right quad strain, but has been making progress in each day’s workouts and Cassar hasn’t ruled him out of Saturday’s matchup with the Dynamo. An although the team will get Jamison Olave back from a one-match suspension, midfielder Sunny will be out while serving a one-match suspension handed down by the MLS Disciplinary Committee.
Following the match in San Jose, RSL will take a weekend off before ramping back up with the final two matches. The schedule stacks up in a way that could allow RSL to be at or near full strength when the playoffs arrive.
“That could be an opportunity to make sure we get everyone completely healthy,” Cassar said.
To hear the full interview, click here.
