Real Salt Lake has a real opportunity in front of it on Sunday when it hosts Sporting Kansas City. A win would clinch a playoff spot for the eighth time in the last nine seasons. And while there are other scenarios that would see RSL punch its ticket to the postseason this weekend, Jeff Cassar and his side would just as soon take care of their own business in the regular season home finale than rely on results from other clubs around the league.
Cassar and RSL don’t want just to make it to the postseason, but also build momentum into the playoffs after going winless in the last five matches at 0-2-3.
“What we want to do is not just slide into the playoffs but position ourselves well. For the bulk of the work that we did this season, we positioned ourselves extremely well,” Cassar said on ESPN 700’s Bill Riley Show on Thursday. “The last four or five games we let some opportunities slip through our hands. There’s nothing we can do about that now.”
Perhaps the greatest cure to the ill that kept RSL out of the win column was a two-week stretch between matches as much of MLS had last weekend off. In that time, Cassar gave several days off, allowing for players to rest and recuperate as well as refocus ahead of the final two regular season matches.
The result of that time away has been a rejuvenated squad with its sights set on finishing the regular season strong.
“Training has been fantastic the last couple of weeks. We were able to find some time for the guys to get away from the game and regroup and spend time with family,” Cassar said, noting the health of the club’s three starting forwards – Yura Movsisyan, Joao Plata and Juan Manuel Martinez. “I think they’ve come back with a renewed energy and renewed focus. That’s the kind of thing you need to be successful at the end of the year.”
With the improving health of the squad – Jeff Attinella, who is nursing a shoulder injury and celebrated the birth of his first child on Wednesday, was the only player out of training on Friday – Cassar’s optimism is not unfounded. When RSL was at or near full strength earlier in the year, it has been among the best teams in MLS. As recently as September 7, Salt Lake had the second-best record in MLS after posting a 2-0-1 record in three home matches against FC Dallas, the Colorado Rapids and the LA Galaxy.
“We’re getting to full health. Guys are operating at 100%. We’re going to have a strong starting 11 and we’re going to have some players on the bench that can add something to the game,” Cassar said.
Sunday’s match kicks off at 3 p.m. MT. To hear Cassar’s full interview, click here.
