Real Salt Lake clinched a MLS Cup Playoff berth on Saturday night, playing the Portland Timbers to a scoreless draw at JELD-WEN Field.
Here are a few interesting numbers from the match:
6
Real Salt Lake has now qualified for the postseason in six-straight seasons. That’s the longest active run of playoff qualification in MLS and tied for the second-longest such streak in league history with the New York Red Bulls (2003-2008). New England holds the longest streak of MLS Cup Playoff qualification, having qualified eight-straight times from 2002-2009.
1
Saturday’s 0-0 score line was Real Salt Lake’s first scoreless draw of 2013.
4-1-3
Real Salt Lake and the Portland Timbers have now met eight times in MLS league play, with the Claret-and-Cobalt posting a 4-1-3 record against the Cascadia club. RSL has recorded only one loss to Portland—a 1-0 result in the clubs’ first encounter on April 30, 2011 at JELD-WEN Field. RSL was 2-0-2 against Portland in four games across all competitions this year.
22
RSL now owns 22 of its 53 points this season courtesy of a 6-7-4 road record through 17 away games, matching the club record 6-7-4 (22 points) mark on the road in MLS play last year.
200
RSL GK Nick Rimando made his 200th career MLS regular-season appearance for the Claret-and-Cobalt on Saturday. He is the first RSL player to reach the bicentennial mark in the club’s nine MLS seasons. The draw with Portland marked Rimando’s ninth shutout of the year. His 108 career regular season shutouts are four short of Kevin Hartman for the all-time MLS record.
