RSL needs a win in order for a chance to finish third in the west
Real Salt Lake slipped into fourth-place in the Western Conference this weekend after the Claret-and-Cobalt played Portland Timbers to a 0-0 draw on Friday and FC Dallas defeated Colorado Rapids 1-0 on Saturday. The Texas club now sits in third-place with one more point than RSL (54) and a 16-11-6 record. In order for the Claret-and-Cobalt to earn a third-place finish and avoid the Knockout Round, RSL will have to record a win on Wednesday and have FC Dallas draw or lose to Portland on Saturday. If both clubs end the season even on points, the Hoops have the advantage in the first tiebreaker with two more wins than RSL with only one match remaining in the regular season.
RSL 0-2-0 against Chivas USA in 2014
Real Salt Lake will be looking for its first win against Chivas USA this year, with the Claret-and-Cobalt losing in both of the clubs’ previous encounters. In their first meeting of the year on June 28 at StubHub Center, RSL went down to ten men in the ninth minute after midfielder Luke Mulholland saw straight red for a tackle on midfielder Martin Rivero, and could not overcome a 35th minute goal scored by forward Erick Torres. RSL suffered a similar fate when it faced the Red-and-White in California again on Oct. 5, falling 1-0 as the visitors for a second time. Chivas USA’s success against the Claret-and-Cobalt this year has been surprising as the SoCal club has struggled mightily, going 8-18-6 in 2014 and is currently tied for last place in the Western Conference with Colorado Rapids.
RSL has found some success at home against the Goats, going 6-3-3 against the Red-and-White in Utah. RSL is also currently riding a two-game win streak at home against the SoCal club.
Regular season finale
Wednesday’s clash with Chivas USA will be the Claret-and-Cobalt’s final regular season match of 2014, with the club looking to improve its final record at home. Real Salt Lake has gone 10-1-5 at Rio Tinto Stadium this year, recording just one loss to the Portland Timbers on June 7, and is one victory away from tying its all-time best of 11 home wins. With a win on Wednesday, RSL will break its all-time single-season points at home record with 38, surpassing the 2010 record of 37. Real Salt Lake is also four tallies away from breaking its single-season home goals record of 34 which was notched in 2009.
Final match v. Chivas USA
Real Salt Lake will likely play its fellow 2005 expansion team, Chivas USA, for the last time on Wednesday night, as the SoCal club seems destined to suspend operations in 2015. It has been reported that Chivas USA will remain closed for two years while it takes the time to find new owners and fully rebrand. The Goats have struggled mightily in recent years, and will now miss the playoffs for a fifth-straight season.
Real Salt Lake has gone 12-12-4 all-time against Chivas USA in the regular season, posting a 6-3-3 home record and 6-9-1 road record. The two clubs met once in the playoffs in 2008, with RSL winning the first leg 1-0 at home and drawing 2-2 on the road to advance to the Western Conference Championship, where it ultimately fell to New York Red Bulls.
