With its regular season wrapped up on Wednesday with a 2-0 win over Chivas USA at Rio Tinto Stadium, Real Salt Lake sat back on Saturday and watched the rest of the Western Conference battle for playoff positioning in a day full of excitement.
First, Seattle Sounders FC topped the LA Galaxy 2-0 at CenturyLink Field to claim the Supporters’ Shield and knock the Galaxy into the No. 2 seed. Then the Portland Timbers went on the road to top FC Dallas 2-0 at Toyota Stadium, putting RSL in the No. 3 seed, FC Dallas at No. 4 and, temporarily, the Timbers at No. 5. Then to close out the day, Vancouver Whitecaps FC sealed the fifth seed with a 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids at BC Place.
What this all means for RSL is a playoff clash with the LA Galaxy for the fourth time in the last six postseasons.
Here is a quick run-down of the previous three match-ups, starting in the 2009 MLS Cup Final.
2009
Salt Lake and LA met for the MLS Cup at CenturyLink Field in Seattle (then called Qwest Field). With an MLS Cup record crowd of 46,011 in attendance, the two teams played toe-to-toe for 120 minutes without a victor determined. Mike Magee scored in the 41st minute to give the Galaxy a first-half lead, but RSL answered in the 64th minute with a goal from Robbie Findley.
In the shootout, both teams made their first two attempts and missed their third. Landon Donovan skied his effort in the fourth round and Ned Grabavoy converted his. However, Salt Lake could not find a match-winner until the seventh round. Nick Rimando saved Edson Buddle’s shot, his second save of the shootout, and Robbie Russell converted his to give the MLS Cup to Real Salt Lake.
2011
After ousting Sounders FC 3-2 in the Western Conference semifinal, RSL went on the road to the Western Conference final to face the LA Galaxy, who won the Supporters’ Shield and topped the New York Red Bulls 3-1 in the semis.
With just one game determining the Conference champions, LA jumped out to an early lead with Donovan converting a penalty in the 23rd minute. Alvaro Saborio responded with a goal of his own in the 25th minute, but LA would storm back with two second-half goals from Magee and Robbie Keane to send the Galaxy to the MLS Cup Final, where it bested the Houston Dynamo 1-0.
2013
Last year, the two teams met in the Western Conference semifinal over a two-legged series. It opened at the StubHub Center where Sean Franklin netted the only goal in the 48th minute. Going back to Rio Tinto Stadium, RSL evened the series on a 35th minute goal from Sebastian Velasquez, sending the series to extra time. There, Chris Schuler scored in the 103rd minute and RSL held on to advance to the Conference final.
With that deep-seeded rivalry in place, the matchup this year is bound to be dramatic.
The 2014 Western Conference Semifinal series starts on Saturday, Nov. 1, at Rio Tinto Stadium. For ticket information, visit http://bit.ly/12D6VER.
