Tonight’s match between Real Salt Lake and the Los Angeles Galaxy is likely an afterthought to the rest of the MLS community.
The two clubs round out the bottom of the Western Conference — and the MLS standings for that matter — and seem to be non-factors in the playoff hunt. The match guarantees both clubs will receive earlier-than-desired vacations.
However, Real Salt Lake isn’t packing it in, despite being substantially out of the final playoff spot.
“I’m not even thinking (about the) playoffs,” said forward Alecko Eskandarian said. “It’s for the work we’ve put in, for the work the coaches put in, for the fans. Each player has to have pride.”
The final playoff spot is currently occupied by Chicago, which owns an 11-point advantage on RSL in the standings. The Colorado Rapids, the Columbus Crew and Toronto FC all stand in Real’s way as well.
“We really don’t control our destiny; we control how we play,” RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando said.
RSL must snatch up wins quickly and in bunches to claw its way back into serious contention. With six matches remaining in 2007, there are 18 points that stand available to RSL for the taking.
Three clubs, D.C. United, the New England Revolution and the Houston Dynamo, have claimed stakes in the postseason, meaning no time can be wasted and no match can be squandered.
“We need to win every single game,” Eskandarian said.
With the Galaxy visiting Rice-Eccles Stadium tonight, Real is finished with its four-game road trip that saw the club go 1-2-1 and grab four points for its cause.
“We had a very tough road trip,” Eskandarian said. “We wanted more; we expected more out of ourselves.”
Real’s road swing included losses to conference leading D.C. United and Houston, but was kicked off with a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles. Tonight serves as the final leg of the clubs’ three meetings this season. The season series is knotted 1-1.
Many RSL fans hoped to witness David Beckham’s return to Salt Lake City — this time as a Galaxy midfielder. Because of a knee injury suffered against Pachuca in SuperLiga play on Aug. 30, Beckham will not play tonight.
The final leg of RSL’s road trip resulted in a draw with Toronto FC. Because striker Fabian Espindola earned a red card in the 35th minute against Toronto, RSL played a man down for most of the match. The club switched to a defensive playing style.
“Sometimes it happens and you find a way to make it work,” Matias Mantilla said of playing with 10.
Mantilla joins Espindola on the suspended list for RSL. Mantilla accumulated five yellow cards in six games, and Espindola picked up his first red card, rendering both players inactive for tonight’s match. Real will have to fill Mantilla’s boots in the defensive third.
Defense need not be emphasized against Los Angeles. Since losing a 5-4 shootout to the New York Red Bulls on Aug. 18, the Galaxy has scored no more than one goal in its last six matches, being shut out three times.
This bodes well for Real’s defense and goalkeeper Nick Rimando, who faced 24 shots from Toronto FC. Rimando made 12 saves in the shutout effort but doesn’t feel it’s a forgone conclusion that facing Los Angeles will be different, he said.
“You never know if it’s going to be the same way,” he said.
Real is looking to get back to work in the offensive third. The club scored nine goals in four matches before grappling with TFC when RSL was forced to play on its heels for nearly the entire match.
“Hopefully the teams that need to falter, falter,” Rimando said.
Tyler CobbReal Salt Lake faces the Los Angeles Galaxy tonight in a game that could keep the team’s playoff hopes alive. Galaxy midfielder David Beckham will not play tonight because of a knee injury.