Courtesy of Bryan Byerly
Real Salt Lake faces off versus Portland Timbers in a MUST WIN match tonight at 7:30 PM. You can listen to the game LIVE on ESPN700 starting at 6:30 PM with the pre-game show.
Currently, RSL sits in the ninth spot in the West with only the top 6 spots going to the playoffs. However, RSL can get there with a few scenarios including a pair of wins and some crucial losses from some others. Even with a win tonight there is no way to clinch a playoff spot. But a win would but the Salt Lake team in a three-way tie with Portland and San Jose for 6th place. Goal difference is the tie breaker, and San Jose holds that record with a +2 differential. RSL could leap frog the Earthquakes tonight if the unthinkable happened and the team notches 8+ goals (any bets on who would score them?).
After this evening, the road doesn’t get any easier, but it does get even more important. The team will have a quick turnaround facing #1 in the West FC Dallas on Saturday, October 17th at the RioT. The final two regular season matches are split by a CONCACAF match at home on Tuesday, October 20th. RSL sits atop the group and may opt to rest its regular starters to have them ready for the final regular season match versus Seattle Sounders at Century Link Field on Sunday, October 25th.
If there was ever a time for you to #Believe this would be it.
