MLS Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake Clinches 6th-Straight MLS Cup Playoff Berth

Published on October 20, 2013 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


PORTLAND "" Real Salt Lake (15-10-8, 53 points, West #2) clinched its sixth-straight MLS Cup Playoff berth on Saturday night, tying the Portland Timbers (13-5-15, 54 points, West #1) 0-0 at JELD-WEN Field to lock up a spot in the postseason.

Real Salt Lake can still finish anywhere from first to fifth in the tightly-packed Western Conference. The Claret-and-Cobalt's six-year run of postseason qualification is the longest active streak in the league and tied for the second-longest such streak in MLS history with the New York Red Bulls (2003-2008), trailing only the New England Revolution's eight-year run (2002-2009).

While it ended scoreless, Saturday's match was an up-and-down affair, with both teams playing high-quality soccer in front of a raucous Portland crowd. RSL GK Nick Rimando came up huge throughout, making several tremendous saves to help the Claret-and-Cobalt earn a point.

Portland had the match's first opportunity in the 28th minute. The play started with an RSL attack, with Captain Kyle Beckerman lobbing a long ball over the top to FW Robbie Findley. Findley got behind the Timbers defense, but Portland GK Donovan Ricketts came out of the area to field the ball, taking a touch and curling a long pass down the right wing for FW Jose Adolfo Valencia. The Colombian attacker smacked a low cross into the middle, with MF Diego Valeri running onto it at the back post and hitting his 10-yard shot over the bar.

The Timbers had an incredible chance in the 43rd minute. Valencia collected a ball on the right flank, magnificently weaving his way past several RSL defenders before hitting a ball across the face of goal from the right edge of the six. Thankfully for RSL, Portland FW Kalif Alhassan couldn't quite connect for what would've been a tap-in goal at the back post, the chance ending with the pass rolling out for a goal kick.

Rimando made his first huge save in the 65th minute. RSL DF Chris Wingert and Valencia collided on the left side, clearing room for Timbers DF Jack Jewsbury to collect a ball and carry into space. Jewsbury quickly whipped a low cross into the middle, with the ball deflecting off of several players at the top of the six before falling to an open Alhassan on the right side. Rimando stoned Alhassan's ensuing eight-yard shot, reaching behind his body to paw the ball away from the goal line and preserve the shutout.

Rimando came up big again in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Former RSL MF and current Timbers Captain Will Johnson laced a 20-yard free kick on goal, forcing Rimando into a brilliant reaction save. Rimando's work wasn't done with Johnson's effort, however, with the veteran "˜keeper using his cat-like reflexes to swat away a Portland player's follow-up header.

Saturday's result keeps Real Salt Lake in second-place in the Western Conference, one point behind Portland in the Conference table. The Claret-and-Cobalt and the Timbers will both play Chivas USA in their final match, with RSL hosting the Southern California side at 7:00 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday and Portland traveling to take on the Goats at the Home Depot Center on Saturday.

RSL is now tied for third-place in the race for the Supporters' Shield, trailing league leaders Sporting Kansas City (55 points) and Portland (54 points) and sitting in a tie with the New York Red Bulls, who play on Sunday at the Houston Dynamo.

A limited amount of tickets are still available for Wednesday's RSL-Chivas USA contest and can be purchased at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.

Check out the Real Salt Lake Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Major League Soccer Stories from October 20, 2013


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central