With seven matches remaining in the regular season for Real Salt Lake, the playoff picture in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference has become quite the battle.
Entering its contest Tuesday against the L.A. Galaxy, RSL is in a three-way tie for second place in the conference, with eight points separating it from first-place FC Dallas and nine points from a playoff berth altogether.
Will RSL make a return trip to the postseason after missing it in 2015, or will there be another early exit for head coach Jeff Cassar and company?
Here’s a breakdown of the squad’s remaining seven matches, all of which are against Western Conference foes.
Wednesday, Sept. 7 — vs. L.A. Galaxy: Having not played since Aug. 26, RSL begins the final stretch against one of the two teams it’s tied with in the standings with 43 points (the Colorado Rapids being the other).
Interestingly, none of the teams currently in the top four of the Western Conference standings have lost at home this season. The Galaxy is 3-4-6 on the road.
Saturday, Sept. 10 — at Portland Timbers: This is one of the more interesting matches remaining on RSL’s slate. On one hand, the Timbers haven’t shown this season to be quite the power they typically are.
On the other hand, RSL will be on short rest, Portland is still the defending MLS Cup champion and the Timbers are also fighting for their playoff lives, holding on to the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. RSL is 4-8-2 on the road.
Saturday, Sept. 17 — vs. Houston Dynamo: If there is one match remaining that RSL ought to win, this would be it. Cassar’s club will be rested, and it’ll be in the friendly confines of Rio Tinto Stadium against the worst team in Major League Soccer.
Saturday, Sept. 24 — vs. FC Dallas: RSL will follow up its game against the Dynamo by facing the league’s best squad in FC Dallas, which has a record of 5-7-2 on the road. It’ll be coming off a contest against the Eastern Conference’s top team, NYCFC.
Saturday, Oct. 1 — at San Jose Earthquakes: RSL will go back on the road to meet a San Jose team that currently sits in seventh place in the Western Conference, three points behind Portland for the West’s final playoff spot.
Sunday, Oct. 16 — vs. Sporting Kansas City: Matches against SKC always seem to have an extra level of intensity, and this one shouldn’t be any different with both teams likely still fighting for playoff positioning at that point.
SKC currently sits in fifth in the Western Conference with 38 points.
Sunday, Oct. 23 — at Seattle Sounders: RSL’s regular season will conclude in the hostile territory of CenturyLink Field in Seattle. Although the Sounders are in a tie for second-to-last place in the Western Conference, they’re still just four points out of the playoffs.
Ryan McDonald is a sports reporter at DeseretNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ryanwmcdonald.