A pair of groups wanting to solidify their Western Conference playoff standing will meet Saturday when Real Salt Lake hits the street to face the Portland Timbers.Real Salt Lake (10-9-6, 36 factors) enter in sixth place in the West and are on a two-game successful streak following a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders final Saturday. The membership is also 3-2-0 below interim head coach Pablo Mastroeni, who took over from Freddy Juarez final month.The Timbers (11-10-4, 37 factors) enter in fifth place, not just one level forward of RSL, however only one level behind the fourth-place Los Angeles Galaxy. Portland is on a five-game unbeaten run (4-0-1) after sealing a 2-1 victory with a late objective Sunday towards Los Angeles FC.In their consecutive victories, RSL has highlighted either side of their sport with a scoring outburst in a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Sept. 15, adopted by a defensive-minded efficiency towards the Sounders.RSL has scored 41 targets this season, second in the Western Conference, to show their goal-scoring prowess. Fine tuning the protection would assist nail down a playoff berth and may lead to a protracted postseason run utilizing Mastroeni’s new 3-5-2 formation.”Overall, when Pablo obtained this (3-5-2) thought just a few weeks in the past, we took the thought very professionally,” stated RSL’s Damir Kreilach, whose second-half objective was the distinction Saturday. “This is how we discovered ourselves proper now. We have to preserve going. Every sport now we have to reduce our errors and that’s how we’re going to get outcomes.”After a 3-1 defeat to enlargement Austin FC on Aug. 21, the Timbers have turned up the depth to the tune of 13 factors in the standings over their final 5 video games, together with Sunday’s victory.Portland not solely will likely be attempting to keep away from getting handed by RSL in the standings, it may find yourself in fourth place with a victory and a tie or loss by the Galaxy at Austin on Sunday.Since defeating the Sounders 2-0 on Aug. 29, the Timbers have given up simply three targets throughout their five-game unbeaten run. Now they’re in search of a repeat efficiency of their 3-2 victory over RSL on Aug. 7.”The perception is there,” Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese stated. “… Practice is extra intense. The ball motion has improved. The bodily facet, the health, we’re higher. We can endure much more. All of those areas have been crucial to being higher balanced emotionally.”–Field Level Media
Salt Lake faces Portland, looks to jump Timbers in standings
