This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

A month after its most-lopsided postseason loss in franchise history came at StubHub Center, Real Salt Lake can send its holiday season card to the same exact address: 18400 Avalon Boulevard, Carson, Calif., 90746.

By winning its fifth MLS Cup crown Sunday, the L.A. Galaxy — which walloped RSL 5-0 in Leg 2 of their Western Conference semifinal — booked RSL's spot in next year's CONCACAF Champions League tournament. With the Galaxy securing their own spot in CONCACAF next year by winning Cup and with the Seattle Sounders already sealing two avenues of qualification — U.S. Open Cup trophy and Supporters' Shield — by virtue, the next club with the most amount of points was to be awarded that fourth slot. As the league and its fans watched Robbie Keane cartwheel and somersault after his 110th-minute goal against the New England Revolution, RSL only needed to watch the time tick away. It did and the 15-win, 56-point 2014 campaign has RSL back for its third go round in CCL.

"This tourney — extremely important to our club — helped put us on the map in 2010 when we were the first American team to win our group and again in 2011 when we were the only American team to reach the final," RSL general manager Garth Lagerwey said in a release from the club.

A year after the CONCACAF Executive Committee reviewed and approved U.S. Soccer's request to amend the qualification process for the CONCACAF Champions League — one that took away what was expected to be its third berth in the tournament for Real Salt Lake — the process instead rewarded RSL in 2014. Starting next fall, RSL, L.A., Seattle and D.C. United will be the four MLS teams vying to emerge from respective group stages. Another obvious perk: Each club that qualifies receives allocation money from the league for its achievements.

"Earning this berth in some ways validates our 15-win, 56-point season, a strong accomplishment in a difficult Western Conference," Lagerwey continued in the release. "We have been working to get back into CCL since we got knocked out in the fall of 2012. This is a great opportunity for us to take on the best teams in the region as we continue to grow the next generation of RSL."

Most recently in 2012, RSL posted a 2-1-1 mark in a group that included Herediano (Costa Rica) and Tauro FC (Panama). Despite sweeping its two-match set with Tauro, it couldn't find the goal needed in the final group-stage match at home against Herediano to advance. A win or scoring draw would've seen RSL through, but it couldn't find the back of the net during the vaunted drought to end the 2012 campaign that reached five straight matches.

The first trek to the tournament proved to be the most influential in the club's history as RSL stormed through group play and eventually beat Costa Rican powerhouse Saprissa in a two-leg semifinal series to secure a spot against Monterrey in the 2011 CONCACAF Champions League final. The 2-2 away draw was a precursor for a heart-wrenching 1-0 home loss on April 27, 2011 as a spot to the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan was within grasp.

RSL is 8-4-4 all time in CCL and has outscored opponents 29-18 during that stretch. The tournament consists of continental club competition between North American, Central American and Caribbean franchises. The winner each year cements a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup.

-Chris Kamrani

Twitter: @chriskamrani