A victory over the Hoops at Rio Tinto Stadium would move RSL to the precipice of the playoffs, needing then only for rival Colorado to either draw or lose at the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday to secure the final automatic playoff berth in the MLS Western Conference.
But standing in its way is one of the hottest teams in the league, armed with two men whom RSL jettisoned as part of the massive rebuilding project that began last year. Former coach John Ellinger - fired to make way for current coach Jason Kreis - is now an assistant coach with FC Dallas, while striker Jeff Cunningham has been on fire since joining the Hoops in an August trade.
The Hoops are riding a five-game unbeaten streak, and have come from behind to secure draws with dramatic, late penalty kicks in their last two games.
They're still in the middle of the playoff hunt, too, and can leapfrog RSL in the standings with a victory, and endanger its postseason hopes.
But RSL moved tantalizingly close to its first playoff berth by virtue of some favorable results around the league over the weekend, while RSL was resting following its 1-1 draw with New York in the inaugural game at Rio Tinto Stadium last week.
While FC Dallas managed only a draw with Toronto, the Colorado Rapids lost to the Los Angeles Galaxy, meaning RSL can clinch in a couple of ways, in addition to beating FC Dallas and having the Rapids lose or draw with the Galaxy:
* If it only draws with FC Dallas, it can still clinch by winning at Colorado in the regular-season finale Oct. 25.
* If it loses to FC Dallas, it can clinch by winning at Colorado and having FC Dallas lose its regular-season finale at the Los Angeles Galaxy on Oct. 26.
Both of those scenarios award RSL the final automatic seed in the conference. If the team cannot clinch an automatic spot, its prospects for one of the two "at-large" berths are much murkier. Six teams in the two conferences remain within two points of one another, and RSL would not be in a good tiebreaking position.
RSL can earn an at-large spot, however, even if it loses to FC Dallas. But that would require winning at Colorado and having both New York and Kansas City either lose or tie each of their final two games. It also would need D.C. United to fail to win one of its last two games.
mcl@sltrib.com
Paths to postseason
* If RSL only draws with FC Dallas, it can still clinch by winning at Colorado in the regular-season finale Oct. 25.
* If it loses to FC Dallas, it can clinch by winning at Colorado and having FC Dallas lose its regular-season finale at the Los Angeles Galaxy on Oct. 26.
