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Sandy • Seven months and 14 days ago, Real Salt Lake waltzed into the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., eager to start on a new path. This group wanted another shot at the MLS Cup. It needed it. Following last year's MLS Cup marathon penalty-kick shootout loss, each player sat face-to-face with general manager Garth Lagerwey in their exit interviews and implored that this core still had postseason runs to embark on.

So this 2014 campaign started in a familiar place against a familiar team. RSL beat the L.A. Galaxy 1-0 in the season opener on March 8. If it seems like eons ago, well, that's because it was. But the path set out on under first-year head coach Jeff Cassar, with the same collection of grizzled veterans has led them back to the postseason.

"We're kind of right where we've always been, a little bit," midfielder Ned Grabavoy said. "It's just a bit more of the same for us."

Hard to argue.

The endless regular season came to an end on a chilly fall night in Sandy, with RSL firmly entrenched in the playoff picture once again. The club finally solved a puzzle it hadn't been able to crack this season, by topping lowly Chivas USA 2-0 in front of another announced sold-out crowd. By shutting out Chivas, RSL notched its third-consecutive clean sheet.

With three points snatched in the final act of the regular season, RSL (15-8-11, 56 points) moved back into the desired No. 3 spot in the Western Conference playoff picture. The win was paramount for RSL as now the pressure shifts to FC Dallas who must beat Portland Saturday to secure the third spot and drop RSL to the Wild Card game next week.

"I think the fight's been good for us, the battle is kind of what you're looking for when you make a playoff run, so I think we're headed in the right direction," defender Nat Borchers said.

The law-of-averages finally caught up to RSL Wednesday — as it did to Chivas.

The script of the previous two match-ups in Southern California — both 1-0 victories by Chivas — did not carry over into the third. RSL pressed and pressed and didn't relent. Aggressiveness paid off in the 36th minute when referee Fotis Bazakos awarded RSL a penalty kick, whistling a foul on Chivas in the box. Alvaro Saborio buried the attempt to give RSL a 1-0 in the first half.

And unlike the previous two outings, Chivas wasn't presented with the opportunity to counter. RSL possessed the ball so extensively that it has 74.6 percent of the possession over 90 minutes. It translated over into the second half and Chivas helped RSL with its cause. Marvin Chavez was shown a red card in the 52nd minute for kicking a ball at an official.

Captain Kyle Beckerman eventually doubled the lead in the 74th minute. The midfielder crept behind the Chivas back line as forward Joao Plata placed a perfectly-weighted ball. All Beckerman had to do was put his foot to it as goalkeeper Dan Kennedy had no shot.

With the win, RSL eclipsed the 15-win mark for the fifth-straight year and hit the same identical overall point total it had in 2013 before its memorable run to the MLS Cup final. Not much as changed in Sandy.

"All the pieces are here to be successful," Cassar said, "and I didn't want to ruin it." —

Storylines

O Forward Alvaro Saborio gives RSL the lead in the 36th minute with a goal from the penalty spot.

• Kyle Beckerman doubles the lead in the 74th minute.

• RSL earns its third straight shutout as it prepares for the postseason.