He could be forgiven for indulging a peek now, though.

For the first time since after the third game in franchise history - a span of 1,154 days - RSL is sitting higher than third place in the MLS Western Conference standings this morning, after its impressive 2-1 victory over league-leading New England in front of 11,965 fans at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday night. Rookie striker Tino Nunez scored the first goal of his career in the 60th minute for the game-winner, and RSL confidently closed out its first home victory against the Revolution to extend its unbeaten streak to five games and jump into sole possession of second place with a 5-5-4 record and 19 points - just two behind the Los Angeles Galaxy.

"Huge win," Kreis said. "I've believed for a long time. I think everybody in that locker room believed and has believed for a long time and I think we're beginning to see some of the fruit for all of our work, and our talk, I guess, about how much we believed."

Although RSL allowed skepticism about its development to persist by leaving points on the field in its recent scoreless home draws against Kansas City and San Jose, beating the Revs just a week after winning at Chivas USA for the first time suggests it really is finally starting to find a rhythm.

"We're learning," midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. "We're learning and getting better. This is just what we expect right now, and we have to continue it."

That's for certain.

While the team is enjoying an unprecedented perch in the standings - it never has had sole possession of second place, only a share of it - that could change quickly. Four teams are within three points behind RSL, and the team will face a rugged road stretch later this summer.

For now, though, they could scarcely be more thrilled.

Playing with midfielder Andy Williams back in the starting lineup after missing two games while playing World Cup qualifiers for his native Jamaica, RSL snapped New England's seven-game unbeaten streak and set a franchise-record shutout streak of 283 minutes before potential disaster struck in the eighth minute.

Defender Nat Borchers and goalkeeper Nick Rimando miscommunicated, allowing New England's Adam Cristman to run past them for an easy goal into an open net.

But RSL equalized barely two minutes later, on an own-goal header by the Revs' Jay Heaps off a free kick, mitigating the damage and keeping RSL from having to chase the game all night. Instead, they controlled it, earning the full three points after Nunez corralled a blast by teammate Javier Morales near the edge of the box that had deflected off a Revs defender and easily beat goalkeeper Matt Reis.

"My eyes opened up, huge," Nunez said, smiling.

From there, RSL finished it off the way it too often has failed to do, improving to 3-0-2 in its last five games and remaining one of just two teams in the league that are still unbeaten at home. The best road team in the league, New England fell to 8-4-3 overall, but remained atop the MLS Eastern Conference.

"It shows that we're learning and we're improving," Kreis said.

mcl@sltrib.com