This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Real Salt Lake can call this stretch of its schedule the Major League Soccer playoff preview.
Last week it was Seattle. In a few days, RSL will fly off to play back-to-back games at New York and D.C. United, all teams it may face during the postseason.
For now, though, Real has the hard-charging Sporting Kansas City on its mind. On Aug. 3, Salt Lake was on its heels in a turbulent 2-0 defeat at Kansas City (10-8-10), sitting second in the Eastern Conference.
With that lingering bitter taste — as well as a preseason game that ended prematurely in a brawl — it is easy to see that there is no love lost between the two sides.
"It is going to be a great game with two teams coming off some real positive results for a few weeks now," RSL coach Jason Kreis said of Saturday's 7 p.m. clash at Rio Tinto Stadium. "Two teams that are feeling really confident … two teams that have developed a pretty healthy dislike for each other.
"We are all looking forward to it."
After opening the season with 10 consecutive road games, Kansas City went 5-2-2 on their MLS-record nine-game home stand, moving from fifth place into a momentary tie for the top spot in the division.
Sporting has come a long way since opening the season with six losses and four ties in its first 11 games. Saturday will be the first road game for K.C. since July 16, when it played Houston to a 1-1 tie at Robertson Stadium.
Kansas City striker Teal Bunbury, who scored three goals in the first three games of the season for Sporting, went more than three months without a league goal. He has now scored four goals in the past eight games.
"We have been home for the last two months and now having to go play Salt Lake on the road is going to be a change for us," Kansas City coach Peter Vermes said. "I think just the rhythm of going on the road is going to be one thing for us. Real Salt Lake is a very good team, and they're even better at home."
Salt Lake (13-7-6) has won three straight and is one point out of third place and a first-round playoff bye in the Western Conference.
Real will be stretched in the back as defenders Tony Beltran (red card) and Chris Wingert (injury) are unavailable.
"We always focus on ourselves regardless of how we're playing," RSL defender Robbie Russell said. "We're getting at a period going into the playoffs where you want to be in good form. We're right on the cusp of a guaranteed playoff spot, which makes this game important."
Kreis didn't hesitate when asked, with eight games to play, if he has begun watching the scoreboard and calculating playoff positioning.
"It's on a board in our locker room," he said.
Twitter: @rsltribune —
Sporting Kansas City at Real Salt Lake
P At Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy
Kickoff • 7 p.m.
TV • None
Radio • 99.1 FM, 700 AM, 1600 AM
Records • SKC 10-8-10; RSL 13-7-6
Series record • SKC leads 6-4-3
Last meeting • SKC, 2-0 (Aug. 3)
About Kansas City • Sporting is coming off a MLS-record nine-game homestand, going 5-2-2. … Kansas City has three shutouts in its past seven games.
About Real Salt Lake • Strikers Alvaro Saborio and Fabian Espindola have combined for 15 goals. … After Saturday, five of RSL's next six matches are on the road.