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Sandy • As the Major League Soccer season winds toward the playoffs, Real Salt Lake has plenty to play for, including another bid to play some more soccer outside the regular-season schedule.

RSL remains in the running for second place in the race for the league's Supporters Shield, which goes to the team with the best regular-season record.

However, RSL coach Jason Kreis approaches Saturday's game at the powerful L.A. Galaxy with a more practical point of view.

"I look at this as a tremendous challenge," he said. "To play the best team in the league at the end of the season, it's a fair gauge to where we stand at the end of the year, whether we have a chance of winning the whole thing."

Saturday's 8:30 p.m. MDT game at the Home Depot Center is a tremendous challenge for a number of reasons, many of which Kreis quickly listed.

"They have the best coach in the league — the best coach in the history of the [U.S.] game — and they have a bunch of veteran players who are tactically incredibly smart," Kreis said. "They are difficult to break down and have good attacking options going forward."

Given that, RSL (15-9-6) has had its successes against the Galaxy (17-3-10), including a 4-1 victory at Rio Tinto Stadium on March 26.

Then there was the little matter of that championship in 2009.

But for L.A. coach Bruce Arena, forward Landon Donovan and company, a victory combined with a Seattle tie or loss would clinch the Supporters Shield. The Galaxy's focus this season has been to reach the MLS Cup final, which will be on its home field.

Real will face the Galaxy without midfielder and captain Kyle Beckerman, red-carded Wednesday against the Chicago Fire. Although RSL has played and won this season without Beckerman, it doesn't make the job Saturday any easier.

"He's still our captain and our ultimate leader for a reason," Kreis said.

For two-time MSL Cup holder Nick Rimando, the time to start showing playoff colors is now.

"We want to start right now," the RSL goalkeeper said. "Every time I've won the cup, we've hit our stride at the end of the season. It's important to get our confidence going and start playing well."

Rimando believes it is more important for Real to make a strong showing than to win the game.

"We want a good reaction from last game," he said.

Real Salt Lake sits in third place in the Western Conference, which would qualify the team for a bye in the playoffs. Should RSL finish second in the Shield race and the Galaxy advance to the MLS Cup, then Salt Lake would have a bid to the CONCACAF Champions League.

Right now, however, RSL does not look like a playoff team. It is coming off two disastrous results by a combined score of 7-1.

"We're trying to get back to be where we were when we won five games [in a row]," RSL's Chris Wingert said. "We were a hard team to play against. When things were not going our way, we were still fighting.

"We weren't doing that the last two times out. —

Real Salt Lake at L.A. Galaxy

P Home Depot Center, Carson, Calif.

Kickoff • 8:30 p.m. MDT

TV • None

Radio • 700 AM, 1600 AM

Records • LAG 17-3-10, RSL 15-9-8

All-time series • RSL 7-6-5

Last meeting • RSL, 4-1 (March 26)

About the Galaxy • The Galaxy are coming off of a 2-1 victory Wednesday against Monarcas Morelia in a CONCACAF Champions League match. … L.A. can clinch the Suporters Shield with a win and a Seattle tie or loss.

About RSL • Real has lost its past two games by a combined score of 7-1. … Midfielder Kyle Beckerman will not play due to a red-card suspension.