This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Sandy • As fans filed down the stairwell on the east side of Rio Tinto Stadium, they were bid goodnight by the stadium's security staff. Before walking through the double-doors to exit the building, one staffer did their best to summarize another unfulfilled night in Sandy:
"A tie is better than a loss, right?"
Some fans grumbled at that proclamation. As logical as it was, it was hard to forget another night in which Real Salt Lake hosted a Western Conference foe at home and didn't secure the three points needed to provide adequate distance between itself and the rivals on its heels. For the third consecutive match, RSL was held scoreless in its draw with league leaders FC Dallas on Saturday evening.
RSL's scoreless streak reached 270 straight minutes as the late-summer struggles bleed into fall. The team's winless streak also moved to four games.
"We were not sharp enough," RSL coach Jeff Cassar said.
It's a point that provides a sliver of cushion as RSL ensured that entering Week 32 of 34 this season it would have a grip on fourth place in the West playoff picture. FC Dallas, however, secured at least a point at Rio Tinto for the fifth time in its past seven road matches in Utah.
Minus starting forward Yura Movsisyan (bruised heel) and with fellow striker Joao Plata (quad) coming off the bench, RSL's attack could not solve the puzzle laid out by the top club in MLS at the moment. The plan was, Cassar explained, for RSL to be in a position where it maintained a lead and could allow Plata the night off.
But RSL needed one of its two co-leading scorers this year to provide a boost.
Former RSL goalkeeper Chris Seitz stood tall when his group needed him to. Of Seitz's four saves, none was more crucial to preserving the shutout than his 86th-minute diving stop on Plata. After Plata wiggled free of a defender, he created space outside the FC Dallas box and rifled a right-footed shot, but Seitz, fully-extended, pushed it wide for an RSL corner.
"He brought a spark to the game," Cassar said of Plata.
Less than 10 minutes earlier, Seitz kept Jordan Allen from giving RSL the lead it was desperately in search of. Once Allen beat Dallas left back Maynor Figueroa outside the box, he unleashed a quick right-footed shot on goal, but Seitz's quick reaction thwarted the attempt on goal.
FC Dallas captain Mauro Diaz provided the most threatening opportunity for either side all game in the eighth minute when the midfielder unleashed a long-distance shot that struck the post.
"We wanted the win at home," RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando said. "I think you guys could see we we're going for the win, pressing forward and creating a lot of chances. It's a result."
And a shutout, RSL's fifth in 31 matches and second against the best team in MLS.
"We're never pleased with a point at home, but given the circumstances and the team that we're playing against, we love that we got a shutout," Cassar said. "So there's a lot of positives to take from it."
Twitter: @chriskamrani —
Storylines
R RSL shut out for third-straight match in draw with FC Dallas.
• Joao Plata (quad injury) subbed on in the second half and had RSL's best chance of the night.
• RSL hits the road next weekend, facing San Jose at Avaya Stadium on Oct. 1.