RSL hoping for 2nd-half surge

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Clint Mathis dribbles the ball for Real Salt Lake, in MLS soccer action, Salt Lake Real vs. Colorado Rapids, at Rio Tinto Stadium, Saturday, June 6, 2009 Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune

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Sandy » Let the surge begin.

Having lurched through most of the first half of its season, Real Salt Lake tonight begins its push to make the Major League Soccer playoffs for the second straight year -- holiday fireworks after the game -- at the same time facing the last chance for its players to make a case to be included in the MLS All-Star Game that will be played at Rio Tinto Stadium later this month.

"It feels to me like we're further along," coach Jason Kreis said. "I feel like the group is further along in our soccer. I don't feel like there's as many questions as we had last year. We've got more answers than we had last year."

Yet only the same number of points.

Heading into its game against last-place San Jose at Rio Tinto tonight, RSL is 5-6-4 for 19 points, exactly the same as it had last year at this time. The only difference is that RSL sits in fifth place in the MLS Western Conference now -- it was second last season, about to vault into first for the first time -- and expects to need to surpass 40 to qualify for the playoffs.

But it is riding a four-game unbeaten streak, having recovered from the seven-game winless streak that spoiled a promising start.

"All teams in sports have their ups and downs, and we had a little bit of a lull there with those seven games, not winning a game," midfielder Clint Mathis said. "But it happens to every team, and hopefully that's

With two goals and six assists, Mathis might be the team's top candidate to play in the MLS All-Star Game against Everton FC of the English Premier League on July 29 -- even though Kreis playfully declined to name his choice for the team's best player during the first half of the season.

"I love them all," he said with a smile.

Mathis is one of just four players who has played in every game for RSL, and he has started all but one, while others such as striker Robbie Findley, goalkeeper Nick Rimando and midfielder Javier Morales have missed time due to injuries or suspensions. It's uncertain whether any RSL players will be voted by fans, coaches and the media into the MLS First IX for the game -- online voting ends Monday -- but there's little doubt that at least one will be among the other seven chosen by all-star coach Dominic Kinnear and league commissioner Don Garber.

Retired defender Eddie Pope is the only RSL player to ever play in an All-Star Game, playing the final seven minutes of the 2007 game against Celtic FC during the final season of his career.

In any case, RSL will take on the Earthquakes tonight looking to avenge the road loss five weeks ago that gave San Jose its only victory in a 12-game span, but it has not lost since.

General manager Garth Lagerwey said the team absolutely must win tonight, even though it suddenly has room to make a move when the league transfer window opens on July 15, having opened two roster spots by not picking up the contract option on striker Luis Miguel Escalada and moving striker Tino Nunez from the senior to the developmental list.

"We're looking to add a player, for sure," Kreis said.

But "I don't foresee us making a bunch of changes to try to improve this team," he added, "I just think there's going to be some little additions, probably, and a little bit of mindset" adjustment from the first half, when RSL gave away six points in the standings "that we clearly had our hands around when we had leads late in games. We do a better job of that, and we're going to be just fine."

mcl@sltrib.com