Sandy » It doesn't count in the standings, but Real Salt Lake believes tonight's exhibition game against Chivas de Guadalajara at Rio Tinto Stadium will have a big impact on whether it can rescue its Major League Soccer season and make a nearly unprecedented surge into the playoffs.
"We're looking for fighters out there," goalkeeper Nick Rimando said.
Coach Jason Kreis has confirmed as much, announcing after RSL's last disastrous road game that basically all spots were open for whichever players could prove they wanted and deserved them. The team is in the midst of an 18-day break from league play -- something of a "mini-camp," Kreis has said -- and will return next week needing to win its last three regular-season games in a row to reach the playoffs.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Kreis said.
That's why he figures to use perhaps all of his available players against the hugely popular Mexican club tonight, in an effort to find a lineup (and maybe a new formation) that can save the season. Defenders Robbie Russell and David Horst might be the only players unavailable, Russell with an illness and Horst with a foot injury.
"We definitely need a few changes," midfielder Will Johnson said. "What we've been doing the last couple of games hasn't worked. But guys just need to step up, at this point."
In its last two league games, RSL has fallen apart in the opening minutes and surrendered crucial points in road losses to Houston and FC Dallas.
So coaches will be closely monitoring the team's start against Chivas, in particular, though Kreis said he has been encouraged by its practice sessions the past week or so, as well a 4-1 exhibition victory over Brigham Young University last week.
"Really, it's all out there for the players to make the decisions," Kreis said.
Meanwhile, Chivas -- the parent club to Chivas USA in MLS -- has won 11 championships in the Mexican Primera Division, but only one since owner Jorge Vergara bought it in 2002. It has played poorly for much of its current season and is still getting accustomed to another new coach, so Kreis expects it will be experimenting a bit tonight, too -- though he's obviously far more interested in his own concoctions.
"We let ourselves get to this point," Rimando said, "so we have to get ourselves out."
At Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy
Kickoff » 7 p.m.
TV » KUTV 2.2 Digital/Fox Soccer Channel
Radio » 700 AM, 1600 AM
Records » RSL 9-11-7; Chivas 3-3-4
Series » First meeting
About RSL » Coach Jason Kreis expects to experiment with the lineup and play most of his players, in search of a winning combination for the rest of its Major League Soccer season. ... It's 8-1-5 in home games this year, counting friendlies. ... It's a playing a Mexican opponent for the fifth time, following a 1-0 victory over Club America earlier this season and previous meetings with Morelia, Santos Laguna and UANL Tigres.
About Chivas » One of the most popular teams in Mexico is trying to climb back from a poor start, having taken just five points from its first seven games of the season. ... Forward Javier Hernández Balcazar leads the team with four goals and an assist. ... Coach Raul Arias is the fourth man to guide the club this year, following the resignation last month of Francisco Ramirez. The team is 2-0-1 since the switch.
