Real Salt Lake: No rest for team after loss as they head to Kansas City

Vancouver, British Columbia • The end is near for Real Salt Lake, but not before some more difficult travel – and another visit to a hostile venue.

After a one-day layover at home, RSL will head east and conclude an arduous 11,000-mile road trip with Wednesday's U.S. Open Cup semi-final at Sporting Kansas City. Consequently, coach Jeff Cassar and his crew are eager to hit the road again – and forget about Saturday night's humiliating 4-0 Major League Soccer loss to the Whitecaps in Vancouver.

"We rested a lot of guys," said Cassar, who was ejected from the game for disputing a foul in the first half. "(They) stayed back, didn't have to do the travelling, so I expect us to be extremely hungry and full of energy on Wednesday."

As a result of the loss to Vancouver using a vastly revamped starting lineup, RSL remains below the MLS playoff bar. Cassar's decision to rest key veterans like No. 1 goalkeeper Nick Rimando, leading scorer Javier Morales, Jao Plata, Kyle Beckerman and Tony Beltran could come back to haunt him come MLS playoff time.

But Cassar was not about to second-guess the decision to rest his regulars after the club had just played its first of three games in a week. Although concluding a 12-day, four-game road trip spanning MLS, CONCACAF Champions League and U.S. Open Cup matches on Wednesday, RSL faces a difficult weekend home league game against Portland.

So Cassar was not about to second-guess the decision to rest his regulars during the loss to Vancouver.

"I have to be mindful of them. them," he said. "We've traveled to D.C., (and) to Guatemala. To travel here and then turn around and ask for them again on Wednesday and Saturday, it can't happen. It would be foolish. It would be risking injury, and I have confidence in every player on our team. So this is what we chose and we have to live with it and move on from it fast – and go after a win in Kansas City."

Cassar dodged the question when asked whether Rimando, who earned a clean sheet in a 1-0 CONCACAF Champions League game in Guatemala City is battling a sore knee, will start against Sporting K.C. But the coach might have tipped his hand.

"It's the semi-finals of the Open Cup," said Cassar. "We won't be holding back."

Cassar didn't hold back, either, when complaining about a "soft" foul against his team in the 29th minute Saturday, which came after Vancouver had already scored the only goal it needed on Octavio Rivero's penalty-kick six minutes into the game. Cassar said he was ejected for saying "three fouls" after referee Chris Penso had warned him he would be tossed if he said another word.

Cassar would like to appeal the red card.

"I sure hope my club will stand behind me, because I did nothing wrong – absolutely nothing wrong," said Cassar. "I'll talk to our general manager and our president and our owner and see about it. … If I can't say anything to him, it's ridiculous. I didn't use the F-word. I didn't use any swear words at all."

Cassar is still eligible to be on the sidelines for Wednesday's U.S. Open Cup contest. Meanwhile, defender Abdoulie Mansally hopes to be on the pitch after receiving a red card for kicking Vancouver defender Kendall Waston late in the game. Mansally is eligible to play in the U.S. Open Cup contest but, like Cassar, pending any appeal, is suspended from Saturday's MLS home game against Portland.

"For me personally, I'm just going to learn from this and keep working hard (and look to) more games coming up," said Mansally.

Goalkeeper Jeff Attinella, who might have to sit if Rimando plays, said RSL is anxious to prove the team that was embarrassed in Vancouver "isn't who we are."

"After games like that, man, all you want to do is get back on the field," said Attinella. "We're playing for a Cup championship and, if we get a win in Kansas City, we're well on our way."

Notes

Cassar said American defender Jordan Allen, 20, is close to returning from a hamstring injury. But it will be difficult for him to play Wednesday, because he hasn't trained with the squad.