After taking down heavily favored Seattle on the road in round one, Real Salt Lake now faces hated rival Sporting Kansas City in the Western Conference semifinals on Sunday.
RSL snuck past the Sounders after holding them scoreless for 120 minutes despite being outshot 21-0. The match went to a penalty kick shootout, where a big save from David Ochoa and Justen Glad’s penalty in the sixth round sent them through to the West semis.
🗣 The save from @davidochoagk that helped #RSL advance! pic.twitter.com/0WjQhnEwJ4
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 24, 2021
In other words, it was a great day to be a supporter of the Claret and Cobalt.
We also can’t forget how Real got into the postseason, scoring this goal in the 90+5 of the final match of the season against…Sporting Kansas City.
🗣 90' + 5'
Damir Kreilach's stoppage time goal that sent #RSL into the @Audi #MLSCupPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/0bkOBYBo3c
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 8, 2021
2009 repeat, anyone?
So for anyone who remembers, RSL barely made the playoffs on the last day of the season 12 years ago. They then proceeded to win MLS Cup 2009.
One win down for a repeat of that season, three more to go.
Last time out
Real were longshots to beat Seattle on the road, but they found a way.
Despite being outshot and losing the possession battle 62 percent to 38 percent, RSL took the game to penalties after the backline held strong to keep a zero on the scoresheet.
They then won in a shootout, the first time the Sounders have lost in the first round of the playoffs in their history.
Defense, defense, and more defense
Finding out that Albert Rusnak would miss the first-round game about two hours before kickoff after testing positive for Covid-19 only further cemented Real’s plan for the game.
Sit back and play defense. And it worked.
Playing with a bend but don’t break mentality, RSL absorbed 21 shots and conceded 15 corners but held steady at the back to keep the score 0-0 against a potent Seattle offense.
They’ll have to do much of the same agaisnt SKC, with the game being on the road against a strong offensive side. They also still will be without Rusnak’s creativity and goal-scoring abilities in the midfield.
A look at Sporting Kansas City
Consistently a top-tier side in Major League Soccer, Sporting Kansas City have qualified for the postseason in 10 of the last 11 seasons. They are also two-time MLS Cup champions, 4-time U.S. Open Cup winners, and holders of the 2000 Supporters’ Shield.
Finishing third in the West with a record of 17 wins, 7 draws, and 10 losses (58 points), Sporting scored 58 goals during the season, the best mark in the Western Conference.
Unlike RSL during the regular season though, the SKC was strong on the defensive end, allowing 40 goals, good for third-best in the West. They finished with a plus-18 goal differential, second in the conference.
They faced sixth-place Vancouver at home in the first round, winning 3-1 on the strength of a pair of second-half goals after the score was even at the break.
Playoff history
RSL and KC have met twice previously in the postseason, the first in the 2013 MLS Cup final that famously (and controversially) ended in Sporting Kansas City winning in a penalty shootout.
SKC also came out on top in the 2018 Western Conference semifinals, winning 4-2 over two legs.
Prediction
Sporting Kansas City is favored in this match at home, and rightfully so. The team possesses loads of playoff experience, as well as a top manager (Peter Vermes) and the best offense in the West.
They’ll also be out for blood after what happened on Decision Day, where RSL came out on top on the road to get into the playoffs that also cost SKC the top seed, a first-round bye, and a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League.
RSL is riding a wave of momentum after the upset win against Seattle, but having to play on the road again without Albert Rusnak a second time will most likely do the team in.
Real’s defense also only held teams scoreless in back-to-back games once all season – in July against Colorado and Houston. I don’t see it happening this time around versus a strong offensive side.
The victory over Seattle was one of the most memorable in franchise history, but the run most likely ends on Sunday.
Sporting Kansas City 2, Real Salt Lake 0
RSL and SKC kick off their semifinal matchup on Sunday, November 28 at 1 p.m. MT. The game will be played at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas and can be seen on ABC.
