Following a big win on the road last week in Seattle, Real Salt Lake had an ample opportunity Saturday night to put some distance between themselves and the teams fighting for the bottom few playoff spots.
Returning to the friendly confines of a sold-out Rio Tinto Stadium, RSL welcomed the Vancouver Whitecaps, one of those aforementioned teams fighting for a playoff berth.
A win would mean a seven-point cushion above the playoff line. With only nine matches left, every point is crucial. Real needed to take advantage and continue the momentum from the massive victory against the Sounders.
The game was an even matchup, and it was clear that the two clubs were fighting for the valuable points that were up for grabs. At halftime, the match was still a scoreless draw even though both sides had chances to score.
Just after the hour mark, a near goal for Vancouver gave RSL a golden opportunity. After the missed chance for the visitors, Real went sprinting down the field with a few point passes, ending with a goal from Sergio Cordova and the 1-0 advantage.
WE ON TOPPPPPPPPPPP 🤌 pic.twitter.com/EKUG11j5To
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) August 21, 2022
After taking the lead, RSL continued searching for a second goal while the defense did its part to keep a clean sheet. That is until the 87th minute when a defensive lapse gave the Whitecaps a chance. They took advantage of the miscue, evening the score at 1-1 and taking a vital point back to Canada.
Home playoff match in doubt
By giving up a late equalizer and failing to come away with all three points, Real’s chances at hosting a home playoff game took a hit.
In order to host a playoff match at home, RSL needs to finish in the top four of the Western Conference. A win would have left them just one point behind Minnesota, a team they face at home just two matches from now. Instead, they are three points behind fourth place while also being seven behind on goal difference.
Sergio Cordova in form
One of the top performers of the match for RSL was forward Sergio Cordova. After struggling early on following a move from Germany, the Venezuelan international has now scored a goal in three straight matches, bringing his team-leading tally to seven.
What’s next
After the draw, Real has eight regular season matches remaining (four home, four away).
Up next they travel to Frisco, Texas to take on third place FC Dallas. In the previous meeting this season, Dallas defeated RSL 1-0 on July 23, ending the team’s unbeaten home record.
Winning this game will be an extremely tough task for Real, who have only ever won just twice at FC Dallas.
The match takes place on Saturday, August 27 at 7 p.m. MT and can be seen on KMYU or streamed via the KSL App.
