A extra home-friendly schedule in July has Actual Salt Lake hoping it may scramble into playoff place.
“Dwelling video games are at all times a chance that you need to seize full pressure, so we’re buzzing about it,” mentioned defender Justen Glad. “We all know we have to get factors, climb the desk after which get above that playoff line. So, yeah, we’re excited for the chance.”
They need to be, notably with struggling St. Louis Metropolis making the journey west for a Saturday night time fixture at Sandy, Utah.
RSL (5-10-4, 19 factors) at the moment sits thirteenth within the West desk, seven factors behind Austin for the convention’s final playoff spot. Solely the highest 9 groups in every convention advance to the playoffs.
To leap again into the playoff image, RSL must benefit from enjoying 4 of its 5 video games this month at residence. And though its greatest participant, Diego Luna (team-high eight objectives), can be out as a result of he is enjoying for the USA in Sunday’s Gold Cup championship match, it has to financial institution three factors towards an opponent that has received simply as soon as in three months.
Whereas RSL is coming off a 1-1 draw on June 28 at Sporting Kansas Metropolis, St. Louis (3-11-6, 15 factors) limps into city after a colorless 1-0 defeat the identical night time in Houston. The identical offensive woes which have haunted it many of the yr have been round for the most recent loss as St. Louis did not handle a shot on body till the eighth minute of stoppage time within the second half.
“If we will be a workforce that tries to construct and play via opponents or round opponents, the top goal is to at all times attempt to create the shot from it or at the least create the ball into the ultimate third,” mentioned St. Louis interim coach David Critchley. “We weren’t ok with our build-up.”
Since beginning 2-0-2, St. Louis is 1-11-4 in its final 16 matches. A protection that was holding it in video games early has misplaced its form during the last 11 matches, conceding a whopping 25 objectives.
Joao Klauss has a team-best six objectives, together with 4 over the previous three matches.
Veteran Johnny Russell has tallied prior to now two matches for Salt Lake.
–Area Degree Media
