Real Salt Lake just got through the group stage of the MLS is Back tournament. A strong performance against the Colorado Rapids gave way to a hard-fought draw against Minnesota United and culminated in a loss to Sporting Kansas City.
Grabbing four points in the first two games was enough to get RSL into the knockout round, where it will face the San Jose Earthquakes on Monday. Although all three performances looked far different from each other, the team still feels it’s in a good position heading into a win-or-go-home situation against a team that earned seven of nine available points.
“We’re always a team that’s going to try and punch above our weight class,” captain Kyle Beckerman said Saturday.
RSL scored only two goals in the first three games of the tournament, both against the Rapids. And while the team didn’t allow a single goal in the first two games, it let two through against SKC.
Eventually improving the scoring is a chorus coach Freddy Juarez sings every time he’s asked about it. He stresses that the team isn’t lacking for chances and that putting the ball in the back of the net is a continual growth process.
In the meantime, RSL has focused on defense, which has been quite good in 2020. Last season, the team’s defense helped it earn third place in the Western Conference.
Beckerman said RSL has to try being a good defensive team while it continues to learn the new principles Juarez installed this year.
“A lot of our first mindset, especially early in the year, is not give up many goals,” Beckerman said. “We’re always working to try and improve and score more goals. But we do — and will always, at this point — hold our hats on the defensive side.”
Salt Lake’s defense has had a lot going for it so far in the tournament. Goalkeeper Zac MacMath recorded two shutouts before giving up a pair of goals against Colorado. He has three shutouts this season.
Additionally, the team’s back line experienced only one rotation all tournament, and plucky defensive midfielder Everton Luiz hasn’t missed a single minute. That’s why MacMath believes RSL’s defense is “rock solid.”
Getting a win against the Earthquakes, however, will be a different challenge. They defend by pressing high up the field and man marking the entire game. It’s a style designed to wear out the opponent and cause giveaways.
To top it off, San Jose scored six goals in its previous two games. So RSL will look to stifle San Jose on that front.
“Any time we can limit shots on goal and obviously prevent being scored on, we give ourselves a chance to win the game,” MacMath said. “We did that in the first two games and got positive results.”
The Earthquakes, meanwhile, have improved defensively. They allowed seven goals in their first two games of 2020, but only three in the tournament.
San Jose is also aware of not only RSL’s defensive ability, but the personnel who could give the team problems.
“They’re a very challenging opponent, and we’re going to have to be ready for the quality that they have,” Earthquakes midfielder Jackson Yueill said of RSL. “They have a lot of dangerous players who can hurt us, and they’re a very good structured team.”
