Real Salt Lake will likely be missing a key piece when the Major League Soccer playoffs start next week.
Defender Philip Quinton exited Saturday’s regular-season finale with a hamstring injury in the first half, and RSL officials believe it will be some time before the 24-year-old returns to the pitch.
“It doesn’t look good,” Salt Lake coach Pablo Mastroeni said after the 2-1 win over Vancouver. “It looks like it’s going to be several weeks. He’s not one to sit out on anything, so it’s unfortunate. He was gutted at halftime.”
Since being traded to Salt Lake from Columbus in April, Quinton has appeared in 19 games for RSL, making 15 starts and logging more than 1,200 minutes.
“He’s been a stalwart back there for us,” Mastroeni said. “He’s been awesome. But in life and sports, things happen when you least expect it. But he’s got a steely mindset and the expectation is he gets back hopefully faster than what the doctors project.”
RSL will also be missing starting center back Brayan Vera, who will be serving the final game of a suspension for spitting on a Minnesota United player during a match earlier this month.
After finishing the season with a club record 59 points and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, Real Salt Lake opens its first-round playoff series at home against Minnesota United on Oct. 29.
Game 2 of the best-of-three series will take place Nov. 2 in Minnesota. If needed, Game 3 is scheduled for Nov. 9.
