Real Salt Lake arrive at Salt Lake Vs Austin with their playoff push still alive and their form improving at exactly the right time. They are 10th in the Western Conference, only two points behind the Los Angeles Galaxy with one more game played, and Pablo Mastroeni said he will back his team to put their best foot forward against anyone.
That is why the search interest around this matchup is so sharp today. Real Salt Lake have won three of their last five matches and taken their last two, beating Sporting KC 3-1 before backing it up with a 3-0 home win over St. Louis City. Sergi Solans scored twice in that victory, Dominik Marczuk added the third, and Justen Glad made his first appearance since May after a groin injury.
Mastroeni did not dress up the situation. He said the team has the mentality to compete with anyone and, after the St. Louis City result, that there was no time to celebrate. He also made the point that Real Salt Lake have to win out, which is the blunt reality of a late-season chase with three games to go.
Austin, meanwhile, are still in the picture but barely. They are 14th and seven points off the final playoff spot, even after snapping a five-match winless run with a 2-1 win at Sporting KC on Saturday, both goals coming from Uzuni. Their home form remains a problem, with seven straight home matches without a win, and that leaves little margin for another slip.
The match also sits inside a rivalry that has tilted toward Real Salt Lake. They are unbeaten in six straight meetings with Austin and have won the last two, while neither side has ever managed three consecutive wins in the series. For Real Salt Lake, the task is simple: keep the run going and keep the playoff race open. For Austin, anything short of a win would leave their hopes hanging by a thread.
