SALT LAKE CITY - The month of July did not start out as well as Real Salt Lake would have liked.
For the second consecutive game at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Real earned only one point in the standings after a scoreless tie on Tuesday against Chivas USA. It was the first of eight games Real have scheduled in July, easily the most demanding month for the team in the 2006 season.
Real travel to Los Angeles to play the Galaxy this Saturday, then play the Virginia Beach Mariners on Tuesday in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup. Only three days later, they travel to New England to face the Revolution. Real plays Mexican Primera Division club Morelia on July 19, FC Dallas on July 22, Chivas on July 26 and D.C. United on July 29, all at home.
To be sure, Real will be exhausted be the end of the month, so earning three points instead of one to kick off the month would have made things that much easier to endure. But coach John Ellinger did see some positive things come out of the draw against Chivas, Real's second home shutout in a row.
"[Francisco] Mendoza's a very busy player, [Juan Pablo] Garcia will come inside and [Francisco] Palencia will check back. [Chivas] goes from two in central midfield to five in central midfield, and so they are going to get the 5-yard passes and the one-twos in the middle," Ellinger said.
But Real was up to the task. "As long as we stayed in our places and kept our shape, we kept them from penetrating for the most part," Ellinger said.
Ellinger used all three of his substitutions against Chivas, looking for more offense and that crucial victory. He might wish he was allowed more than three per game by the end of the month.
"Going into this game, we were looking at it as a playoff game, and so mentally and physically we asked the guys to come out and do whatever it takes to get a result," Ellinger said after Tuesday's draw. "Jason [Kreis] played well, and he's exhausted. It depends on his recovery, whether or not he's going to be in shape to go again with that kind of effort on Saturday. Knowing Jason, the answer is yes because we have an extra day this week."
But Real will not have that same luxury as the month wears on.
"Coming out of the Open Cup, we're going to have to address that one because we play on Friday and have to travel to the East," Ellinger said. "We plan on using some of our numbers in quite a few of these games, actually."
RSL has played to four ties, all at home. After missing out on so many points in Salt Lake City, the team needs to make up for things on the road.
But Real have earned only one road victory in their short history.
"It's still discouraging," Ellinger said. "We're trying to make the playoffs and we're trying to get points at home. We know we've played well enough to win the last two home games. We do have Chivas back here at the end of the month, but if we don't get points at home we have to get them on the road."
Peter Richins is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
