SEATTLE – Real Salt Lake aren’t exactly on a hot streak as they gear up for the Audi 2016 MLS Cup playoffs.
Following their 2-1 MLS Decision Day loss to the Seattle Sounders at CenturyLink Field on Sunday, RSL are now winless in their last seven matches, dating back to August 26 – a span in which they've scored just five goals.
But after Sunday’s match, RSL head coach Jeff Cassar said that any lull in form his team may be experiencing shouldn’t be a concern as his team gets set for its knockout round match against the mighty LA Galaxy on Wednesday (10:30 pm ET; UniMás in US, MLS LIVE in Canada).
“We’re in the playoffs for our body of work that we’ve done throughout the year, not what we’ve done in the last four games,” Cassar told reporters after the game. “We should be proud of where we’re at. Now it’s about rest, recovery and getting ready for LA.”
Cassar also wasn’t entirely displeased with his team’s performance on Sunday, a match that saw RSL fall behind in just the third minute courtesy of a goal from Seattle’s Alvaro Fernandez before midfielder Luke Mulhollandfound an equalizer almost immediately.
From there, Cassar said that he was pleased with how his squad competed against a Sounders side that knew a victory was the only surefire way to ensure a playoff berth.
“What I just told the guys is that I really like what we did today,” Cassar said. “I thought it was a great effort from the guys on the field to do exactly what we wanted to do. I thought in the first half we created a lot of opportunities from the way we were playing defense. It’s very positive.”
RSL’s Knockout Round opponents certainly don’t afford them any sort of break.
In their two meetings this season, the Galaxy have carved up RSL’s backlineto the tune of eight goals.
“I have to look back [on those games]. I can’t remember exactly how they went,” Cassar said. “But, again, this is a new season. It doesn’t matter what happened two years, three years, four years ago, anything. They have different players, we have different players, they have some key players missing.
“So this is a totally new game. We’re not going to take anything from history into this game. And that’s the way it should be.”
