Real Salt Lake vs. San Jose Earthquakes | MLS Match Preview

REAL SALT LAKE vs SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
RIO TINTO STADIUM, Sandy, Utah
Oct. 11, 2014 (WEEK 31, MLS Game #301)
7:30 p.m. MT (KUCW-30; CSN-CA)

Real Salt Lake will be aiming to secure their place in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the seventh consecutive season, when they face the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday evening at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real can clinch a postseason spot for certain with a victory, following their 1-0 defeat at Chivas USA last weekend. The Earthquakes have been eliminated from playoff contention, continuing their road trip that began with a 3-0 loss at the Portland Timbers, extending their current winless run to 12 games.

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REFEREE: Jose Carlos Rivero. AR1 (bench): Baboucarr Jallow; AR2 (opposite): Corey Parker; 4th: Tyler Ploeger
MLS Career: 35 games; FC/gm: 26.7; Y/gm: 3.8; R: 10; pens: 19

SUSPENDED: RSL: Javier Morales (caution accumulation; through Oct. 12)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: RSL: Luke Mulholland … SJ: Victor Bernardez, Sam Cronin, Shaun Francis, Atiba Harris, Jason Hernandez, Jordan Stewart
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: RSL: Olmes Garcia, Nat Borchers, Alvaro Saborio, Kyle Beckerman, Tony Beltran, Chris Schuler, Chris Wingert … SJ: Shea Salinas, Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi
DISABLED LIST: SJ: Tommy Muller
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: RSL: Luis Gil, Nick Rimando (USA, vs. Ecuador, Oct. 10); Joao Plata (Ecuador, vs. USA, Oct. 10); Alvaro Saborio (Costa Rica, vs. Oman, Oct. 10; vs. South Korea, Oct. 14); Carlos Salcedo (Mexico U-21) … SJ: Victor Bernardez (Honduras, vs. Mexico, Oct. 9; vs. USA,  Oct. 14); Cordell Cato (Trinidad & Tobago; vs. Dominican Republic, Oct, 8; vs. Saint Lucia,  Oct. 10; vs. Antigua and Barbuda, Oct. 12); Atiba Harris (Saint Kitts and Nevis vs. Barbados, Oct. 8; French Guiana, Oct. 10; Haiti, Oct. 12)

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (21 meetings): Real 7 wins, 32 goals … Earthquakes 7 wins, 30 goals … Ties 7
AT SALT LAKE (10 meetings): Real 3 wins, 15 goals … Earthquakes 3 wins, 9 goals … Ties 4

2014 (MLS):
3/15: SJ 3, RSL 3 (Wondolowski 6; Bernardez 75, 95+ -- Beckerman 11; Plata 32; Mulholland 49+)
8/30: SJ 1, RSL 1 (Cronin 14 – Morales 36)

• The teams are meeting for the third time this season. San Jose’s Sam Cronin and RSL’s Javier Morales traded first-half goals to leave the teams in a 1-1 draw Aug. 30 at Buck Shaw Stadium; Quakes center back Victor Bernardez scored two goals – including a dramatic equalizer five minutes into second-half stoppage time – to leave the teams in a 3-3 draw March 15 in Santa Clara.
• The Quakes have won at Rio Tinto Stadium each of the last two seasons, including a 2-1 victory last Sept. 21. All-time at Rio Tinto Stadium, each team has won twice in the all-time series, with three draws.
• Coaches record: Mark Watson vs. RSL: P3 W1 L0 D2 … Jeff Cassar vs. SJ: P2 W0 L0 D2

LAST MEETING (MLS)

• The Quakes had the lead in the 15th minute. Chris Wondolowski made the play, nicking the ball just outside the area before driving into the left side of the box. He then smartly laid the ball back to Sam Cronin, who ran onto it and smashed a left-footer inside the far post from just inside the area.
• Real drew even in the 36th minute. From a cross, referee David Gantar pointed to the spot for a Jordan Stewart foul on Olmes Garcia in the area. Javier Morales sent San Jose goalkeeper Busch the wrong way on the penalty kick to pull the visitors level.
• SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (4-4-1-1): Jon Busch - Shaun Francis, Jason Hernandez, Victor Bernardez, Jordan Stewart - Atiba Harris, Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi (JJ Koval 83), Sam Cronin, Shea Salinas (Cordell Cato 75) - Tommy Thompson - Chris Wondolowski.
• REAL SALT LAKE (4-3-1-2): Nick Rimando - Tony Beltran, Chris Schuler, Nat Borchers, Abdoulie Mansally - Luke Mulholland (Luis Gil 83), Kyle Beckerman, Ned Grabavoy - Javier Morales (Cole Grossman 90) - Olmes Garcia (Robbie Findley 79), Joao Plata

REAL SALT LAKE

Real Salt Lake lost their second consecutive match, falling 1-0 to Chivas USA on Sunday evening at StubHub Center. RSL are in third place in the Western Conference with 49 points from 31 matches.

LAST MATCH

• The game's lone goal came two minutes after the halftime break. Erick Torres chipped a shot from 20 yards over RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando, but it came back off the crossbar. But Felix Borja was quickest to it, volleying home the rebound.
• Chivas USA had a glorious opportunity to double their lead when Torres was taken down by RSL fullback Rich Balchan on the edge of the area and referee David Gantar pointed to the spot. But Rimando dove to his right to stop the spot kick from Torres.
• Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy did not have to make a save until the 84th minute in keeping the clean sheet to snap the long Chivas USA winless run.
• RSL head coach Jeff Cassar made three changes to the team that fell 2-1 to Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place. Nick Rimando came back in between the posts in place of Jeff Attinella, Chris Schuler returned to the back four for Abdoulie Mansally, and Ned Grabavoy started in midfield in place of Luis Gil.
• REAL SALT LAKE (4-3-1-2): Nick Rimando - Carlos Salcedo, Nat Borchers, Chris Schuler (Rich Balchan 39 / Sebastian Jaime 71), Chris Wingert - Luke Mulholland, Kyle Beckerman, Ned Grabavoy - Javier Morales - Alvaro Saborio (Robbie Findley 60), Joao Plata.

TEAM NEWS

• Real Salt Lake were shut out at the attacking end for the first time since July 12 – when they lost 1-0 to the LA Galaxy. They have lost by 1-0 scorelines each of the last three times they have been blanked – including twice to Chivas USA (also: June 28).
• “We got frustrated because they did sit back,” RSL head coach Jeff Cassar said. “Made it hard to penetrate. A lot of teams have done that against us. A lot of times, if you don't get an early goal on them they just sit back and frustrate you, and then catch you on the counterattack.”
• Said Kyle Beckerman: "It was a strange, strange game. It was like – the game was almost too easy in the first half. We were able to pass and pass, like they were almost down a man.”
• Real Salt Lake were unable to officially secure their place in the MLS Cup Playoffs with the loss. They will be guaranteed of a place in the postseason with a victory against San Jose.
• “Every loss is frustrating to me but we have to hold ourselves, myself included, to just a higher standard. The games are going to be tough,” said Cassar. “There are no teams that are going to roll over for us so it’s very frustrating.”
• RSL saw their road winless streak extended to five matches with the defeat in Carson; they return home with a four-game home winning streak alive and an eight-game undefeated run in league play at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real head to Portland next weekend before returning home for the season finale vs. Chivas USA.
• Nick Rimando saved his fourth penalty kick this season (out of five attempts), denying Chivas USA’s Erick Torres. Six of the last seven penalty kicks Rimando has faced in league play have not been successful, dating back to last April 20. For his career, Rimando has faced 65 penalty kicks total, and has seen 23 of those missed. Of the 23 failed attempts, Rimando has saved 18.
• Real were able to put only one shot on target, matching their team low for the season (set three times previously). “I don’t think anyone was sharp tonight, so it’s tough for anyone to shine in that game. We needed somebody to step up and they did a good job of frustrating us,” said Cassar.
• Chris Schuler was forced out of the match following a collision with fellow center back Nat Borchers, which left him with a broken nose.
• “The guys expended a lot of energy and when you have to make a sub in the back it’s never easy and it’s hard to replace [Chris Schuler]. We needed to make a few subs we were unable to,” said Cassar. “So it was a tough night. Everything was just a little bit off. That comes down to me. I need to do a better job making sure that we are nice and sharp in all the areas of the field.”
• Rich Balchan came off the substitutes’ bench to replace Schuler, his first appearances in a league match since June 4, when he started against Columbus.
• “I thought Rich did a lot of good things, and we paid for a couple mistakes,” Cassar said. “But it could have happened to anyone a few times before that as well.”
• Real have had five players called in for international duty ahead of the San Jose match, and Javier Morales will also be suspended. “We're going to have to sit down and see what kind of lineup we can put out there,” Cassar said. “But I'm confident.”

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES

The San Jose Earthquakes saw their winless stretch extended to 12 matches, falling 3-0 to the Portland Timbers on Wednesday evening at Providence Park. The Quakes are in eighth place in the Western Conference with 29 points from 31 games.

LAST MATCH

• The Timbers finally broke through in the 41st minute. A series of passes in the Quakes penalty area resulted in Darlington Nagbe finding Rodney Wallace on the left wing, and he fired an angled shot past goalkeeper Jon Busch and inside the far post.
• Portland extended their lead in the 50th minute when San Jose defender Jason Hernandez was whistled for a foul by referee Baldomero Toledo for taking down Wallace in the box as a free kick was swung into the danger zone. Valeri easily converted the resulting spot kick.
• The scoreline was complete in the 73rd minute. A flowing counterattack from right to left from the Portland end saw Wallace attempt a shot from the left side of the penalty area. Busch parried away the effot, but the rebound fell right to Valeri, who calmly slammed it into the back of the net.
• Quakes head coach Mark Watson made six changes to the team that suffered a 2-1 loss to the Portland Timbers at Buck Shaw Stadium. JJ Koval, Ty Harden, Shaun Francis, Tommy Thompson, Yannick Djalo and Adam Jahn all came into the team, for Jordan Stewart and Matias Perez Garcia, the suspended Pablo Pintos, and with Victor Bernardez, Cordell Cato and Chris Wondolowski on international duty.
• SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (4-4-1-1): Jon Busch - JJ Koval, Jason Hernandez, Ty Harden, Shaun Francis - Shea Salinas (Jordan Stewart 87), Sam Cronin, Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi, Tommy Thompson (Billy Schuler 89) - Yannick Djalo (Khari Stephenson 68) - Adam Jahn.

TEAM NEWS

• The Earthquakes had their winless streak extended to 12 games with the defeat in Portland, the second-longest in the club’s history (after 13 games, in 2011).
• “Our guys kept fighting until the end. It’s a tough spot to be in. We did some good things well in the game, but obviously, you lose 3-0, it’s tough to pick positives out,” said Quakes head coach Mark Watson. “But I will say our guys kept going right to the end. They didn’t stop fighting and that’s a good quality.”
• The Quakes also had their road winless streak extended to 10 matches, the third-longest in club history, and the longest since going 20 games without an away victory in 2008-09.
• “I think you look at tonight, we just had some little mistakes. The first goal we let a guy run in behind. We didn’t stay with the runner. The second was a penalty,” said Watson. “Those little things, they’ve been hurting us a lot this season. We have to dust ourselves off and see who’s available for Saturday and try to cut out the little things that have been hurting us.”
• Adam Jahn made his first league start of the season, playing the full 90 minutes as the lone out-and-out striker. Jahn had made two league appearances totaling six minutes; he had been on loan to Sacramento Republic FC, where he won the USL PRO championship, scoring six goals with that club.
• “He gives you an honest shift,” Watson said. “He did some good things in the game.” Said Jahn: “It was good to see some of the young guys starting. It was good that Mark showed faith in us. So we’re really grateful for that.”
• Yannick Djalo made his first start since Aug. 2, when he was injured in a match against Seattle Sounders FC. Djalo had made his first appearance since that date the weekend before in the first match vs. Portland.
• Tommy Thompson returned to the starting lineup for the first time in four matches, this time in a wide midfield role after his last starts had been as the underneath striker.
• JJ Koval made his first start in the back four, playing the full match at right back. Koval had made seven MLS starts this season, all in the midfield.
• “We have experienced guys. We have good young players. My job is to organize them and communicate with them,” said goalkeeper Jon Busch. “I thought JJ [Koval] did a great job. I thought Tommy [Thompson] did well. But we have enough experience on the field regardless of who’s on there or who we’re missing. We never make excuses. That’s not an excuse. We get on with the job. We didn’t get it done.”