RSL not lacking playoff experience
Claret-and-Cobalt using last year's run to inspire confidence
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Seeing RSL reach this point after barely clinching a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs during the final week of the regular season is no doubt a surprise development. Still, the Claret-and-Cobalt are not exactly a group of novices unaccustomed to making this sort of playoff run.
Nearly every major contributor for Salt Lake got their feet wet in the team's run to the Western Conference final a year ago. It is something RSL feels confident it can draw on for its playoff journey this time around.
And getting to this juncture once already also has Salt Lake feeling prepared to take the next step forward.
"The situation was new. It was undiscovered country because our club had never been there before," center back Nat Borchers said. "This year, it's much different because we know we could have done better last year. We're ambitious to get the MLS Cup and we know we have the team to do it."
RSL finds itself in a position to play the role of spoiler for the second week in a row. After posting one of the worst road records among MLS teams in the regular season, it would be an easy thing to dismiss Real's chances of making it to Seattle for the MLS Cup Final next week.
But, as Columbus learned in a 3-2 home loss to RSL a week ago, road failures during the regular season do not automatically translate over to the postseason. Real coach Jason Kreis points to the fact that his team rallied from a two-goal deficit to upset the defending league champs as evidence that RSL is finally matured through adversity.
"Coaches sometimes look at games like that and say, 'That was the absolute perfect thing that could happen to our group,'" Kreis said. "We faced real adversity -- not just to go one goal down, but two goals down -- and we fought through it. I'm not on the field, but I would think -- from where I sit -- that our team should feel like they can face anything."
One thing RSL learned from that experience -- and with how things turned out against New York in the Western Conference final last fall -- is that a talented team with enough experience can find ways to generate a successful outcome even in a tough environment.
Playoff experience has been a huge boon for RSL in its second trip to the postseason. Many Salt Lake players have grown more accustomed to thriving in high pressure games because they have dealt with them so frequently over the past couple of seasons.
Drawing on that experience could give them an extra edge against Chicago.
"Experience will definitely go a long way in making us a really tough team," midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. "If we can get moving on Saturday, like we've shown in the past, we can be dangerous."
One thing is certain. RSL appears to be light years ahead of the squad that ended up being a paper tiger on the road during the regular season. Kreis believes that the quality of play his players exhibited in rallying against Columbus might be evidence that they finally turned the corner after a season's worth of struggles away from Rio Tinto Stadium.
"It's nice to be able to say we can learn from negative experiences as well," Kreis said. "It's not only the positive ones that you remember. There's been negative experiences for us on the road and how we've reacted to being behind on the road. Maybe we've learned something from it and showed it in last week's match."
Getting another road victory against Chicago will definitely turn heads around the league much like the result against the Crew did. But RSL has no reason not to believe it can't be done at this point. After all, Salt Lake is a team few really expected to be still playing in November.
"We're still here," midfielder Will Johnson said. "Everyone keeps thinking we're not, but we're still here."
John Coon is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
