Real Salt Lake Postseason Pursuit Continues with Massive Decision Day Match
October 7, 2022 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Real Salt Lake News Release
HERRIMAN, Utah – Real Salt Lake (11-11-11, 44 pts., 8th West) hosts a vital Decision Day match this weekend at America First Field in Sandy against Portland Timbers FC (11-9-13, 46 pts., 6th West) in the team’s final 2022 regular-season contest. Visit www.RSL.com for tickets and more information for the Club’s 2022 MLS regular-season finale against Portland this Sunday, October 9, as the 3:00 p.m. MT “Decision Day” kickoff in what could be the Club’s record-extending 17th consecutive MLS sellout this season in Sandy, a match which will be televised nationally via ESPN2 with Jon Champion and Taylor Twellman on the call.
Should Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s team capture the full three points Sunday, RSL would qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs for the 12th time in its last 15 seasons (2015, 2017, 2020) by capturing one of the final two Western Conference seeds. A draw or loss for RSL Sunday sees the Club eliminated from postseason contention. An RSL win guarantees at least the 7th and final seed; an RSL victory combined with a Minnesota loss or tie against Vancouver – kicking off simultaneously on Decision Day – would vault RSL into the 6th seed for the 2022 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, which kick off next Saturday, October 15.
Saturday’s match will be broadcast nationally via ESPN2, with verified streaming on the ESPN app, as well as ESPN700 AM radio. Spanish-speaking fans can tune in on KBMG Latino 106.3 FM, La Gran D 102.3 FM and KTUB 1600 AM for the local radio broadcast.
A year ago, RSL’s “Damiracle” in Kansas City deep into Decision Day stoppage time earned the Utah side the seventh and final Western Conference postseason berth, knocking the Galaxy out of contention on a tiebreaker, sparking RSL’s “Cinderella” run to the 2021 Western Conference Final (a 2-0 loss at Portland).
Despite recent anemia against the Timbers – RSL winning in just one of the last 11 meetings between the sides over the last five years – RSL has enjoyed knockout scenario success against Portland. In the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, RSL eliminated the Timbers in both a two-leg series in 2013 (5-2 aggregate) and a single-game knockout in 2019 (2-1 home win, solidified by an 87th-minute Jefferson Savarino game-winner). In the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, RSL eliminated Portland in both the 2013 and 2015 tournaments with wins on Utah soil.
Real Salt Lake v. Portland Timbers FC
America First Field, Sandy, UT
Sunday, Oct. 9 at 3:00 p.m. MT
2022 Records: Real Salt Lake (11-11-11, 44 pts, 8th West); Portland Timbers (11-9-13, 46 pts, 6th West)
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