Real Salt Lake did itself a huge favor with its dismantling the New England Revolution on Thursday. Without a victory, the team might as well have kissed its playoff hopes goodbye.
But now, with only one game left — Sunday against the Timbers in Portland — all RSL needs to do is win one more game. One more game and it can punch its ticket to the playoffs. Who they would face will remain a mystery until next Sunday, when every other team in Major League Soccer plays their final game of the regular season.
Real’s goal is to earn the three points against the Timbers so it can rest easy and not scoreboard-watch while every other team plays.