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PDF versionWhat a difference a year makes.
As Real Salt Lake enters tonight's Eastern Conference final against the Chicago Fire, the team does so as a far different squad than the one that faced the New York Red Bulls a year ago in Major League Soccer's Western Conference final.
It's that experience that has RSL feeling better about its chances of continuing the team's exciting playoff run by earning a spot in the MLS Cup for the first time in franchise history.
"That's invaluable," said RSL coach Jason Kreis. "Last year we had never even been to the playoffs, so making it to the conference final was eye-opening. We didn't have enough guys out there with experience in being in that situation and this year obviously we've got a whole lot more who have that experience."
With the majority of the team back from last season, playing a crucial game in front of what will likely be a hostile crowd at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., isn't cause for concern among the RSL players.
"We've been together for at least two years and it's a good core group and that experience is starting to pay off a little bit," said midfielder Will Johnson.
Not only will the experience of already having played in such a crucial game benefit RSL, but seeing firsthand that the road team can prevail is helping, too. That's what happened last season when the New York Red Bulls left Rio Tinto Stadium with a 1-0 win and the Western Conference trophy.
"Hopefully we can be the upgrade version of the Red Bulls," said RSL midfielder Andy Williams.
The winner of tonight's game will face the winner of Friday's late Western Conference final between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo for the MLS Cup on Nov. 22.
RSL hopes to get off to a better start than it did in the second leg of its first-round series against the Columbus Crew a little more than a week ago when the Crew took a 2-0 lead in the 35th minute. Already leading the aggregate goal 1-0 coming into the game, RSL only needed a tie to move on, but following Javier Morales' goal, Robbie Findley and Andy Williams also scored as RSL won 3-2.
Since the conference finals consist of just one game, for RSL it's all or nothing tonight and RSL likely can't afford to give up a pair of early goals again.
"We've got to be smart," Johnson said. "We can't give up mistakes, and a shutout has to be a top priority. You can't bank on scoring four goals a game. We've got to bank on not giving up any. That's a better strategy."
