From Deseret News archives:
It's win or go home for Real Salt Lake on Saturday
Kreis is tight-lipped about pivotal match against Colorado
In advance of this Saturday's match at Colorado, where the winner is assured a playoff berth and the loser goes home, Kreis is even more tight-lipped than ever.
Ask him about his team's approach, and he'll say he has some ideas.
Ask him about who may or may not see the field this weekend, and he'll say the entire team is healthy and he has some tough decisions to make.
Even though Kreis isn't willing to share his specific thoughts on the match, one thing is for certain: The coaching staff has some tactical decisions to make. While the RSL-Colorado winner can officially punch its ticket to the playoffs with a win, RSL can still get in with a tie.
The question is, will RSL play for that tie? The players definitely don't want to.
"We can't go in there looking to tie the match, and sitting back and bunkering in, we're not going to be able to do it for 90 minutes," said RSL defender Chris Wingert. "We have confidence in our team. We've been getting results both on the road and at home lately, so we just need to go out and play the same way and dominate the game."
The players insist they simply need to go out and do what they've been doing on the road lately, and the result will take care of itself. Of course, better second-half defense is a necessity.
"Any time you can go out on the road and be the better team, it's a huge confidence booster," said RSL forward Clint Mathis. "But at the same time, we have to finish those games off and not give up late goals like we've been doing."
RSL will likely be faced with one of three scenarios Saturday night at Dicks Sporting Goods Park. If it surrenders the first goal, it will have no choice but to throw caution to the wind and go for the equalizer. It doesn't matter if RSL loses 1-0 or 4-0, a loss is a loss and RSL will be watching the 2008 playoffs from home.
The other two scenarios present some tactical nuances. RSL insists it doesn't want to bunker in against Colorado and defend, but at a certain point in the match it probably will take that approach.
Recent comments
Always has been a soccer friendly pub! Not officially on the list...
Fiddler's Elbow | Oct. 24, 2008 at 3:47 p.m.
Actually if you check your facts the NFL does have ties although it...
Stupid Ties | Oct. 24, 2008 at 3:21 p.m.
Soccer haters have time to read soccer articles and write negative...
Soccer Haters | Oct. 24, 2008 at 2:26 p.m.
- Aggies beat Spartans in snowy Logan 4:31 a.m.
- TCU 55, Utah 28 4:24 a.m.
- BYU 24, New Mexico 19 4:21 a.m.
- Jazz game at a glance 3:00 a.m.
- Real Salt Lake: Game at a glance 3:00 a.m.
- Stanford ends Y's soccer season 2:20 a.m.
- Jazz hope D-Will returns soon 2:19 a.m.
- Snow, SUU lose 2:18 a.m.
- Toone saves day for Wildcats 2:15 a.m.
- Win in New Mexico good for Y? 2:15 a.m.
- Apostle's wife felt comfort in attack
- BYU happy to escape with victory
- Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
- Crash on snowy road kills woman
- GameDay in Fort Worth
- D-Will home for daughter
- Short-handed Jazz fly past Sixers
- Utes excited for 'dream' game
- Bench proves fruitful for Y.
- Collie featured in Sports Illustrated
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
358 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
200 - BYU happy to escape with victory
194 - Will state consider gay rights law?
148 - TCU creams U.
134 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
130 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
129 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
106 - Celtics crush Jazz
104
So Great!!! So Proud - Love RSL - Bring Home The CUP!!!!!
mr cannon's bold assertation that the purpose of the first ammendemnt as...
Great great great game!!!! Nicky Rimando is a god! We're the most complete...
I had the game on DVR and just watched it. That was the most exciting game...
financially cannot this year, but I will watch loyally, how great to hear...
This is hardly surprising. Bennett has a remarkable arrogance which is also...
I guess that is why "they play the game" as Herman Edwards would say.. ...
What was the score of the LSU vs LA tech game? Alot closer than you'd like to...
Has Fedor not said that THIS IS OUR YEAR all year long? Go back and...
This is just a small glimpse of the future with Obamacare: corruption, waste...
