RSL faces offensive shortage

Real Salt Lake has scored an MLS-low 12 goals this year, with six different players accounting for those tallies. Unfortunately for RSL, only one of those six goal scorers will be on the pitch today when it visits the Kansas City Wizards.

Chris Brown (3 goals) is out with an aggravated hamstring, while Alecko Eskandarian (1 goal) is suspended because of last week's red card. Jeff Cunningham (3 goals) and Chris Klein (1 goal) no longer play for the team, while Freddy Adu (1 goal) is in Canada for the Under-20 World Cup.

That reality puts a lot of pressure on relative RSL newcomer Robbie Findley (2 goals), who hasn't played well in the two matches since his scintillating debut in which he scored twice during Real Salt Lake's only victory.

As for assists, it's even bleaker. RSL has just five assists all year, and Jack Stewart is the only player with an assist even available for tonight's match, which will be televised on KSL on a 30-minute delay at 6:30.

As if that didn't present a bleak enough scenario for Major League Soccer's worst team, midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy is also suspended because of yellow card accumulation.

All things considered, the team seems mildly upbeat.

"They seem like a pretty positive group, and a group willing to do what we ask and really put in the work," said RSL coach Jason Kreis. "This whole week I've been very, very pleased with the amount of work they're putting in and the amount of focus they're giving us."

Turning that hard work into a win, and then turning that into confidence, is a daunting task that's eluded RSL throughout the season.

"We're choosing to go back to the mentality that you just got to work harder. I think it's the only thing that's going to pull us out of this," said Kreis. "It isn't going to be if we hold our hands up and shout and scream for the referees to make better calls, we're just going to have to work harder."

Today's match is RSL's second against Kansas City this year, but first league match. In a U.S. Open Cup qualifying match at Rice-Eccles Stadium back in April, Real prevailed in overtime, 2-1.

While some may look back on that game as a positive, the bottom line is it was another late-game meltdown. Leading 1-0, Real surrendered a goal in the 88th minute and was forced to win the game in overtime. Had it been a league match, it would have resulted in another disappointing draw for RSL.