Real Salt Lake targeting Shield, top seed for playoffs

When Real Salt Lake faces the New England Revolution today at 5:30 p.m. at Gillette Stadium, there will be plenty on the line.

No, it's not like in Europe, where a team is fighting off relegation. And no, a playoff spot is not on the line — RSL has already clinched a spot and the Revs have already been eliminated. But there is still something big pushing Real.

"We have reached two of the four goals we set for this season already, but we still have two remaining," said coach Jason Kreis. "We have clinched a playoff spot and advanced out of the group stage in CONCACAF, but we want the Supporters Shield and then to go on and win the MLS Cup.

"We still have plenty of motivation pushing us. We want the Shield."

The Supporters Shield is given to the team with the best regular-season record in Major League Soccer. While Real claimed the MLS Cup last year, the Shield went to the Columbus Crew, the team RSL defeated in the first round of the playoffs.

"We want that first seed. We want the Shield," said midfielder Andy Williams. "Columbus got it last year and they kind of discredited us when we played them earlier this year. They were talking about how winning the Cup didn't mean anything, but getting the Shield was really the sign of the best team in the League."

Real trails the Los Angeles Galaxy by two points not only for the Shield, but for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The top seed could be important because it would mean avoiding red-hot FC Dallas in the first round. The only way to perhaps gain ground is to first beat the Revolution, and when facing New England, that all begins with stopping Shalrie Joseph.

"Everything runs through Shalrie," said Williams. "We want to frustrate him and not let him be his normal dominant self. We want to keep pressure on him and not allow him to dictate play."

While the Revolution may have been eliminated from the playoffs last weekend, Real knows they have plenty of motivation as well.

"They're at home and nobody wants to lose at home," said Williams. "Plus, we beat them pretty good at home earlier this year, and I think they want to pay us back. Last year we did the same thing. We beat them pretty good at home and they remembered the first game pretty well and had some payback in mind."

Real stomped New England at Rio Tinto Stadium 5-0 back on July 2, so revenge could be on the Revs' minds. Last year, RSL won 6-0 at home, but the Revolution claimed a 3-1 win in Foxborough.