Real Salt Lake's quest for Shield still alive

FC Dallas vs. RSL boxscore

SANDY — Real Salt Lake's hopes of winning the MLS Supporter's Shield are very much still alive.

It has the rival Colorado Rapids to thank for that gift.

On a night when RSL beat FC Dallas 2-0 in an electric match at Rio Tinto Stadium in front of a stadium-record 20,236 fans, the L.A. Galaxy shockingly lost at home to Colorado.

As a result, the final weekend of the regular season should be one heck of a finish as the top four seeds in the Western Conference are all up grabs. RSL guaranteed itself of finishing no worse than second after arguably its most impressive victory over the season.

"It's huge. It definitely sends the right message to the league that we still have what it takes to score goals and we still have what it takes to defend well," said defender Nat Borchers.

The victory extended RSL's home unbeaten streak to 25 straight, but just as impressive it snapped FC Dallas' 19-game overall unbeaten streak.

In becoming just the second team in league history to finish with an undefeated record at home, RSL improved to 15-4-10 (55 points) on the season. The Galaxy could've made RSL's win a moot point in the race for the Supporter's Shield with a win of its own, but instead its stuck on 56 points heading into the final weekend.

RSL wraps up the season on Saturday at Colorado, while Los Angeles hosts FC Dallas. Depending on how the results play out, coach Jason Kreis' team will face either Dallas or Seattle in the first round of the playoffs.

"We still have the Supporter's Shield in our reach and that's obviously a goal of ours, and if it's obviously there we're still going to go for it," said Grabavoy, the hero of the night for Real Salt Lake.

His third goal of the season — a header of all things for one of RSL's smallest players — snapped a defensive stalemate in the 59th minute and in many respects put the game out of reach for Dallas against the stingiest defense in MLS history.

So how did Grabavoy out jump Dallas defender Ugo Ihemelu to head home Robbie Russell's perfectly lofted ball into the box.

"I was just in a better spot, he was just backpedaling and I was just seeing it the whole time," said Grabavoy.

With the lead, Real Salt Lake's confidence grew throughout the match as Javier Morales tacked on a 90th minute insurance goal on an assist from substitute Robbie Findley.