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Real Salt Lake-Revolution Preview

Oct 1, 2010 - 7:25 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Editor

Real Salt Lake (13-4-9) at New England (7-14-5), 7:30 p.m. EDT

While Real Salt Lake must play three of its final four MLS games on the road as it chases the top spot in the Western Conference, its next opponent provided little resistance in the teams' previous matchup.

The New England Revolution hope to avenge their most lopsided loss of a difficult season Saturday night against the reigning MLS Cup champions at Gillette Stadium.

RSL (13-4-9) extended its home unbeaten streak to 24 and officially clinched a playoff spot with a 1-1 tie against the Colorado Rapids last Saturday, but coach Jason Kreis' club must earn some points on the road if it hopes to enter the postseason as the top seed.

Salt Lake, which is unbeaten in its last 10 MLS matches, trails West-leading Los Angeles by two points with four games left and still must visit New York and Colorado.

Travel problems have already plagued RSL on this trip, which began with a CONCACAF Champions League tilt Tuesday in Toronto. Bad weather forced flight cancellations and delayed many players' arrivals, but RSL still earned a 1-1 tie with Toronto FC to advance to the tournament's knockout stage.

"It's hard to describe how difficult our travel situation was, and how much I think little things like that affect teams," Kreis said. "I thought the guys gave everything they had, and I know that there weren't a lot of full tanks out there."

RSL, which is set to play its sixth overall match in 18 days Saturday, started a number of reserves last weekend against Colorado, and it's unclear who will be in the lineup in Foxborough.

Midfielder Javier Morales is among the question marks for Kreis. Morales returned from a quadriceps strain and scored off a free kick at Toronto.

While RSL has been almost airtight defensively, conceding one goal in its last six MLS matches, the club could use an offensive boost after scoring three times in its last five league games.

Offense was not a problem for RSL against New England on July 2, when the club racked up its biggest output of the season in a 5-0 home victory. Alvaro Saborio led the way, scoring twice in a six-minute span in the second half.

The Revolution (7-14-5) lost 6-0 at RSL last year and rebounded with a 3-1 home win, but this season's Revolution squad is assured of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

"It still hasn't hit me yet," captain Shalrie Joseph told the Revs' official website. "I guess when the regular season's done, then it'll fully hit me. ... We've still got a couple of games left and we've still got to finish strong."

Coach Steve Nicol's club has conceded 45 goals, tied with Houston for the most in MLS. Seven of the Revs' last eight opponents have scored at least two goals, and New England blew two-goal leads in its last two matches - 2-2 ties against FC Dallas and Columbus.