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Real Salt Lake turns focus to MLS, Portland

Apr 29, 2011 - 9:54 PM Portland, OR (Sports Network) - Real Salt Lake is the only undefeated, untied club in Major League Soccer, but coach Jason Kreis knows this weekend will go a long way in determining just how good his team can be.

Real had its 37-match home undefeated streak in all competitions ended in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League final Wednesday, denying the Utah club the title as the region's best and a berth in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Now, Real (4-0-0) has to switch focus to Saturday's visit to Jeld-Wen Field to play the expansion Portland Timbers (2-3-1), who have won their two home games this season.

"From my point of view, we'll see what kind of people we are now," Kreis said. "You know, it's a really easy task to talk about how good everybody is and how happy we are and all those sorts of things, when things are going our way.

"So now we have this major, major disappointment; let's see how we respond."

Real earned a 2-2 tie against Monterrey in Mexico last week, but a late first- half goal from Humberto Suazo was the difference in a 1-0 loss that snapped an incredible home unbeaten streak.

Kreis believed it was important to judge Real for its entire tournament, which nearly ended with it becoming the first MLS team to win the tournament and get a berth in the Club World Cup.

"Yes, this was a huge, huge opportunity gone missing," Kreis said. "But judge us over the entire tournament and I think we have to be pretty darn proud."

Real Salt Lake defender Tony Beltran believed the club would bounce back well, especially with a lot still to play for this season in MLS and the U.S. Open Cup, two titles that still require a lot of work this year.

"This is obviously a huge disappointment," Beltran said, "but we're going to have to pick ourselves up and focus on the task at hand, which is that we still have a few championships to play for this year."

Real has two home wins and two road wins in MLS this year, but Portland is the only other club still perfect at home (Sporting Kansas City has yet to play at home this season).

The Timbers lost 3-0 to the Los Angeles Galaxy last week, but in the two games before that, combined for seven goals in a 4-2 win over the Chicago Fire and a 3-2 win over FC Dallas.

L.A. bagged two goals in the first seven minutes last week, and Portland could not rally to extend its three-game unbeaten streak. Still, after giving up the two quick goals, striker Kenny Cooper believed it was a good effort - what the club will need again this week against Real.

"I thought we showed good character not to give up and to keep fighting. I have a lot of confidence in these guys," said Cooper, who is tied for the team lead with two goals.

"I thought the boys showed good character and showed a good fighting spirit to not put their heads down and keep going."