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Real Salt Lake welcomes D.C. United to Rio Tinto

Jun 17, 2011 - 10:49 PM Sandy, UT (Sports Network) - Real Salt Lake finished a two-game road trip with one point, but coach Jason Kreis still thought "this really gives us something to build on."

After opening the season with four straight wins, RSL (6-3-3) has won just two of its last eight matches. A defeat at the Columbus Crew and a 1-1 tie against the Philadelphia Union don't look too good, but Kreis saw more than the score.

"Sometimes," Kreis said, "it's more important how you play."

Although Real earned just one of a possible six points on the road trip - "my goal was to get two points or more," Kreis admitted - the CONCACAF Champions League finalists host D.C. United (4-5-4) on Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium in the first of six home games over its next eight matches.

Real Salt Lake has struggled with injuries and international call-ups, "we're so thin pretty much everywhere right now," midfielder Kyle Beckerman said, but playing at home provides the club a chance to get on track.

With midfielder Javier Morales lost to an ankle injury, forward Paulo Jr. out with a hip flexor, and midfielder Jean Alexandre also dealing with a hamstring problem, the options remained limited this week for Kreis.

The fact that Alvaro Saborio (Costa Rica) and Arturo Alvarez (El Salvador) are still out because of the Gold Cup, both advanced to the quarterfinals, RSL has even more concerns.

But Kreis has no option but to look ahead and stay positive, and with Fabian Espindola providing a spark - he has two goals over the last three games - it gives RSL hope it can right the ship before the missing players return.

"Fabian, right now, has been our difference-maker in the last few games," said Kreis.

Although Kreis won't lean on history, RSL has not lost to D.C. United at home since its first season in the league, outscoring United 13-3 in the last five meetings.

D.C. United has also struggled with injuries, and Branko Boskovic, Marc Burch, Dejan Jakovic, Devon McTavish and Santino Quaranta are out this week.

Coach Ben Olsen has turned to rookies to lead the defense and with Chris Korb, Ethan White and Perry Kitchen playing together on the back line, D.C. allowed four goals in a game for the fourth time last week.

San Jose defeated United, 4-2, at RFK Stadium, and Olsen hopes the squad will learn from the loss.

"We think we are a little bit better than we are, so maybe it's a good thing that we got punched in the face," Olsen said. "Maybe we will get the message that even at home you don't get games handed to you."

Olsen admitted he expects some growing pains with the young back line, but an embarrassing loss is not acceptable.

"We looked like young kids tonight," Olsen said. "This is going to happen. We've always said it, that we're going to have games like this, where young kids make mistakes. That I can live with. The commitment and the energy that we didn't show at times in that game was unacceptable.

"Giving up four goals again is not good. So we are going to look at some film and fix it next week."