Real Salt Lake 2 - 1 Galaxy
Final
  for this game

RSL, L.A. battle for position in the West

Oct 5, 2012 - 9:24 PM Carson, CA (Sports Network) - Real Salt Lake and the Los Angeles Galaxy will meet in Carson, California on Saturday as they jostle for position in the Western Conference.

The two sides come into the weekend separated by just two points, meaning that whichever team comes away with the win will leave The Home Depot Center in second place.

The Galaxy are unbeaten in their last seven league games as their slow start to the season is now a distant memory. Entering Saturday's contest in third place in the West with 50 points has left Los Angeles in good stead for the postseason, something to which Swedish international Christian Wilhelmsson is not accustomed. He does, however, understand the format.

"I understand it quite well," Wilhelmsson said. "It's very important to get a good a position for the playoffs and to get as many points as possible in the season. It's very important and I understand it.

"It's exciting to be a part of it and to have this challenge. At the end of the season you get this extra boost and there is tension and excitement for the players so I'm looking forward to it."

Both clubs are bound for the postseason having already clinched playoff berths, but Saturday's result will go a long way toward determining seeding.

Real Salt Lake has won two straight by a combined score of 6-1, the most recent of which was a 4-0 thrashing of Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center last weekend.

Alvaro Saborio netted a hat trick in the win, giving him 17 goals on the year to nail down the single-season scoring record for the club.

"[His form has] been spectacular really," said head coach Jason Kreis. "The whole year, it's been pretty consistent that he's been scoring goals. I think he may have had one patch toward the beginning [of the season] where he hadn't scored a goal in a while, but other than that, he's been our go-to guy. If we have any chances to succeed we are going to need him to continue that."






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