Morales ready to return as RSL resumes weird series with San Jose


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SANDY — Nearly every time Real Salt Lake or the rest of the Major League Soccer teams face the San Jose Earthquakes, weird things happen.

The Quakes had adopted the mantra of "Goonies never say die," reaping last-minute equalizers and stoppage-time game-winners in strong and weaker years alike. That included the last time RSL traveled to tiny Buck Shaw Stadium on March 15, when the hosts used a Victor Bernardez goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time to salvage a 3-3 draw.

Knowing that some form of voodoo is bound to happen for San Jose, RSL head coach Jeff Cassar said there are a few things his team can do to avoid disappointment.

“We can be better with the ball at the end of games,” Cassar said after training Friday. “Hopefully it comes down to a situation where we have the lead, and if we make good choices with the ball — don’t turn over the ball in silly areas or give away silly free kicks to let them earn something from nothing — we should do extremely well.”


I'm feeling good. I have been training the whole week, so I'm really happy and without pain. I think I am ready to go.

–RSL midfielder Javier Morales


RSL also expects to do well with the return of Javier Morales, who has trained with the team all week following hip injury, and new designated player signee Sebastian Jaime, who will travel with the team to San Jose.

Though Luis Gil filled in admirably at attacking midfield for Morales, the Argentine maestro said he’s ready to go, and it would be a surprise if Cassar left him out of the starting lineup.

“I’m feeling good,” Morales said. “I have been training the whole week, so I’m really happy and without pain. I think I am ready to go.”

Morales knows well that weird things happen in northern California. RSL’s leading assist man missed the March 15 game with an injury, and he smiled at the mention of "Goonies" after training Friday.

“I don’t know what happens there,” he said, laughing. “But I remember a lot of goals. We always go there, and wind up 2-2 or 3-3. I expect a lot of goals. But I hope we can score more than them.”

San Jose has struggled recently, sitting second-to-last in the Western Conference and riding a four-match winless streak. RSL, despite a loss at 10-man Dallas a week ago, has won four of its last seven games.

The ’Quakes will be without recent signee Matias Perez-Garcia, who is out after knee surgery, or former "Bash Brother" striker Alan Gordon, recently traded to the L.A. Galaxy. And with those key absences, Morales knows the importance of Saturday’s match as RSL looks to separate itself from the top of the Western Conference, where the top four teams are separated by four points.

“I think this is the most important part of the season,” Morales said. “We have nine games left, and if we can play a pretty good game here, we’re going to get into the playoffs in good shape. I think it will be really important. We need points to get ready for the playoffs, so Saturday is going to be huge for us.”

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Sean Walker

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