SANDY — In Jeff Cassar's first year as head coach of Real Salt Lake in 2014, he took a team that was fresh off losing former coach Jason Kreis and general manager Garth Lagerwey to the postseason, even as the season ended in an unsatisfying manner with a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of rival L.A. Galaxy.

On Wednesday night in front of 19,457 fans at Rio Tinto Stadium, the Salt Lake club took a step back, essentially being eliminated from postseason contention with a 1-0 loss to the Portland Timbers.

"We're going to go to bed tonight and wake up tomorrow knowing exactly what we have to do, but we need to leave this game alone," Cassar said after the Fanendo Adi's second-half penalty kick buried the hosts. "This one hurts. There's no getting around that, but we have jobs to do."

RSL sits in the penultimate spot in the Western Conference, tied for eighth with an 11-13-8 record and a mere 41 points through 32 games, leaving it six points outside of the playoffs with only two games left to play.

The dropped result wasn't without controversy. RSL defender Jamison Olave fouled Portland forward Lucas Melano with a fairly clear-cut, red-card effort that halted a counter attack. But Olave's foul — his third red card of the season — appeared to be outside of the penalty box.

Head official Juan Guzman initially signaled for a penalty kick, did not note a foul, then consulted with an assistant referee to award Olave a red card and did not correct the original penalty call.

Cassar continued to argue the point in his postgame comments, and the players argued against the spot of the foul on the foul.

"We were fighting for a spot in the playoff, and that is crucial," said midfielder Javier Morales, who was verbally accosted by an assistant referee while trying to plead his case. "It was a moment that changed the game.

"He insulted me. I can't say here what he said, but the word starts with an 'F.' That was a surprise to me. I've never insulted a referee in my career. It's not an excuse, but it's just what happened. Then, after the penalty, the game changed."

Still, RSL kept fighting.

"It wasn't a good game for us," Morales said bluntly. "But I'm very proud of my teammates. Even down a man, we fought until the end."

On a night when Portland (13-11-8, 47 points) outshot RSL 15-7, and the hosts only seriously threatened on a handful of occasions, it took a Herculean effort by goalkeeper Nick Rimando to not give the Timbers a greater advantage. A club that opened its MLS campaign with 11 straight losses to RSL, Portland finished MLS regular-season play with a 2-0-1 record against RSL in league action, with its only loss at Rio Tinto Stadium in 2015 coming in the U.S. Open Cup.

"They're a very organized team," RSL defender Tony Beltran said of Portland. "It's a credit to (Timbers head coach) Caleb (Porter). They're a very dynamic team, as well, and he's put together a good team.

"But I thought tonight, for stretches they really put us under pressure. Their line was high, and we couldn't seem to get in behind them for stretches and force them to drop. It's a credit to them."

RSL's active MLS record of seven straight postseason appearances is on life support and fading fast. ESPN's Soccer Power Index gives RSL a 1 percent chance of making the playoffs, with the Salt Lake side falling six points behind Portland and three behind San Jose into a tie for eighth place in the Western Conference. Only last-place Colorado is mathematically eliminated from the postseason.

But the math also doesn't favor RSL.

Cassar won't admit defeat until the bitter end, but there are other battles to focus on, and that was part of the theme Wednesday night.

"Now our main concern is the Champions League," midfielder Luke Mulholland said, referring to RSL's CONCACAF Champions League group stage finale Tuesday. "We still have to play Dallas, but maybe we rest players for the Champions League game. That might be a smart idea.

"Now we'll see the season out strong for the fans, for the coaching staff and play for the RSL badge."

Playing for a spot out of the group stage isn't a bad idea. A win or a draw at home next week against Guatemala's Municipal will send RSL to its first Champions League knockout round since advancing to the final in 2010. Los Rojos will also put a lot of emphasis on that game, needing a win to advance out of the three-team group, as well.

Officially, RSL has two games remaining on the MLS calendar: Saturday's home finale against FC Dallas, followed by a road bout against Seattle Sounders FC.

But for a team in transition, dealing with a new head coach, new formation and several new players in key spots, RSL's 2015 season is at a distinct crossroad. A front-office restructuring over the last few months could be a preemptive strike to player personnel movements in the offseason, and the staff will be using the final two weeks of the regular season as motivation for a better 2016.

"We've just got to get back to work," Cassar said. "We still have to play for ourselves, our fans, our jobs, the Champions League. I know with the character in the locker room, we are going to approach these last few games with the right attitude."

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Adi scores on PK; Timbers beat 10-man Real Salt Lake 1-0

Fanendo Adi scored on a penalty kick in the 54th minute, and the Portland Timbers beat 10-man Real Salt Lake 1-0 on Wednesday night for their third straight road win in the series.

Getting stronger for the future, though, doesn't wash away the sting of the present.

"It hurts right now, but we're going to come back stronger and better next season," Mulholland said. "It's just tough to take right now."

Left to think of what might have been in a season defined by missed chances and greater missed opportunities, RSL appears to be playing out the final minutes of 2015 with little more than next season's contract, pride and supporters' culture on the line.

Maybe that's enough.

"I think we have to keep fighting," Morales said. "The math says we are about out, but having played here for seven years and always playing in the playoffs, it's going to be tough for me and the rest of the guys.

"We have to keep fighting, especially for the fans."

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