Real Salt Lake experienced in turning July 4 success into strong playoff push

SANDY — Last Independence Day, Real Salt Lake lit its MLS playoff hopes like a Roman candle.

Could 2018 bring similar good fortune after a two-match home stand has vaulted the squad into the middle of a tight Western Conference playoff race?

One year ago, the team that was struggling to put together back-to-back performances under brand-new manager Mike Petke ran roughshod over the LA Galaxy 6-2 in a Fourth of July rout.

That moment marked a 7-2-4 run through October that claimed 25 of 39 points as the squad climbed up the Western Conference standings before falling just one point short of a playoff berth on the league’s final day.

While not jumping too far ahead, Petke admitted it was "fun" to topple the West’s leaders in back-to-back games, first 4-2 over Sporting Kansas City and then 2-0 over FC Dallas on Saturday night.

"We've been good at home. We've got results at home," Petke said. "Now the focus is Minnesota next week on the road.

"Any week you can get six points, two wins in a row, against the top team in the West on that day, it’s special and it’s a great feeling."

If Salt Lake (9-8-2, 29 points) was downtrodden — after a 2-1 loss at Columbus put it on the back foot of a three-match winless rut, including another at Los Angeles and home against San Jose — the 13th-year franchise didn’t look it Wednesday night in a 4-2 rout of rival Kansas City that included two stoppage-time red cards handed out to the visitors.

But a win over FC Dallas may prove more crucial in the end, as it put Real Salt Lake into a tie for fourth place with Portland — and just four points behind the West-leading triumvirate of Dallas, Kansas City and Los Angeles FC.

"They’re two really good teams that we played," said winger Bofo Saucedo, who scored his first career MLS goal at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday. "I think the team was capable enough to take advantage of three points at home, and we’re up there in the table, and we’re trying to push towards playoffs."

Speaking of LAFC, remember when RSL couldn’t get a result at home and lost 5-1 to the MLS expansion newcomers?

Those days seem to be in the past, and a new guard led by Albert Rusnak, Damir Kreilach, rookie Corey Baird, homegrown standout Saucedo and savvy veteran Luis Silva have picked up the banner to make Salt Lake’s home stadium a fortress once again.

One year ago, the club's turnaround on July 4 was sparked by incoming European Rusnak, who tallied four goals and eight assists after Independence Day. Silva scored six goals to go with two assists after the annual Fireworks on the Fourth match, while Joao Plata and Jefferson Savarino added five goals each in an attack that was sufficiently unleashed.

Savarino, the 21-year-old Venezuelan international, showed his own quality Saturday night with an assist and two goal-line clearances that helped Nick Rimando to his 142nd career shutout.

It was enough to give RSL’s young designated player the game ball for the first time in Petke’s career.

"We know what he can do offensively, but I want to see his commitment defensively, to get back," Petke said of Savarino. "I thought he was phenomenal at that aspect tonight. We’ve been waiting for that for a while, and he put it on display tonight.

"He is a star player with the ball at his feet, but whatever next level he wants to get to, this is what it’s going to take."

Those same faces are back this year — but they also include a young guard with an MLS-record six homegrown players in Saturday night’s win in Baird, Saucedo, Brooks Lennon, Danny Acosta and Aaron Herrera.

It's a squad of fresh-faced youngsters who hope to carry RSL on a post-July run similar to a year ago — with at least one more point.

"Like I said in previous press conferences," Saucedo said, "we have such a special team and I think we have to make the most out of it."

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