RSL’s road to postseason salvation reaches a definitive juncture this week, with a pair of successive LAFC contests which could make or break the Claret-and-Cobalt quest for Cup contention.
By Daniel Obinyan
Welcome, heartily, to the third installment of The Playoff Countdown. This latest rendering represents the newest Storylines subseries, which will take narrative center-stage throughout these concluding weeks of the 2025 MLS regular season, during which this author will be interpreting to you all of the most pertinent information — matchups and subplots (as is customary), as well as ramifications, implications and possibilities, and all else you need to know — on RSL’s final playoff push as the campaign closely and inevitably draws to its conclusion.
This week’s initial serving again features familiar home comfort — and, in truth, it couldn’t be more timely.
Next up for RSL is a titanic dual battle against West heavyweights Los Angeles FC in a pair of quickfire headliners, at the end of which the destiny of the teams’ postseason quest surely will be more clearly revealed. The Claret-and-Cobalt imminently welcome LAFC to America First Field on Wednesday for a crucial table-forming clash, before a trip to BMO Stadium just four days later on Sunday, Sept. 21, for the second of scheduled back-to-back meetings between the pair.
Manager Pablo Mastroeni’s side arrive at midweek on a slight ripple of positivity following a successful result last time out in a slender 2-1 triumph over rivals Sporting Kansas City.
The season’s end is nigh. Only six matches remain — and EVERY. POINT. MATTERS.
As is tradition, Storylines offers a glimpse into some of the most compelling plotlines and information to consider, ahead of this crucial week of enormous footballing consequence.
The run in picture: hope enduring
Can Real Salt Lake still qualify for the playoffs?
At this stage of the season, every guess feels as good as accurate (an emphasis on how unpredictable things remain), but for a side for which every game now represents a must-win game, it is a question which will surely linger on until the campaign’s final curtain decisively falls on either side.
The recent good news, however, is that in the fulfilment of that goal, the Claret-and-Cobalt certainly did themselves no manner of disservice at the latest time of asking.
Mastroeni’s charges were equal parts ruthless and fun in a mostly convincing 2-1 victory over 13th-place Sporting Kansas City in the team’s last match, at home, which snapped a dismal run of three successive MLS defeats in August.
The result maintained RSL’s 10th-place position in the West standings but catapulted Mastroeni’s men now to 34 points, one point behind ninth-placed San Jose and with two games in hand over head coach Bruce Arena’s side.
Last season, the Vancouver Whitecaps managed to advance all the way to the Western Conference quarterfinals of the Audi MLS Cup playoffs, following an eighth-place league table finish, via a victory over 9th-placed Portland Timbers in the customary “play-in” precursor to determine which of the two positions gets the reward of postseason contention.
Again this season, the traditional playoff rules dictate that the top nine teams at the end of the regular season each stand a chance of postseason contention, but only after the 8th v 9th play-in round, which will pit the bottom two eligible teams against each other.
The Claret-and-Cobalt currently also currently boast games in hand over this week’s opponents, LAFC (5th), as well as one game in hand over both of Portland (6th) and Austin (7th), and remain only five points behind Rocky Mountain Cup rivals Colorado (7th). But, realistically, games in hand don’t always translate to points on the board, and with only six matches left in the regular season, and all of the aforementioned teams currently sitting too far above RSL in the table, the play-in route — at the moment — appears likely to be RSL’s most direct path towards playoff salvation (subject to circumstances potentially changing as results around the league continuing to unfold).
Make-or-break week: a blockbuster doubleheader
This week’s encounter is set to represent the first pair of meetings between RSL and LAFC this season. The Black-and-Gold have enjoyed a generally impressive level of form this season and currently sit fifth in the West standings, but Mastroeni’s side will be aiming to take momentum from its equally impressive victory against Kansas City, as well as having not lost to the California outfit in more than a year.
The Claret-and-Cobalt will also take heart from the result when last both teams met at America First Field, back in March 2024, during a game as much against the elements and between both sides, when former RSL winger Andrés Gómez’s brilliant brace led Mastroeni’s men to a famous 3-0 victory in a snow-encumbered game — a result which kickstarted a historic 15-match unbeaten run.
RSL’s last MLS defeat against the Black-and-Gold arrived in the form of a 0-3 loss at home all the way back in May 2023, but Mastroeni will be further buoyed for this week’s pair of encounters by the return and recent form of top scorer Luna, who marked his first game back from suspension with a crucial strike to open the scoring in last weekend’s victory.
The RSL head coach will also be banking on the upward forms of several other players at his disposal, including 18-year-old Zavier Gozo, who provided assists for both goals in the Kansas win, striker Victor Olatunji, goalkeeper Rafael Cabral, who remains the only player to feature in every minute of RSL’s campaign this season till date, left back Alex Katranis, and others.
Remaining 2025 schedule
The conclusion of this week’s quickfire LAFC header will leave Mastroeni and Co. with merely four matches left to decide their playoff destiny.
Saturday, September 27th: Home vs Austin (7th West)
Saturday, October 4th: Home vs Colorado (8th West)
Saturday, October 11th: Away vs Seattle (4th West)
Saturday, October 18th: Away vs St. Louis (14th West)
Further ramifications and outlook
At the end of Sunday’s second clash, RSL’s head coach and his side will stare down the barrel of two more home games and two away in the pursuit of preserving a legacy of always qualifying for the playoffs in five years of Mastroeni’s time at the helm.
The Claret-and-Cobalt will take on three (out of its four final opponents) who currently occupy places above it in the table, including a potentially fiery home clash against bitter Mountain West rivals Colorado Rapids at America First Field in the final of the Rocky Mountain Cup. Daunting as that prospect may look at first glance, it does, however, provide the opportunity for RSL to steal crucial points against some of the most direct rivals standing in its path, with head coach Chris Armas’ Rapids currently sitting closest.
Real Salt Lake’s pursuit of footballing playoff salvation reaches a definitive juncture this week. Destiny arrives either way — for its own sake, the club will hope it perpetuates the fruits of Mastroeni’s legacy.
Secure your tickets for Wednesday’s initial clash in Sandy, right here.
