Pablo Mastroeni shouldn’t be shying away from Actual Salt Lake’s need to make membership historical past after they conclude their regular-season marketing campaign towards the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday.
RSL have been among the many Western Convention pacesetters all season and enter the ultimate MLS matchday fourth with 56 factors from 33 matches.
Another victory will set a brand new single-season franchise report, a reality Mastroeni reminded his gamers of earlier than they beat the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 earlier than the worldwide break.
“I usually concentrate on simply the one sport, however the one approach to get to 59 was to ensure we gained in San Jose,” Mastroeni instructed KSL Sports activities.
“It’s about simply placing a bit of little bit of carrot on the top of the stick. It’s not straightforward to make historical past at a membership.
“I simply instructed the blokes this is a chance to etch your identify in stone so far as the common season is worried. It’s a 34-game season, it’s lengthy and to have the ability to obtain that will be nice.
“When you’ll be able to see a dedication to the trigger, it’s actually about these actual issues that make the crew profitable.”
Vancouver, in the meantime, sit eighth within the standings and are assured a play-in spot, although they have to higher Minnesota United’s consequence to clinch automated qualification.
Head coach Vanni Sartini believed his crew deserved higher after they misplaced 2-1 to Los Angeles FC in midweek, a consequence that took their destiny out of their very own fingers.
“Now we have to work. At this second I’m very disenchanted, I’ve acquired to be sincere,” Sartini mentioned.
“I simply needed to say congratulations to the blokes, congratulations to the followers, they had been wonderful. We performed a incredible sport and we deserved to win.”
Able to face off towards this foe #RSLvVAN | @EnglandLogistic pic.twitter.com/I4xJjkVVlp
— Actual Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) October 18, 2024
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Actual Salt Lake – Cristian Arango
Arango enters the ultimate match of the season with 17 objectives, tied with Alvaro Saborio (2012) for probably the most in a single season in Actual Salt Lake’s historical past.
His 12 assists this season, in the meantime, are tied for second-most in membership historical past behind Albert Rusnak’s 14 in 2017.
Vancouver Whitecaps – Brian White
White has scored a purpose on every of his final 5 regular-season street appearances, the longest streak in Vancouver’s MLS historical past and the longest streak in MLS since Josef Martinez netted in seven straight on the street from Might to September in 2019.
MATCH PREDICTION – REAL SALT LAKE WIN
Actual Salt Lake have gained three straight matches towards Vancouver for the primary time in membership historical past. The one longer successful streak within the 32-match historical past of the collection was a four-match run by the Whitecaps from 2014 to 2015.
The hosts enter the ultimate match of the season on 56 factors, one away from equalling the membership’s single-season report of 57 set in 2012.
The Whitecaps, in the meantime, have misplaced three straight regular-season matches for the primary time for the reason that begin of final season. They’re winless in six straight league matches, equalling their worst run of the 12 months.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Actual Salt Lake – 45.1%
Vancouver Whitecaps – 28%
Draw – 26.9%
