Aiming to bolster playoff hopes, Austin FC host Real Salt Lake

Austin FC looks to keep its waning hopes of making the playoffs on track when it hosts dynamic Real Salt Lake in a late-season Western Conference match on Saturday.

The Verde (9-13-8, 35 points) are in desperate straits to make the postseason. With four matches remaining, Austin is in 11th place, two spots but seven points under the playoff line even for the wild-card game. The Verde are winless over their past four matches (0-1-3), with their most recent outing a 1-0 setback at home to Houston on Sept. 21.

Austin is last in the West (and tied for second worst overall) with just 32 goals scored this season. Creating scoring chances has not been Austin's problem over the past month, but getting the ball into the net has. The Verde have not scored more than two goals in a match since beating Sporting Kansas City 3-2 at home on May 18.

"I can sit here and tell (the players) to be more ruthless, be more shrewd in front of goal, be more clinical, but those are just words," Austin coach Josh Wolff said. "In order to win games, we've got to score goals. And it gets old."

Jader Obrian leads the Verde's anemic attack with six goals while Alexander Ring paces Austin with seven assists.

Real Salt Lake (14-7-9, 51 points) have clinched a playoff berth and begin the weekend in second place in the West. RSL is chasing the Los Angeles Galaxy for the conference's top spot and heads to Austin with four games left and a game in hand with the frontrunners.

The Claret and Cobalt's most recent contest was a 3-3 draw at home with Portland on Sept. 21 that assured RSL's participation in the postseason for the fourth straight season. RSL, which is just 2-2-1 since returning from Leagues Cup competition, got goals from summer acquisitions Diogo Goncalves and Dominik Marczuk and stalwart Diego Luna in the draw.

"These last two performances were spirited, were gritty, and that comes from the players' mindset," Real Salt Lake coach Pablo Mastroeni said. "This group is really coming into its own at the right time, and now we just have to minimize silly situations that we have complete control over."

RSL has scored 60 goals in MLS play in 2024, fourth most in the league and third best in the West. Cristian "Chicho" Arango leads the team with 17 goals, which is tied for second most in the league.

The Claret and Cobalt own a 4-3 all-time edge in the series against Austin, with one draw. RSL rolled over the Verde 5-1 on June 1 in the sides' first meeting this season.

--Field Level Media