Neither Real Salt Lake nor the San Jose Earthquakes are finished in the Western Conference, but there are only a handful of games left for either one to put themselves on the right side of the playoff picture. Heading into this week, San Jose is a point back of safety, while Real Salt Lake is a point adrift of the Earthquakes, which is why Sunday's showdown is going to have a ton riding on it.
ODDS ANALYSIS
San Jose is going to end up being favored in this match, but it probably isn't going to be by a huge margin considering how close these two teams really are when push comes to shove. A winner, if there is one, will likely move into the Top 6, thus be safe for the playoffs for the time being, while a prospective loser could need to win out to have any chance to get into the postseason.
KEY INJURIES
Clarence Goodson has been suspended for this match for yellow card accumulation, and that suspension couldn't have come at a worse time for the Quakes. They're already playing without Innocent, Steven Lenhart, Jordan Stewart, Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi, Victor Bernardez, Paulo Renato and Khari Stephenson, and the last thing they needed was a healthy player being forced to sit out arguably the most pivotal fixture of the season.
Real Salt Lake only has to deal with a calf contusion to Luis Silva, a knock which very likely isn't going to keep him out of this game by the time the weekend rolls around.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I didn't go in there and throw anything or point fingers and throw some f-bombs. My point was, 'Hey, we all have to want this together in a real bad way, and let's get ready for the run in." – San Jose manager Dominic Kinnear following his team's loss to New York City FC last weekend to fall out of the playoff picture
RECENT FORM
A Champions League match against Santa Tecla might put a bit of a crimp into the training for Real Salt Lake this week, especially after drawing against the same side on th road a week and a half ago. Still, if you just look at MLS fixtures, RSL has been in good form, beating both Houston and Los Angeles in succession to keep what used to be slim playoff hopes alive and well.
Four straight matches have come and gone without San Jose taking maximum points, and that's giving Kinnear a lot of headaches. The Earthquakes have missed tremendous chances to stay afloat of late. It's not just the 3-2 loss at NYCFC that was the big issue. Drawing 1-1 against Montreal when it was up 1-0 with an extra man on the pitch was devastating, as was a shocking 2-1 loss at home against Philadelphia in this stretch of bad form.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
It's almost like Chris Wondolowski has to do it all for the Quakes offensively if they are going to put one in the back of the net. He has 15 strikes this year and has been incredibly effective in front of goal. But of late, he feels like he has been doing all of the running and heavy lifting himself, and that just won't cut it in this one.
RSL's road defense has been shaky, allowing 2.1 goals per game, but this is still an opportunity as we see it. If Wondo isn't a wonder child again in this one, the Quakes fans are going to be booing their lungs out following a catastrophic loss.
Real Salt Lake 2, San Jose 1
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Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The fixture between the San Jose Earthquakes and Real Salt Lake will take place on Sunday, September 27, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. at Avaya Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1.
