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Rapids-Real Salt Lake Preview

The Colorado Rapids ended a devastating losing streak by earning a point last weekend, but it's going to take more than the occasional draw for them to climb into playoff position.

Earning three points Friday night might be a tall but necessary order in a road game against Real Salt Lake, one of the league's top home sides.

Salt Lake (12-6-10) is coming off a 3-2 stoppage-time loss at Seattle last Friday, but returns home to an 8-1-5 record at Rio Tinto Stadium with three straight wins and a seven-match unbeaten streak. Its 13 home goals conceded trail only D.C. and Los Angeles (11 apiece).

Still, the loss to the Sounders stung as it set RSL eight points back in the race for the top spot in the Western Conference and the Supporters' Shield. With none of its remaining six matches coming against conference-leading Seattle or second-place Los Angeles, capturing the regular-season trophy seems unlikely.

"It's time to regroup. We've got an extremely strong locker room," coach Jeff Cassar said. "I think for sure our focus will be great this week. It's about getting rest for some guys and getting fit for others. It's about taking care of business at home."

A quick recovery could be in store against the Rapids (8-13-7). Salt Lake has won both meetings this season, including a 2-1 home victory May 17 that extended its home unbeaten streak in the series to 10. That 7-0-3 run dates to 2007 and features a 16-4 aggregate with six shutouts.

Salt Lake also won 1-0 in Colorado on Aug. 2 with a 14th-minute goal from Javier Morales. The midfielder joined Joao Plata on the scoresheet in the home meeting, and the duo also scored last week in Seattle.

Morales has three goals and three assists in his last five matches for an RSL attack that finally has its full arsenal of weapons. Striker Alvaro Saborio has been back for the past two games after a 16-match absence due to a foot injury.

After a seven-game losing streak, the Rapids finally earned a point with Saturday's 2-all home draw with Portland. Though not a clean sheet, it was a defensive effort the club will likely settle for after conceding 22 goals during the skid.

In addition to its struggles in Utah, Colorado must now overcome the eight-game winless streak as well as an 11-match road winless streak. At 2-9-3 away from Colorado, only Houston and Montreal have lost more on the road. The Rapids' 33 away goals conceded lead MLS.

Coach Pablo Mastroeni isn't ruling out an unlikely run, despite being six points back of the final playoff spot in the West with two teams to pass in the final six games.

"You never say never. Sport is crazy," Mastroeni said. "We go into Salt Lake this week - our rival - a team that we've played really well against the last two games and haven't been able to get a result. We go there and get a positive result and things start changing and people start behaving in weird ways when you have a team that at this moment has nothing to lose and everything to fight for and goes out into these difficult places and gets results."

RSL will be without defender Nat Borchers due to a red card issued against Seattle.

The Rapids will be without midfielder Nick LaBrocca, who was suspended one game and fined an undisclosed amount by MLS for a serious foul that endangered the safety of an opponent Saturday against Portland.

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