Revenge or not, RSL ready to host Galaxy on Wednesday


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SANDY — The last time Real Salt Lake faced the L.A. Galaxy, the California side rolled to a 5-0 rout in the second leg of the 2014 Western Conference semifinals at StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Revenge must be on RSL’s mind — or so you’d assume.

Luis Gil wasn’t having any of that after training this week, though.

“For me personally, it’s over with,” the RSL midfielder said. “As soon as it’s over, I’m moving on to the next one.”

After last Friday’s 1-1 draw marred by heavy officiating and a game most RSL players described as “boring,” the club is just looking forward to getting back out to Rio Tinto Stadium. That chance comes a little early this week with a Wednesday night affair against the Galaxy at 7:30 p.m. in Sandy.

“That’s what it’s about; you just want to keep playing, and get some games in,” Gil said. “Obviously it’s a fast bounce-back, so we’ve got to take care of business.”

Gil’s head coach wasn’t as diplomatic about the hurtful loss to end the 2014 season. Jeff Cassar said the loss stung for several weeks, and as a head coach, the defeat still stings whenever he recalls it.

“I think about it all the time,” Cassar admitted. “It’s something that did not sit well with myself or the team.”

Still, one game does not make a rivalry — as RSL (2-2-4) has built with the Galaxy, holding a 5-3-5 all-time mark against L.A. at home. The Salt Lake side has not lost at home to the Galaxy in four meetings.

Photo credit: Kristin Murphy/Deseret News

But just as RSL is trying to move on from last season’s discouraging defeat at Los Angeles (3-2-4), so too will the Galaxy like to move on from its recent run of poor results in Sandy.

“You’ve got to move on from it,” Cassar added on the team’s playoff loss a year ago. “We’re doing some things differently, so we want to get better as the season goes on. We knew it was going to be just trying to pick up points and improving every week.”

RSL midfielder Luke Mulholland added that Wednesday’s match also allows the home team extra motivation to set aside some poor referees' decisions at Rio Tinto Stadium in recent weeks.

But first, there’s the notion of that playoff loss.

“It definitely hurt our pride to end last season. It stung for a few weeks after that, just the way the season ended,” Mulholland said. “That will definitely be back in my head, and I’m hoping to take it out against L.A.. We can take our frustration out on them, for the last game and for the playoff game last year.”

Wednesday’s match will be the last chance of the three-game series that the Galaxy won’t have incoming Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard. Los Angeles has also been without standout striker Robbie Keane, who has missed four-straight matches with injury, including the Galaxy’s 1-1 home draw with Colorado.

Gil, however, preferred to focus on the guys who will be there for the Galaxy, including young striker Gyasi Zardes and new Galaxy first-teamer Bradford Jamison IV, who scored his first MLS goal a week ago.

“He (Keane) brings a lot of attention up top. They’ve been without him for a while, and you can’t take that away,” Gil said. “But they’ve still got a lot of dynamic players who can making plays and set things up.”

RSL’s injury report continues to expand, as well. Midfielder Javier Morales missed training all week after suffering a concussion, and Sebastian Jaime and Boyd Okwuonu are still nursing injuries suffered a few weeks ago.

With two training days before the Galaxy match, and only two days after before RSL travels to Chicago for a weekend match against the Fire, Cassar and his staff will be mindful of players’ minutes going into the clubs’ run of three games in eight days.

“It gets a little bit taxing, especially when we aren’t with a full complement of players,” Cassar said. “But it keeps the guys focused. Guys know what is going on, and where they are playing. I anticipate that they will be ready for Wednesday.”

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