4:30 p.m. vs. Real Salt Lake • FSN Plus, 1500-AM
Battling for playoff positions
Preview: Playoff implications are on the line. Only one point separates second-place Real Salt Lake (RSL) and fourth-place Minnesota United. Four of United's final five games before the Oct. 6 "Decision Day" are against teams currently above the playoff line. RSL is 14-11-4 overall, 3-8-3 on the road while the Loons are 13-10-6 and 8-1-5 at home and haven't lost in its past seven at Allianz Field. The Loons are coming off the highs of a 2-0 victory at LAFC two weeks ago and a listless 2-0 loss at slumping Houston on Wednesday. RSL's last road victory was Aug. 10 at Sporting Kansas City. … United starting left back Chase Gasper is serving a one-game suspension for yellow-card accumulations after getting another in Houston. … United star Darwin Quintero didn't play Wednesday because of a hamstring injury, but was not listed on the team's Saturday injury report after training lightly on his own this past week. … Eight of the nine goals United has scored against Real Salt Lake in its first three MLS seasons have come in the second half. … RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando has won a record 221 MLS games.
Injuries: None listed by United, Real Salt Lake midfielders Jordan Allen (knee), Nick Besler (foot) and Tony Beltran (knee) are out and midfielder Luke Mulholland (hamstring) is questionable.
JERRY ZGODA
