Austin FC vs Real Salt Lake

Qualification for the Western Conference playoffs is potentially on the line as Austin FC and Real Salt Lake face each other in a tasty-looking Major League Soccer clash at Q2 Stadium.

Austin failed to qualify for the MLS playoffs last season, but they could atone this season, as they commence this round in the final qualification spot in the Western Conference. However, they cannot take anything for granted after an underwhelming six-game winless league run (D3, L3) saw 10th-placed Houston Dynamo whittle down the gap to only two points. Therefore, Nico Estevez’s charges will be out to post their first MLS win since mid-April when they squeaked past LA Galaxy on this ground (1-0). Defensive solidity could be crucial to Austin’s hopes of returning to winning ways, considering their misfiring frontline last scored 2+ goals in a league match in March. Indeed, they’ve failed to hit this milestone in the past ten top-flight outings!

In the meantime, Real Salt Lake’s faltering sequence threatens to undermine their pursuit of a playoff spot on the west, with a 3-2 home loss to Vancouver Whitecaps consigning them to a fifth consecutive winless league game (D2, L3). Already five points adrift of their upcoming opposition, the visitors must stretch their unbeaten H2H run to four matches with a win (W2, D1) to stay in contention for a top-nine finish. That could prove easier said than done, given that they’ve won none of their last three away league games (D1, L2) despite finding the back of the net on each occasion.