Real Salt Lake focused on executing

SANDY, Utah -- It would be natural to assume that last week's draw with New York set off a collective mental alarm within the minds of Real Salt Lake coaches and players.

The 1-1 result not only registered as a huge disappointment, coming as it did in the opening game at Rio Tinto Stadium, but it appeared to wreak significant damage to the club's once vibrant playoff hopes. Still, RSL adopted a wait-and-see approach rather than descend into panic and chaos.

Now, after a weekend of favorable results in other MLS games, RSL is once again squarely in control of its own playoff fate. Any combination of four points this week and next will finally clinch that long coveted berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

You can count Kyle Beckerman among those thrilled to see RSL not needing to spend this week hoping for help from an outside source.

"It's better than having to count on other teams do the job for you," Beckerman said. "Now we just need to go execute and everything will be all right."

Earning three points in Saturday's home finale against FC Dallas might be one of the stiffest challenges RSL has faced yet. The Hoops roll into Rio Tinto Stadium on the strength of some inspired play as of late.

Dallas is unbeaten in its last five matches. That lengthy unbeaten streak includes a trio of draws where the Hoops strung together late rallies after their opponents took second-half leads.

RSL coach Jason Kreis attributes that comeback ability to Dallas possessing an aggressive mentality late in matches.

"Dallas is a quality side," Kreis said. "That's a team that plays all 90 minutes as we've known through our history with them."

Emotional factors can't be discounted in the game either. Both Hoops striker Jeff Cunningham and assistant coach John Ellinger return to face a club that dumped them last season to touch off an extensive rebuilding project.

Ellinger is only two years removed from his own playoff bid with RSL that fell apart in the final two weeks of the 2006 season. There's no question that he could feel tons of satisfaction if his new club can take down his old one.

Cunningham could find ways to stick it to RSL too, given how well he has played in Dallas since the Hoops acquired him from Toronto. The ex-RSL forward and teammate Kenny Cooper have combined for eight of 12 FCD goals during Dallas' five-game unbeaten streak.

RSL expects that emotional subtext added into the already weighty playoff implications of this match will produce a much more intense effort from Dallas than what they saw from New York last week.

"Obviously, they're not going to come here and sit back all game," forward Yura Movsisyan said.

RSL hopes to amp up its own attack. Too many times against the Red Bulls, a general nervous malaise gripped the 11 on the field. Certainly some of it could be attributed to the hoopla of playing the first-ever match in Rio Tinto Stadium.

Kreis thinks there should be no reason to not come up with three points this time around. Winning at home is as still as much an emphasis now as it has been at any time during the season.

"That's been our focus all year," Kreis said. "It's never changed. We want and we expect to get three points out of every home game."

The improving health of injured starters Fabian Espindola and Dema Kovalenko should help RSL better realize its goals. Kreis expects both of them to be close enough to 100 percent by game time to merit consideration for spots on the 18-man gameday roster.