Saborio back in the lineup for RSL at Chivas USA

Carson, Calif. • Alvaro Saborio was back in the starting lineup for Real Salt Lake on Saturday night, as it prepared to take on Chivas USA in a crucial Major League Soccer game at the Home Depot Center.

The game kicks off at 8:30 p.m. MDT, on CW30 in Utah.

The team's leading scorer missed its game last weekend with a shoulder injury suffered in a CONCACAF Champions League game last week, even after lobbying coach Jason Kreis to play. But Saborio now will get a chance to add to his 14 goals this season against a team that hasn't won in two months.

The last-place Goats are riding a nine-game winless streak since July 28.

Led by former RSL assistant Robin Fraser, they are 7-15-7 and have lost their last five in a row by a combined 10-1 score, having not found the back of the net at all in their last three games. Beating them is crucial for RSL, which is 15-11-4 and fighting to stay in the top three in the MLS Western Conference to avoid a wild-card game in the playoffs.

RSL, the Los Angeles Galaxy, and the Seattle Sounders all are within one point of each other in the battle for second and third place, with four regular-season games remaining (five for the Sounders).

The Galaxy are playing at Colorado on Saturday, while the Sounders are at Vancouver.

RSL also will start Luis Gil in place of midfielder Ned Grabavoy, who injured his right quadriceps during practice this week. The team has shown some hope for the stretch run by going 2-1-1 in league play since a three-game losing streak.

mcl@sltrib.com

Twitter: @MCLTribune