Real Salt Lake: RSL, Galaxy square off at S..

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Carson, Calif. • The final regular-season meeting between Real Salt Lake and the L.A. Galaxy kicks off tonight at 8:30 p.m. MDT at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., as the two Western Conference rivals look to either provide distance or close the gap in the crowded conference standings.

RSL (7-3-7) sits seven points clear of the Galaxy, but L.A. (5-3-6) will still have three matches in as the dog days of summer progress and the Western conference postseason pictures remains cluttered.

Captain Kyle Beckerman and goalkeeper Nick Rimando are in tonight's starting lineup, their second consecutive start upon returning from Brazil after helping the United States men's national team to a quarterfinal appearance in this summer's World Cup. However, Galaxy center back Omar Gonzalez is out tonight. The L.A. defender is still working his way back from an ankle injury sustained in Brazil.

While Gonzalez remains out, the usuals like Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane are, in fact, starting against RSL. Entering Saturday night's match, RSL is 1-0-1 against the Galaxy, having defeated L.A. 1-0 in the season opener on March 8. Two weeks later the two sides drew 1-1 at the Rio Tinto Stadium opener on March 22.

ckamrani@sltrib.com

Twitter: @chriskamrani

Real Salt Lake: RSL, Galaxy square off at StubHub Center