Chivas tries to slow RSL

Sandy, UT – Real Salt Lake aims to continue its impressive start to the new MLS season on Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium when the club squares off with Chivas USA.

Salt Lake has looked like one of the best teams in the league through two games with a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy followed by a 2-0 triumph over Red Bull New York.

"We're just playing within the team and that's when we play our best," said RSL midfielder Ned Grabavoy. "When we move the ball things open up in the final third for some of those special guys that can make a special play."

Forward Fabian Espindola is one of those special guys having scored in both of the team's games after scoring 10 goals for the club last term.

As good as RSL has looked in the first two games, midfielder Kyle Beckerman still believes there is room for improvement, and that it's a good sign for the team to be winning games despite not being at its best.

"At times we've been really good, at times we can get better, but I think that's just the early season blues," Beckerman explained. "Getting wins and still knowing that we need to improve is a good thing."

Chivas enters the weekend on the opposite end of the spectrum having lost its first two games without scoring a goal.

"To score goals, we need to really want to score goals," said Chivas head coach Robin Fraser. "I just thought that there were too many times tonight where we had opportunities where with an aggressive move, we might have been able to create a dangerous opportunity and we weren't aggressive enough."

Making matters worse is the fact that both losses came at home for the Goats, who will have to play three of their next four games away from The Home Depot Center.

The club is still clearly coming together and midfielder Nick LaBrocca thinks a better effort collectively is required for results to improve.

"We all need to get on the same page and be a little bit more dangerous - everybody collectively," LaBrocca said. "I think that will come with a little extra sharpness and communication especially on the training field."

Chivas has also had little success against RSL in recent years, going 0-4-1 against the club in its last five meetings.