Defending MLS Champs Real Salt Lake Back On Winning Track

Real Salt Lake is enjoying its All-Star break in second place of the MLS Western Conference standings. After failing to win a game in April, the defending MLS Cup champions rattled off a 10-match league unbeaten streak from May 1 to July 17.

"It was a poor start if you look at it purely based on results," coach Jason Kreis said. "We've played good soccer in almost all of our games this year."

Good soccer and goalkeeper Nick Rimando's 567 minutes without conceding a goal have shot Real Salt Lake to within nine points of the league-leading Los Angeles Galaxy.

"We believe in the way we play," defender Chris Wingert said. "Nick has been incredible."

Real's faith in Kreis' balanced, blue-collar style of soccer has been rewarded so far: The team has scored a league-leading 29 goals coupled with the third-lowest goals-against average (0.82 per game).

"The key is that everyone is committed to defense and everyone plays offense," Rimando said. "Our philosophy has always been about playing both sides of the ball."

Since assuming coaching duties in May 2007, Kreis quietly has compiled a core group of players that won MLS Cup last year. Perhaps not the flashiest team, Real has steadily risen to the top of MLS behind the performances of Rimando and teammates Kyle Beckerman, Jamison Olave and Javier Morales who have been named to the 2010 All-Star team, which will play Manchester United on Wednesday.

"It comes down to consistency, having a core group of players and sticking to them and building pieces around them," Kreis said.

In a summer that has seen the signing of superstar Thierry Henry to the New York Red Bulls, don't expect Real to clamor for a big-name player of their own.

"At the moment it would run afoul of how we built this team," Kreis said.