Minnesota United seals playoff bid after draw against RSL

Dayne St. Clair made four saves for a third straight clean sheet as Minnesota United and Real Salt Lake battled to a 0-0 draw in Sandy, Utah, on Wednesday.

The tie and subsequent results on Wednesday allowed Minnesota to secure a spot in the playoffs.

It was the sixth clean sheet of the season in 24 starts for St. Clair, who missed part of the season with the Canadian team at the Copa America.

The draw left eighth-place Minnesota United (13-12-7, 46 points) one point ahead of the Portland Timbers in the Western Conference, which would give the Loons home-field advantage for a first-round MLS Cup playoff game.

Zac MacMath finished with three saves for fourth-place Real Salt Lake (14-7-11, 53 points), which tied for the third straight game. It was also the fourth straight draw between Minnesota United and Salt Lake.

RSL, which had allowed 11 goals in its last four games, held the Loons without a shot on goal and just three shot attempts in a goalless first half. Minnesota's only chance to score came in the 28th minute when Carlos Harvey broke down the right wing and fired a right-footed shot into the right side of the net.

Meanwhile, St. Clair made three saves before halftime, including a flying deflection of a right-footed shot from Cristian Arango from the right side of the penalty area that went to the far left post and a one-timer from Arango from the center edge of the penalty area 6-yard penalty area after a pass from Dominik Marczuk.

Marczuk and Arango both had good chances to score early in the second half. Marczuk broke free on a two-on-one counterattack on the right side of the penalty area in the 51st minute, but his right-footed shot narrowly missed the left post.

Arango, who completed a match-high five shot attempts, attempted a right-footed shot from the center of the penalty area in the 70th minute that sent St. Clair over the crossbar.

Minnesota United had a chance in the 87th minute when Kelvin Yeboah, who had scored seven goals in his last six games, broke on the left side of the penalty area and attempted a right-footed shot that deflected wide.

Things got tense in the third minute of second-half stoppage time when RSL's Brayan Vera shoved Minnesota defender Michael Boxall in the ribs while taking his position in the penalty area for a throw-in. A video recording also found Vera spitting on Boxall and he was given a red card for violent conduct, but the Loons were unable to get a shot off in the final six minutes due to the man advantage.

–Field level media