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Real Salt Lake will face the Portland Timbers on Saturday night in Sandy, Utah, in a meeting of two credible dark horses to represent the Western Conference in this year’s MLS Cup.

While Los Angeles FC and the Los Angeles Galaxy get most of the attention, Salt Lake (14-7-8, 50 points) continued its excellent season on Wednesday with a 3-2 win over visiting FC Dallas highlighted by Anderson Julio’s brilliant two-goal performance.

Julio’s first goal was a stunning improvisational strike from just inside the midfield line after he spotted Dallas goalkeeper Maarten Paes creeping up. His second in the 62nd minute held up as the match-winner after Alan Velasco pulled back a late Dallas goal from the penalty spot.

Julio’s eighth and ninth goals just underline the diversity of RSL’s attacking threat, behind the 17 scored by Cristian “Chicho” Arango and 13 from Andres Gomez. But Pablo Mastroeni says the driving force behind his side’s best offensive performances is actually its defensive effort.

“It’s so counterintuitive to think that if you defend well from the front you’re going to score a lot of goals,” Mastroeni said. “And it’s really because, not only do you win the balls in better areas, not only are you engaged at all times, but it’s the mentality that it brings to the defensive side of the game.”

Arango is expected to be on the field after serving a one-match suspension for yellow-card accumulation.

The victory vaulted the Claret and Cobalt above LAFC into second in the West and five points back of the leading Galaxy with a match in hand.

Portland (12-10-7, 43 points) is still eighth after its 4-2 win over the Galaxy on Wednesday night, but only four points back of the top four, a finish that would result in home-field advantage in Round 1 of the MLS Cup playoffs.

Evander continued his marvelous season, scoring his 13th and 14th goals and contributing his MLS-lead-tying 18th assist.

“I think in Evander we’ve got someone that’s playing to an MVP level,” said Portland coach Phil Neville, who once tried to recruit the Brazilian while in charge of Inter Miami. “I said it probably from the first month of the season, I’ve said he’s the best No. 10 in the league.”

–Field Level Media