SANDY, Utah (AP) Luis Silva scored in the opening minutes and Real Salt Lake beat Sporting Kansas City 2-1 on Sunday in their regular-season finale.
Real Salt Lake (13-15-6), which was winless in its first five games of the season and won just two of its first 11, finished one point out of the Western Conference playoffs.
Silva came upon a loose ball near the spot a tapped a slow roller past a charging Andrew Dykstra in the third minute and Brooks Lennon made it 2-0 in the 41st. Silva, near the top of the box, drew three defenders and slipped it to Lennon who, after his first shot was rejected by Dykstra, top-netted the rebound.
Ike Opara put away a low, diving header – off a free kick Graham Zusi – in the 89th minute for Sporting KC (12-9-13).
Kansas City, winless in its last five, will be the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and play at fourth-seeded Houston in the Knockout round.
