SALT LAKE CITY — Real Salt Lake missed a number of late chances to win its match against San Jose Saturday night, and saw its six-match home winning streak come to an end with a 1-1 draw.

After a first half that was far from eventful, Real Salt Lake got on the board first in the 55th minute on a Damir Kreilach header off a corner kick. Kreilach's third goal of the year was set up by Albert Rusnak's cornerkick and Corey Baird's deflected header. Kreilach found himself unmarked and 5 yards out to put away his chance.

Ten minutes later in the 65th, San Jose striker Danny Hoesen was in position to put away a rebound save from Nick Rimando for his tenth goal of the year.

Both teams created a number of chances in the final ten minutes of the match, with Real Salt Lake nearly getting the game winner from Marcelo Silva in the dying seconds of the match. But his header off a cornerkick was driven into the turf, glancing off the crossbar and over the top.

Real Salt Lake gets a point for the draw and remains in fifth place in the Western Conference, one point ahead of the seventh place Portland Timbers.

Here are my three thoughts and observations from the broadcast booth on Saturday night.

When a tie feels like a loss

Real Salt Lake did not lose the match Saturday night; in fact, they got a point and stay in the playoff picture in the West. However, this is one of those nights in soccer where a draw and a single point feels like a loss.

Mike Petke said in his postgame press conference that this one "feels like a loss." It's hard to disagree with him.

Real Salt Lake entered the evening having won six straight home matches (a club record), while San Jose had just one road win away from the Bay Area this year. RSL outplayed the Quakes for the majority of the match and created far more opportunities, but had just the one goal to show for it.

Kreilach konfident

It's been an up-and-down year for Real Salt Lake Midfielder Damir Kreilach. The Croatian international and Union Berlin import struggled early in his MLS debut to find his place and form in the Real Salt Lake Midfield. But over the last month, he's begun to look like the player that Craig Waibel brought over in the offseason.

Kreilach tallied his third goal of the season Saturday, but more than that, he looks comfortable and confident now in the role in the RSL attack. For the first two and a half months of the season he looked lost, but over the last month plus he's become dangerous as both a goal scorer and creator of chances for teammates. Kreilach and Rusnak, in particular, appear to know their roles and the chances have become plentiful.

Points a plenty

Real Salt Lake's schedule will be difficult the next three weeks: next week at Columbus, Sporting Kansas City at Rio Tinto on July 4 and again at home with FC Dallas.

After that three game stretch, it will be time for Petke's team to pile up some points in the Western Conference and solidify their playoff position. After facing Columbus, Kansas City and Dallas in the next three matches, Real Salt Lake doesn't face another playoff team until August 15 when they travel to play LAFC.

The Western Conference is weak this year, with most of the power in the East. Real Salt Lake has a real chance to solidify themselves as a playoff team over the next month and a half, but it will require better finishing — not playing to the level of lesser opponents and finding a way to win on the road.

You can catch my call of Real Salt Lake and Columbus next Saturday night at 5:30 on ESPN 700.

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