SANDY, Utah, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Nat Borchers scored on a header in the 54th minute Saturday to move Real Salt Lake into third place in the Western Conference with a 1-0 win over Kansas City.
Nick Rimando made five saves to record the shutout, including a point-blank stop that ensured Salt Lake's three points. Salt Lake (14-7-6) moved two points in front of Dallas for third place in the West.
The top three teams in each conference earn automatic playoff berths and the next four point leaders, regardless of which conference they are in, receive a wild card entry into the post-season.
Borchers scored on a pass from Kyle Beckerman after a restart.
Kansas City (10-8-10) missed a chance to take over first place in the Eastern Conference. Columbus, which lost to Philadelphia earlier in the evening, leads Kansas City by a single point.
