Real Salt Lake, Minnesota United grind out goalless stalemate

Real Salt Lake and Minnesota United contested a 0-0 draw Friday night at the MLS is Back Tournament, leaving Group D hanging in the balance.

The two sides remain first and second in the group on four points apiece, with Salt Lake holding a slight advantage in goal difference. Sporting KC now sit one point adrift following a thrilling added-time win over Colorado earlier Friday.

This match will not be remembered as one of the tournament's better offerings.

An occasionally chippy first half short on intent didn't provide either side with an abundance of opportunities amid frequent whistles and stoppages.

Neither 'keeper was tested until the sixth minute of first-half added time when Minnesota's Tyler Miller batted away a bending goal-bound cross to ignite a nimble counter-attack that resulted in Robin Lod's thumping effort off the post.

Miller was forced to make a diving stop minutes after the interval on a Justin Meram strike from outside the area that again saw Minnesota launch a threatening counter in response. Lod was the benefactor once more, and this time the Finnish attacker's attempt was smothered by a lunging Zac MacMath.

Attacking chances were in limited supply as both teams spent the brunt of the second half failing to break their opponents down.

Minnesota's Thomas Chacon nearly found a late winner with a chip that was tipped above the bar by MacMath, and Salt Lake's Sam Johnson had a strike meander wide of the post in the dying minutes.

Columbus, Philadelphia, and Orlando City remain the only sides to guarantee safe passage to the tournament's knockout stage.