(Monday, March 17, 2025) – For the first time this season, RSL sees its players recognized on MLSsoccer.com’s “Team of the Matchday” selections, with playmaker Diego Luna named to Matchday 4’s fictional XI and RSL Captain Emeka Eneli on the imaginary bench.
Saturday night in Houston, Luna and Eneli needed just 43 seconds to combine on a 50-yard sequence with striker Ari Piol and set up RSL Designated Player Diogo Gonçalves for the go-ahead goal, RSL’s fourth-fastest ever in its 21-season history.
Then, just seconds from the end of the first half, with the score knotted at 1-1, it was Luna who took the bull by the horns and scored what ended up being the game-winning goal. The reigning 2024 MLS Young Player of the Year and 2024 MLS All-Star who is now praised by U.S. Men’s National Team manager Diego Pochettino for his “big balls” refused to give up on a 50/50 ball on the end line deep into second-half stoppage, recycling the play around the RSL box.
As Polish international Dominik Marczuk cut back inside from the right wing atop the box, his left-footed blast towards the far post was redirected by a slicing Luna, who headed it from the top of the six into the back of the net.
On both scoring sequences, as well as holding the lead for the entirety of the second half, RSL Captain Emeka Eneli was immense in dictating the tempo and keeping RSL on the front foot. Providing an outlet for Luna at the outset of both scoring plays, and combining with fellow pivot Braian Ojeda to snuff out Dynamo progressions, while also covering all the ground across Shell Energy Stadium, Eneli’s presence was felt on both sides of the ball for 90+ minutes Saturday, in RSL’s first win in South Texas since 2018, and only its fourth-ever, while snapping a nine-game winless run on the road at Dynamo across MLS, Leagues Cup, Open Cup and the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
This weekend, RSL welcomes another Texas side – FC Dallas – to America First Field, a 7:30p MT kickoff that will serve as a homecoming for former RSL attacker Anderson Julio. Saturday’s match – likely played without Luna due to the U.S. v Panama game on Thursday and Sunday’s possible Concacaf Nations League Final against the Canada/Mexico winner – is expected to sell out, with tickets remaining at www.RSL.com/tickets.
Marczuk will also miss the match due to his Poland selection for their FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Lithuania and Malta during the international window, while two RSL Academy products – FW Zavier Gozo and MF Aiden Hezarkhani – will miss the Monarchs’ Wednesday match at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman in the first-round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup due to their USA U-20 and U-18 camps this week in Spain.
