With yet another spellbinding performance, Real Salt Lake attacker Diego Luna becomes the latest Claret-and-Cobalt member recognized by MLS for this week’s “Team of the Matchday.”
Leading RSL to a 2-1 win at home over Vancouver Saturday night, 2024 MLS Young Player of the Year candidate Luna scored his eighth goal of the season on a 73rd-minute equalizer, just 10 minutes before Luna set up DF Alex Katranis for what ended up being an 83rd-minute game-winner on the Vancouver goalkeeper’s own goal.
Luna – who has scored in three of his last four starts for RSL, including the scintillating game-winning goal in early October against his hometown San Jose side – is providing heroics down the stretch much like he did in last year’s postseason run. Luna’s eight goals this season are matched with 12 assists for the 21-year-old playmaker, just completing his second full MLS reg. season with Real Salt Lake.
With Saturday’s win, Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s team established a new Club all-time single-season points record (59), its best in 20 seasons, and also clinched a return to the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup, RSL’s first foray into continental competition since the 2015/16 season.
In addition to this season’s 59-point total eclipsing the 57 points accrued in the 2012 season, the 16th win in 34 games matches the Club’s second-highest win total in its 20 MLS campaigns (2013, 2019), trailing only the 17 won in 2012.
This is also the highest-scoring season in Real Salt Lake’s 20 MLS years, with 65 goals through 34 matches, eclipsing the 57 scored in 2013. RSL’s pair of goals scored Saturday enabled the 2024 side to match the all-time Club mark of 38 goals on home soil, matching the 2018 season’s production in Sandy.
Saturday’s 2-1 comeback win enabled RSL to enter the 2024 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs on an active six-game unbeaten streak, RSL finishing with back-to-back victories. The Oct. 5 victory at San Jose – with a Luna game-winner and the Club’s ninth clean sheet of the season – improved RSL’s 2024 road record to 5-4-8 / 23 points, allowing RSL to accrue its second-highest road point total in 20 MLS seasons, trailing only last year’s 28-point mark.
RSL now enters the MLS Cup Playoffs for the 14th time in the last 17 seasons, and for the fourth consecutive year under the guidance of Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni, who has improved the point totals and seeding in each of his four seasons. The 2024 campaign represents RSL’s eighth 50-point season in Club history – and its first since 2019 – with the 2024 edition of the Claret-and-Cobalt looking to return to the West Final for the first time since 2021.
Real Salt Lake (16-7-11, 59 points, 3rd West MLS) kicks off its 2024 Audi MLS Cup Playoff at home against the visiting Minnesota United FC (15-12-7, 52 points, 6thWest) next Tuesday, October 29, with a 7:00p MT kickoff at America First Field, where RSL posted a dominant 12-3-3 / 39-point mark across all competitions this season.
Tickets to RSL’s 35th playoff match in 20 seasons are NOW AVAILABLE. Real Salt Lake and Minnesota last met on Oct. 2 in Utah, the 0-0 scoreless draw part of RSL’s current six-game unbeaten run. The two sides have drawn in each of the last four meetings in 2023 and 2024, earning points as visitors, with each team winning at home in 2022. RSL’s 7:00p MT kickoff on Tues., Oct. 29 against Minnesota is available via Apple TV+ / MLS Season Pass.
This week’s Audi MLS Cup Playoff Wild Card matches (Montreal vs. Atlanta Tuesday, Portland vs. Vancouver Wednesday – check www.MLSsoccer.com for more information), as well as the Game One of all eight First-Round series, are available for FREE on Apple TV+ / MLS Season Pass.
AUDI 2024 MLS CUP PLAYOFFS – WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND
REAL SALT LAKE (3) v. MINNESOTA (6)
Game One – Tuesday, October 29 – 7:00p MT @ America First Field – Sandy, UT
Game Two – Saturday, November 2 – 7:00p MT @ Allianz Field – St. Paul, MN
Game Three (if necessary) – Friday, November 8 – 7:00p MT @ America First Field – Sandy, UT
