Real Salt Lake 2 vs. 2 San Jose Earthquakes_
July 30, 2022; PayPal Park, San Jose, California
Real Salt Lake (9-7-7, 34 points); San Jose Earthquakes (5-9-7, 23 pts)_
Man of the Match: As Real Salt Lake was trailing by a goal, Homegrown midfielder Diego Luna stepped onto the pitch as a late-game substitute and provided the spark that helped to give the Club a much needed point on the road. Despite not recording any shots, Luna’s presence was felt in his 15 minutes on the pitch, connecting on nearly all his passes with a 92.9% pass percentage and one key pass within that time. Prior to Luna coming on, RSL struggled to maintain possession, but his presence added some much-needed time on the ball. This was the Bay-area native’s first match against his hometown team since joining the Claret-and-Cobalt on June 2.
Telling Stat: Scoring yet another goal tonight, midfielder Jefferson Savarino has been on an offensive tear since being slotted into the starting XI, recording a Club-leading five goals in just seven matches. Savarino has also earned three assists during that time, providing a much-needed spark in the attack. Additionally, Savarino’s stoppage-time goal was the third such goal in the 2022 MLS season, joining stoppage-time goals from Justin Meram and Tate Schmitt. RSL is undefeated when the team scores after the 90th minute.
What You Missed: In the second meeting against RSL’s Northern California rival, the Claret-and-Cobalt earned a much needed point on the road, playing to a 2-2 draw with San Jose Earthquakes after a late-game goal from Designated Player Jefferson Savarino. Midfielder Jasper Löffelsend netted his first-ever professional goal, while defender Andrew Brody earned his third assist of the season. Additionally, winger Justin Meram earned his Club-leading seventh assist of the season, and forward Anderson Julio earned his second assist since re-signing with Real Salt Lake on April 28.
What’s Next: Real Salt Lake will return to Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday, August 6th at 8:30 p.m. MT to take on Western Conference rival and league-leading LAFC as part of its Asian American Pacific Islander celebration night. The University Of Utah Health Plaza on the east side of Rio Tinto Stadium opens at 6:30 p.m. MT, with gates opening at 7:00 p.m. MT. Tickets are available at www.RSL.com/tickets.
