Real Salt Lake 3 vs 1 Las Vegas Lights
April 26, 2023; Cashman Field; Las Vegas, Nevada
Real Salt Lake (3-5-0, 9 points in MLS); Las Vegas Lights (0-1-4, 4 points in USL)
Man of the Match: Gavin Beavers came up big in just his second career start, recording six saves to ensure RSL stayed in the contest throughout the course of the match. A 1v1 save in the 97th minute which kept the match tied at zero in extra-time was an exclamation point on the dominant performance from the 17-year-old Homegrown Player.
Telling Stats: The 3-1 extra-time win over Las Vegas is the first-ever road match win in U.S. Open Cup play in Club history, and the first win in the tournament since 2016. Beavers and forward **Bertin Jacquesson** also had a night of firsts, with Beavers picking up his first win and the Frenchman recording the first assist of his professional career.
What You Missed: The two sides exchanged chances over the course of the 90 minutes, but Las Vegas had the only significant opportunities of regulation, testing Beavers on multiple occasions including a couple of 1v1 situations. Finally, in the 105’+1st minute **Damir Kreilach** ended the goalless drought on a header from a Bertin Jacquesson corner to inch closer to a nail-biting victory. The momentum was short-lived however, as the Lights responded quickly via a Lucas Stauffer goal in the 112th. Captain Kreilach came to the rescue again in the 116th, jumping on to the end of an **Andrés Gómez** cross to retake the lead. Nine minutes later in the dying seconds of stoppage time, Las Vegas native **Danny Musovski** pounced on a fumbled rebound to solidify the 3-1 road win.
What’s Next?: RSL returns to MLS play as Seattle Sounders FC comes to America First Field for a Western Conference showdown this Saturday at 7:30 pm M.T.
