Real Salt Lake fought back once again, in its trademark “never-say-die” manner this preseason, this time from two goals down to earn a 3-3 draw with 2024 Eastern Conference champion New York Red Bulls, in a tense, feisty affair, in the team’s Coachella Valley Invitational series finale in Indio, California on Wednesday afternoon.
Ghanaian striker Forster Ajago netted a brace on either side of halftime, first to put RSL in front just 10 minutes in then the second just eight minutes from time to draw both sides level, while midfielder Diogo Gonçalves scored the team’s second of the match with an opportunistic yet emphatic finish as the Claret-and-Cobalt were condemned to a fourth draw of its six games played during the 2025 preseason campaign, with all four draws against MLS competition.
Coming into Wednesday’s early contest, Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni named a full-strength side, encompassing 10 different nationalities, that lasted the full 90 minutes:
STARTING XI: The 10 nationalities represented in RSL’s XI were: Brazil (Rafael Cabral), Greece (Alex Katranis), Colombia (Brayan Vera), USA (Justen Glad, Bode Hidalgo), Nigeria (Captain Emeka Eneli – also USA), Paraguay (Braian Ojeda), Poland (Dominik Marczuk), Australia (Lachlan Brook), Portugal (Diogo Gonçalves) and Ghana (Forster Ajago)
RSL began the game slightly on the stronger foot in the opening few minutes and was rewarded for its courageous start, scoring the opening goal less than 10 minutes on. With only nine minutes and counting on the clock, new signing Ajago managed to sneak in behind the NYRB high line, beating the offside trap and latching onto a long clearance from goalkeeper Rafael Cabral, before bearing down on goal, one-on-one against the opposing netminder and calmly placing a low, left-footed finish into the bottom left-hand corner.
Following the opening goal, Mastroeni’s charges then began to struggle to contain the opponents, as the Red Bulls increasingly grew into the game. RSL were pegged back in the 23rd minute when defender Alexander Hack rose unmarked in the penalty area to head home from a corner and draw parity for NYRB.
Parity then subsequently turned to advantage for Sando Schwarz’s men, in the 41st minute, when GK Cabral was penalized for bringing down former Bayern Munich and PSG striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in the box, with the Cameroonian international dusting himself off before slotting the resulting penalty into the bottom left-hand corner, sending Cabral the wrong way.
Mastroeni’s men looked to up the ante in the second half, but conceded a third goal against the run of play in the 65th minute, with NYRB duo Julian Hall and Mohammed Sofo combining to double the NY side’s advantage.
Now 1-3 down, with the scoreline and clock against them, RSL desperately chased its way back into the contest and managed to halve the deficit when Portuguese DP Diogo Gonçalves capitalized on some sloppy play in the opposition backline, thundering home an effort past the keeper and into the back of the net.
Then, in the 81st minute, parity was restored again, through more defensive mawkishness from NYRB. A pass played forward by midfielder Lachlan Brook was poorly intercepted by an opposing defender, the ball falling right into the path of an onrushing Ajago atop the penalty box, the imposing Ghanaian firing first-time with a low, well-placed left-footed effort towards the keeper’s right and into the back of the net for a share of the spoils.
What Did Pablo Mastroeni Say?
When asked what he’s been most impressed by throughout preseason, RSL HC Mastroeni explained:
“I think you learn something about this group in every game and every opponent poses a different challenge. But what I really liked about today is that though we weren’t at our best against Red Bull, the team still had the mindset and mentality to stay in there.
“I thought we had a great start to the game but then lost our way after around 20 minutes and were sloppy on the ball, which led to a lot of defending actions. At halftime, the guys talked a lot about their mindset and competing the right way, and in the second half they went out and did a great job of competing and winning their duels, and with that, we scored probably two of the best goals that I’ve seen all preseason.
“But overall, the group played some excellent football in the second half, so I think there’s a lot to take away from preseason, a lot to digest, look through, and see what areas we really want to focus on because, again, it’s impossible to be the team you [ideally] want to be after [only] five weeks. But there’s been some great signs, and some details that we will continue to hammer out.”
Another Victory Over a USL Championship Side
Real Salt Lake scrimmaged immediately after the Red Bull result at its Coachella training field against Orange County SC (USL Championship), winning 3-1 on goals from homegrown DF Tommy Silva, college draft pick Jesus Barea and new signing Ariath Piol. Former Orlando City GK Mason Stajduhar played the full 90 minutes, while Barea and Piol also registered assists, in addition to Pablo Ruiz and Tyler Wolff.
RSL had defeated Las Vegas Lights, 3-0, on Sat., Feb. 8
What's Next for RSL?
The Claret-and-Cobalt return to action in the competitive season opener against C.S. Herediano, in the Champions Cup, on Feb. 19. Kickoff is at 4:30 PM MT.
