Real Salt Lake (10-3-7, 37 points, 2nd West); LA Galaxy (10-3-7, 37 points, 3rd West)
What Happened?
Real Salt Lake (10-3-7, 37 points, 2nd West) suffered its third defeat of the 2024 MLS season, and its first in more than 100 days over its last 16 games, in a narrow, frustrating 1-0 loss to West rivals LA Galaxy at a packed America First Field on Saturday night.
Gabriel Pec netted the only goal of a tight, cagey affair late in the second half, with a low, hard finish to Zac MacMath’s near post in the 74th minute, on a night where the Claret-and-Cobalt was forced to relinquish its lead atop the West’s standings following LAFC’s win on the same day. RSL came into this match forced to rotate due to injury and suspension, and then lost Captain Chicho Arango early in the match, forced off in the 16th minute after suffering a nasty head collision with Martin Caceres.
The result snaps the Club’s all-time record 15-match unbeaten run, dating as far back to March 9. RSL had been unbeaten for 103 consecutive days prior to the defeat, matching the second-longest run in MLS history, set three times before (Portland, 2013 and 2018; Colorado, 2016). FC Dallas and its 19-game streak set in 2010 is safe once again.
Player Spotlight: Caliskan cameo provides positive glimpses
RSL's latest signing, second-year professional MF Noel Caliskan, made only his third appearance of the season on Saturday in an impressive cameo that further emphasized his reputation as one of the franchise’s budding young talents. The 23-year-old came on as a 66th-minute substitute and put on a positive display at the base of midfield, shuttling across the lines to protect his back four while also being equally adept on the ball to craft opportunities for his forwards with his range of passing and dribbling. Despite the team eventually conceding against the run of play, Caliskan’s performance upon his introduction helped Pablo Mastroeni’s men maintain game-state control throughout the remainder of the contest.
In his 24 minutes on the field, Caliskan made a total of 22 successful passes, boasting a 96 percent success rate, including one key pass.
The Germany native has already made two early appearances for RSL, in the 2-0 and 2-1 losses to Miami and Colorado respectively, and only just recently signed a deal to the Club’s Major League Soccer first team roster on Friday, June 21, 2024, following a series of fine performances for both the first team and Real Monarchs. This year with the Monarchs, Caliskan has made 11 appearances, logging four assists from his midfield pivot position.
Caliskan’s performances and promotion to the RSL first team underline the Club’s vision and emphasis on youth, growth, and development, demonstrative of the pathway at Real Salt Lake for any deserving of it.
Palacio impresses in rare start
Midfielder Nelson Palacio was another player who impressed with a rare start on Saturday, only his third start of the season. The Colombian international provided the performance of a seasoned veteran at the base of RSL’s midfield before his substitution late in the second half.
Deployed as one of the holding midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 starting formation, Palacio operated as the team’s deepest lying midfielder, serving as the primary link between defense and attack, allowing midfield partner Braian Ojeda more license and freedom to roam higher up the pitch to provide support to the forward players.
Palacio’s dribbling and range of passing were also mainly on display throughout his time on the pitch, helping to facilitate build-up and chance creation while also possessing the defensive nous and skill to shield his back four and keep the Galaxy offense at bay. The 23-year-old’s performance helped RSL establish dominance throughout the first half, relegating the visitors to not having even a single shot on target through the first 45 minutes.
In his 66 minutes on the field, Palacio recorded a total of 53 successful passes with an astounding 98.2 passing accuracy, the highest of any RSL player on the pitch with more than 20 pass attempts.
MacMath, Gómez continue to set the standard
Goalkeeper and veteran leader Zac MacMath was another outstanding performer on the night, most notably providing two crucial saves in the second half as the hosts chased a winner.
The first of both aforementioned saves came in the 51st minute in the face of a Galaxy attack against the run of play. Dejan Jovelic won the ball back for the visitors high up the pitch, before releasing Joseph Paintsil, who managed to create separation from Bryan Oviedo and dribble into the penalty area for a one-on-one with MacMath, but the RSL shot-stopper came off his line at the crucial moment using his full frame to make a miraculous save and thwart the Galaxy striker.
Then, in the 56th minute, the Galaxy won a foul just outside the area 30 yards out. Diego Fagundez stepped up to take the ensuing freekick for the visitors, with a fierce right-footed effort that sailed over the heads of the men in the wall and looked destined for the top right corner, but MacMath, once again, was on hand with a sprawling dive to his left and a fist away to make another stunning save and keep the Claret-and-Cobalt level.
RSL’s number 18 was equally adept with the ball at his feet, boasting a total of 24 completed passes at an accuracy of 88.9 percent to cap off another overall fine performance.
All-star hopeful Andres Gómez also delivered a promising performance in what has been a fine individual season for the 21-year-old thus far.
With the scoreline empty, Gómez had a chance to open the scoring in the 25th minute when he latched onto a long pass from MacMath before skillfully skipping past three Galaxy defenders and one-on-one with John McCarthy, but his subsequent placed effort was well saved by the Galaxy shot-stopper.
Then in the 32nd minute, Ojeda won a foul deep in the Galaxy half to open up a freekick opportunity which Gómez stepped up to take, opting for a low hard strike under the wall, However, his effort was once again saved by McCarthy in the Galaxy goal.
RSL’s second-top scorer this season then had another glorious opportunity in the 51st minute. A short corner was played to Oviedo who subsequently lofted a cross deep into the box which was missed by McCarthy as he came out to try and claim it, leaving the goal open, and found its way to Gomez for a seemingly easy tap-in but his fierce shot cannoned right off the crossbar and away, with the goal at his mercy.
Throughout his time on the field, Gómez posted an 80.6 successful passing percentage with 29 completed passes, including a total of six scoring attempts, two shots on target, and a personal xG of 0.66.
Despite not registering a goal contribution in the tie, it was another positive, electric performance from the young Colombian attacker who on another day could very well have walked away with the match ball.
Off to the best start to a season in franchise history, the result drops RSL to second place in the Western Conference standings with 37 points from 19 games, the same points total as first-placed LAFC who have one more win (11) compared to RSL’s (10), as well as a game in hand.
RSL’s next match is on Wednesday, July 3rd against Houston Dynamo, in what is yet another critical Western Conference clash. For tickets, schedules, info, news, and more, visit rsl.com/tickets
Important Milestones
- The 0-1 loss snaps the Club’s all-time record 15-match unbeaten run, dating back to March 9. RSL had been unbeaten for 103 consecutive days prior to the defeat, matching the second-longest run in MLS history, set three times before (Portland, 2013 and 2018; Colorado, 2016).
- 23-year-old MF Noel Caliskan, fresh off signing a first-team contract with the Club earlier in the day, makes his third appearance for RSL at the MLS level. Caliskan played 24 minutes, completing 22 passes at a 96% success rate, including a key pass.
- MF Nelson Palacio earns his third start with RSL this season, posting a magnificent 98.2% passing accuracy rate with 53 completed passes (one key pass).
- RSL will be off next weekend, June 29, next taking the field on July 3 at home against Houston Dynamo FC, with Atlanta United also visiting Utah soil on July 6. Tickets for both expected sellout matches are available at www.RSL.com/tickets.
- Saturday’s standing-room-only crowd of 21,570 was the second-largest in RSL’s 15-year history at the venue, just a few hundred shy of the August 2022 LAFC visit featuring Garth Bale which remains the largest.
