SANDY, Utah (Saturday, August 24, 2024) – Real Salt Lake (12-6-8, 44 Pts, 3rd West) fell to San Jose Earthquakes 2-0 in front of a standing-room-only home crowd of 21,015, marking the seventh consecutive sellout crowd and the ninth in 13 home games for the Claret-and-Cobalt at America First Field this season. Despite the result, three recent summer signings, Diogo Gonçalves, Lachlan Brook and Javain Brown played their first-ever RSL minutes.
Reigniting its quest for a Supporters’ Shield and top MLS Cup Playoff seeding after 19 days without a game, it was a slow start for RSL in the first 45 minutes of play. Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s starting lineup set the stage for the debut of newly-signed attacking midfielder and designated player Gonçalves, but the festivities were quickly spoiled when San Jose scored thanks to a combination of defensive errors in the 20th minute. Then, this time with some set piece choreography, San Jose doubled down with a second goal in the 33rd minute. Finally, adding injury to insult, RSL Captain and star frontman Chicho Arango was forced to leave the game prior to the intermission with a right hamstring tweak, the early exodus leaving Arango tied at 17 goals with Álvaro Saborío for the all-time MLS single-season franchise goals record.
Coming out for the second 45, a rejuvenated RSL side came alive in search of an opening goal, the fire further stoked when new signee, Australian U-23 attacker Brook was substituted on shortly into the second half to make his RSL and MLS debut. Despite a barrage of scoring chances, the 2-0 scoreline would remain locked until the final whistle, handing RSL just its sixth loss from 26 matches.
RSL will look to bounce back in its next match, a home encounter with New England Revolution at America First Field next Saturday, August 31, with tickets available at rsl.com/tickets/
GOAL SCORING SUMMARY:
SJ - 20’ - Cristian Espinoza (Jackson Yueill): As RSL struggled to settle into the game, it would be San Jose that struck first with an unlikely 20’ strike. As Salt Lake began their buildup from the back, an errant pass was intercepted at the edge of the attacking third by Jackson Yueill. Looking to quickly catch RSL out of their shape, Yueill shuffled it to Cristian Espinoza on the right wing with pace. In a seemingly unthreatening position, Espinoza wound up and uncorked a shot on frame, the attempt sailing between the legs of his marker before it glanced off the gloves of Zack MacMath and redirected into the back of the net.
SJ - 34’ - Amahl Pellegrino (Unassisted): After winning a free kick from around 35 yards on the left side of the midfield, San Jose struck again to claim a commanding 2-0 advantage at the 33’ mark. Espinoza taking the responsibility, he timed his service with the run of Ousseni Bouda, curling a well-placed ball at the back post as Bouda cut across the face of goal to the near post. The cross-goal run of Bouda freezing Zack MacMath in the center of net, the ball went through to the back post untouched, forcing a diving save from MacMath as he deflected it off the post and back into play. With MacMath now helplessly out of the picture as the ball bounced back across the face of the goal, Amahl Pellegrino raced in to deposit the uncontested point-blank finish and put his squad up a pair.
NOTES FROM RSL 0 : 2 SJ
- Three new RSL signings, AM Diogo Gonçalves, winger Lachlan Brook and DF Javain Brown make their RSL/MLS debuts, the ninth, 10th and 11th players to do so during the 2024 campaign.
- RSL sells out America First Field for the seventh consecutive match and the ninth of 13 contests across all competitions with another standing-room-only crowd of 21,015.
- RSL captain Chicho Arango leaves match in the 42nd minute with a right hamstring tweak, remaining tied with Álvaro Saborío for ownership of the Club’s all-time single-season scoring record at 17 goals.
- RSL returns to action following 35 days without an MLS match, 19 days without game action in any competition. Club now embarks on the final stretch with three of the next four and five of next eight to be played in Utah soil, where RSL is 9-3-1 / 28 points this season across reg. season & Leagues Cup action.
- For just the 10th occasion in 129 all-time games coached by Pablo Mastroeni since late August, 2021, RSL has dropped back-to-back matches. Since mid-July, RSL has lost four of its last six across all competitions.
LINEUPS -
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Zac MacMath; Justen Glad ©; Brayan Vera; Bode Hidalgo (Javain Brown, 74’); Alex Katranis; Emeka Eneli; Braian Ojeda (Nelson Palacio, 61’); Diogo Gonçalves; Maikel Chang (Lachlan Brook, 61’); Matt Crooks (Benji Michel, 74’); Chicho Arango © (Anderson Julio, 42
Subs not used: Andrew Brody, Philip Quinton, Gavin Beavers
San Jose Earthquakes (4-2-3-1): Daniel; Daniel Munie; Rodrigues; Vitor Costa; Carlos Gruezo; Jackson Yueill © (Michael Baldisimo, 72’); Hernan (Niko Tsakiris, 46’); Amahl Pellegrino (Paul Marie, 66’); Cristian Espinoza (Jack Skahan, 83’); Ousseni Bouda (Tanner Beason, 84’); Benji Kikanovic
Subs not used: Alfredo Morales, Tommy Thompson, William Yarbrough, Oscar Verhoeven
Stats Summary: RSL / SJ
Shots: 17 / 15
Shots on Goal: 4 / 7
Saves: 3 / 4
Corner Kicks: 7 / 7
Fouls: 16 / 14
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
SJ: Carlos Gruezo (Caution - 37’)
RSL: Lachlan Brook (Caution - 81’)
SJ: Daniel (Caution - 84’)
