SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (Wed., Feb. 19, 2025) - Real Salt Lake kicked off its 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup crusade with a scoreless draw against reigning Costa Rican champions CS Herediano in a laborious encounter at the Costa Rica’s Estadio Nacional in San José on Wednesday evening.
Heading into the team’s first competitive game of the year, Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni selected a full-strength XI for the Club’s return to continental competition for the first time since March 2016.
New signings Rafael Cabral, Kobi Henry, and Forster Ajago were all handed debuts from the start, with Cabral getting the nod in between the sticks, Henry coming in for long-time homegrown icon Justen Glad, recovering from a minor injury suffered in training on the weekend, with Ajago chosen to lead the line up top.
Fullbacks Alex Katranis and Bode Hidalgo made up the rest of the back four, alongside Colombian Bryan Vera who partnered with Henry at the heart of the defense, whilst midfield pivots Braian Ojeda and Emeka Eneli – the team’s 2025 minutes leaders, with the latter wearing the Captain’s armband – both selected to start. Further forward, Polish international Dominik Marczuk started wide on the right, with Portuguese DP Diogo Gonçalves on the opposite side, sandwiching Australian attacker Lachlan Brook starting in central attacking midfield just behind Forster.
RSL began the game with greater possession during the opening few minutes and got its first sight at goal less than 10 minutes into the contest, when Katranis found his way forward and delivered a cross into the box, met by the head of teammate Gonçalves, his speculative effort flying wide of the goal.
Difficulties abounded when Katranis was ultimately forced to go off in the 19th minute, after suffering an apparent concussion from a near-range shot to the head only a few minutes earlier. Offseason signing Sam Junqua - a fifth-year MLS veteran - came on as the Greek’s replacement, in the process becoming RSL’s fourth debutant on the night
Mastroeni’s men continued to generate better clear-cut chances during the opening stages and came close again midway through the half from Ojeda, after some good work running in behind by Ajago, but the Paraguayan could only watch his strike drag agonizingly wide to the goalkeeper’s right.
In a mostly combative opening 30 minutes, RSL’s best chance of the game arrived just after the half-hour mark, when Marczuk intelligently played in Ajago behind the Herediano defense, through on goal and running one-on-one against the keeper, but the Ghanaian’s subsequent effort was well-parried away by Dany Carvajal.
Following a mostly arduous first half, RSL managed to up the ante during the second period, coming close again to taking the lead at different times through Ajago and Marczuk, but more brave defending from the hosts conspired to keep Mastroeni’s charges at bay. The team’s best chance of the second half then fell to defender Junqua, in the 84th minute, when his header from point-blank range in the penalty box, off an exquisite Pablo Ruiz set piece, was heroically blocked on the line by an opposing defender and steered out of play.
The two sides would then endure a tense, nerve-wracking final few minutes in search of the go-ahead goal ahead of the second leg, with both sides forced to settle for a share of the spoils in the end, setting up a decisive second leg in Sandy next Wednesday, Feb. 26.
RSL return to action Saturday for the team’s 2025 MLS opener away at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., against the Earthquakes, with kickoff slated for 8:30 PM MT.
NOTES FROM HER 0 : 0 RSL
- Wednesday’s encounter represented the third all-time meeting between RSL and Herediano in the CONCACAF Champions tourney. The Claret-and-Cobalt have now endured a loss and two draws across the three previous games between the two sides.
- RSL extends its unbeaten streak (across 90-minute contests) to nine matches, stretching from the final eight games of the 2024 season to the start of the 2025 competitive campaign, with only two goals conceded during the team’s last five competitive games and 540 minutes played … RSL’s last loss was a Sept. 14 setback at Houston, and its last home loss was on Aug. 24 to San Jose.
- Wednesday’s draw in Costa Rica also saw five new signings all make their debuts for RSL, with GK Rafael Cabral, FW Forster Ajago, DF Kobi Henry, DF Sam Junqua, and MF Tyler Wolff each making their maiden appearances in Claret-and-Cobalt colors – the latter two introduced as substitutes.
LINEUPS
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Rafael Cabral; Bode Hidalgo, Kobi Henry, Brayan Vera (Justen Glad, 89’), Alex Katranis (Samuel Junqua, 19’); Braian Ojeda, Emeka Eneli ©; Dominik Marczuk (Zavier Gozo, 59’), Lachlan Brook (Tyler Wolff, 59’), Diogo Gonçalves; Forster Ajago (Pablo Ruiz, 75’)
Subs not used: Max Kerkvliet, Mason Stajduhar, Nelson Palacio, Ariath Piol, Tommy Silva, Griffin Dillon
Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni
C.S. Herediano (4-4-2): Danny Carvajal; Haxzel Quirós, Getsel Montes Escobar (Juan Luis Pérez, 46’), Keyner Brown, Yurguin Román; Emerson Bravo (Axel Amador, 71’), José Rodríguez, Allan Cruz, Randy Vega (Joseph Bolaños, 61’); Elías Aguilar© (Aaron Murillo, 82’), Marcel Hernández (Joaquín Hernández, 71’)
Subs not used: Emmanuel Garita, Anthony Walker, Darryl Araya, Ronaldo Araya, Eduardo Juárez, Sergio Rodríguez Aguilera, Yeltsin Tejeda
Head Coach: Alexander Vargas
Stats Summary: RSL / HER
Shots: 7 / 16
Shots on Goal: 2 / 4
Saves: 2 / 2
Corner Kicks: 5 / 5
Fouls: 17 / 19
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
HER: Getsel Montes Escobar (Yellow Card - 36’)
HER: Randy Vega (Yellow Card - 54’)
HER: Juan Luis Pérez (Yellow Card - 90’+3’)
RSL: Bode Hidalgo (Yellow Card - 90’+4’)
