Wednesday, April 16, 2025
The rollercoaster start to this season has proven to be rather challenging for Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s RSL side, notching just three wins to go along with five losses in MLS action, along with early elimination from CONCACAF Champions Cup. Each time the squad has won a match, the celebrations were short-lived due to an inability, so far, to back it up with another positive result.
Despite the inconsistent run of form, the last two matches have seen a shift in the team’s play style, opting for a more possession-based, quick-touch strategy accompanied by a rather successful high pressure when not in possession, the inherent skill bolstered by fight, resilience and grit as needed. As seen in the 2-0 home win against the LA Galaxy and the 2-1 away loss to Nashville SC, the starters are beginning to find their footing with one another, especially on the attacking side of the ball.
Looking to turn the page onto the next challenge, Real Salt Lake will face off against another cross-conference foe, Toronto FC. Unlike Nashville, RSL has a more established on-field relationship with its Canadian counterparts, with whom they have shared the pitch with 20 times prior.
This edition of storylines will explore the tactical changes that have been made over the last couple of weeks to spur a consistent run of form and how RSL will look to attack the home bout against Toronto.
Has Mastroeni Found the Formula?
From a purely results perspective one could look at the beginning of the season with certain disappointment as the Claret-and-Cobalt have registered only nine points out of 24. Nevertheless, it’s a more than difficult task to replicate the success the team saw last year, especially when considering the loss of key players in the offseason. As new arrivals and young ingenues seek cohesion, one must look forward to what RSL does have at its disposal with 30+ games remaining for the talent to find form there regardless of current results.
Eight fixtures into the MLS season, it appears that the players are starting to identify how to execute what they have been working on in training, week-in and week-out, to matchday. It’s important to first note that Pablo Mastroeni has repeated the same starting lineup that secured the home win against LA. The idea behind this seems to be to avoid fixing what isn’t broken but beyond that, there were positive steps taken in that encounter that allowed the team to flow in a manner that hadn’t been seen since last season and one could argue that despite the loss, last Saturday also showed glimpses of a turning tide.
A significant sign of improvement has been displayed by the front four men and their increased involvement throughout the last 180 minutes. Ari Piol, since coming back from a one match suspension against Minnesota United, has asserted himself as the top attacking option for the Wasatch Front not only due to his technical prowess but because of his ability to create space on and off the ball. In just his last two matches he has completed more passes per game than in his previous four appearances, logging nine against LA and 11 against Nashville. Additionally, he’s had more touches— 20 and 21 respectively— than his prior games excluding his RSL debut at home in the 2-0 win against Seattle, where he logged 24 in the 67 minutes he played, as reported on FBref.com. This increased participation shows how the coaching staff wants him to execute his role, not only being the prime option in front of goal but contributing to the build up, similar to what a false nine would do.
Dominik Marczuk had one of his best games in an RSL uniform this past Saturday against Nashville, scoring his first goal of the year and very nearly adding an assist on a Jesús Barea goal that was disallowed. His bursts of speed along the right-hand side of the pitch allowed the team to move further upfield and attack the open spaces. The Polish international logged a season-high in shots, with three accompanied by a season-high 36 touches. His role in the attacking third contributed to the high-intensity start the team had in the first 30 minutes almost taking a two-goal lead. In the clash with LA, he also recorded a season high in passing completion percentage with 76% on 19 of 25 attempts, according to FBref.com, further emphasizing the crucial role he has taken on in the past two weeks.
The crowning moment for the state of Utah’s Professional Male Athlete of the Year Diego Luna was undoubtedly his performance against the Galaxy, where he bagged two goals in the first 26 minutes of the match. Looking fresh throughout the 90 minutes, he was heavily involved in the development of the game from back-to-front and has become the primary attacking resource for RSL as his teammates depend on him to take on more responsibility with the ball. Luna’s on-field impact is evident, as he leads all attackers in successful passes received through the previous two fixtures with 34 against LA and 41 at Nashville as seen on FBref.com, highlighting how important he is to the team.
The momentum shift of this part of the season may just be what FW Diogo Gonçalves needs moving forward. Of the four attackers mentioned, he has not had a start to the season that the RSL faithful envisioned for him. Some may cite his lack of efficiency scoring the ball as the biggest frustration and although he’s had his fair share of opportunities, his determination to continue digging deep into his bag of tricks and taking matters into his own hands hasn’t ceased. His sheer talent on the ball conjures the respect of even the most veteran MLS defenders who attempt to limit his offensive output. Even still, he manages to generate goal-creating actions (GCA) combining for three in his last two outings according to FBref.com.
Looking ahead, it remains to be seen if the four attackers aforementioned will continue to take on a starting role as the schedule only toughens with a three-game road trip upcoming or if more changes will be made to the lineup to take advantage of other players’ abilities such as Jesus Barea. However, the past two weeks could serve as the beginning to what could be a pivotal turning point in the season for RSL.
Chasing Consistency Against the Canadians
Toronto FC will be the latest visitor to America First Field in the 2025 MLS season, coming off a 0-0 draw at home to Minnesota United. The Canadians - led by former RSL Cup-winning assistant Robin Fraser - currently sit in 14th place in the Eastern Conference with just four points to their collective name. In spite of its rocky start this year, TFC talent on their squad that most teams in the MLS would dream to have. The two DPs are the experienced Italian duo Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi. Both feature in the top 15 of highest earners in the MLS with Insigne in third just behind Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets and Bernardeschi at the 11th spot, according to Capologoy.
The two teams last met in July, 2023, when RSL grabbed a critical 0-1 away win against the Reds with a stoppage time goal by former striker Anderson Julio. Furthermore, the Utah club hasn’t lost to the Toronto group since 2018, reinforcing RSL’s positive record against Toronto.
This affair will no doubt provide an opportunity for Mastroeni’s men to bounce back from last Saturday’s loss in Nashville and improve RSL’s position in the Western Conference table, before continuing an arduous road stretch, one which sees the Claret-and-Cobalt play six of its next nine away.
Players such as DF Brayan Vera, MF Emeka Eneli, and GK Rafael Cabral have proven to be among the most important voices the team has on the pitch. Apart from their persistent leadership, it will be paramount for them to continue their consistent run of form in order for the team to grab points in the next matches.
Vera is coming off of his best game of the season, commanding the back line in what could have very well been an RSL win if not for some mistakes made towards the end of the game. His quick thinking to resolve goal-scoring opportunities, paired with Cabral’s incredible ability in goal, prevented a harsher scoreline.
Eneli on the other hand, has maintained structure in the midfield during the entire season garnering the nickname ‘Captain Emerika’ for his influence on his teammates and for his aptitude to communicate what the coaches want while on-field. The fans confide in their captain to steer the ship in the right direction and the improvement the club has shown in recent weeks shows that the winning current is just along the horizon.
This Saturday will mark the ninth test of the season, and while Toronto presents a tough challenge, it could become the next obstacle to overcome on the road to the MLS playoffs. Game kicks off at 7:30 MT. Tickets are available here.
