Real Salt Lake Captures Back-to-Back Home Victories with 3-1 Win Over San Jose

April 23, 2023 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro) – Real Monarchs News Release

SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake (3-5-0, 9 points, 9th West) secured a dominant 3-1 victory over San Jose Earthquakes courtesy of three scintillating goals from Jasper Löffelsend, Jefferson Savarino and Andres Gomez.

Wearing their teal “For the Planet” kits, Real Salt Lake looked to secure its fifth-consecutive unbeaten result while wearing Major League Soccer’s annual “Earth Day” adidas jerseys. The team was quick to threaten San Jose’s defense, putting two shots on target early on, first from Anderson Julio shortly followed by a shot from Bode Hidalgo, but the ‘Quakes goalkeeper was able to avoid concession.

However, after establishing early danger and dominance, Julio went down with an injury and the RSL was forced to make an early change, inserting forward Danny Musovski in the 25th minute. Despite the early substitution, Musovski was quick to make an impact, assisting Jasper Löffelsend’s 39th-minute goal to help give RSL the 1-0 lead – the first time in eight games this season that RSL struck first. Several moments later, Musovski looked primed to net one of his own when he found himself with a breakaway, but a lingering defender was able to step in front, stripping him of the ball. RSL – despite having to make another first-half injury substitution when defender Brayan Vera was forced to make way for Bryan Oviedo – would go on to take its first halftime lead of the season.

The Earthquakes quickly equalized coming out of the halftime break, when a curling free kick from Cristian Espinoza deflected off an RSL defender and snuck inside the near post in the 49th minute. Five minutes later, RSL snatched back the lead, when crafty Colombian speedster Gómez drove down the middle of the field before laying off a pass for Savarino on the left side of goal. Savarino took two touches inward before rocketing off a right-footed shot, curving its way inside the post, giving the Venezuelan Designated Player his third goal in as many games, the second-longest streak in RAL annals.

In the 80th minute, Gomez would score one of his own, recording his first-ever MLS/RSL goal by slamming home an Oviedo pass from just outside the 18-yard-box. Savarino was also credited with an assist on Gomez’s goal, giving him his 30th career assist and making him the fifth-ever player and the second-fastest in Club history to reach the vaunted 30 goal / 30 assist threshold, doing so in 108 games (Joao Plata 30…