Real Salt Lake Unbeaten Run Snapped with 3-0 Home Loss to LAFC

May 13, 2023 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro) – Real Monarchs News Release

SANDY, Utah – Real Salt Lake (3-6-2, 11 pts, 11th West MLS) dropped a 3-0 home decision to defending MLS Cup champions Los Angeles Football Club (6-1-3, 21 pts, 3rd West MLS) Saturday night in Sandy, before 19,407 fans. RSL sees its five-game unbeaten run across MLS and U.S. Open Cup snapped, with the opportunity to start anew Wednesday night against Portland Timbers FC at America First Field as the League campaign continues.

On the front foot for most of the first half, RSL yet again conceded the first goal of the night, as LAFC struck first in the ninth minute. MF Ilie Sanchez hit a long ball over the top that saw a streaking Kwadwo Opoku latch on, go in alone on RSL’s Zac MacMath, and open the scoring. That goal ended RSL’s shutout streak at 230 minutes in MLS action. For the seventh time in nine MLS matches, RSL found itself down 1-0.

RSL saw a trio of chances go wanting, as creativity from both Jefferson Savarino and Andrés Gómez created pressure on the LAFC defense. A long-range blast from Pablo Ruiz was saved deftly by LAFC keeper John McCarthy; on either side of the Ruiz chance, Rubio Rubin found himself inside the six, but was unable to find the back of the net.

Then in the 34th minute, dynamic Carlos Vela played a give and go in the attacking third with the hottest player in MLS, Denis Bouanga. The Gabon international unleashed an unpressured 25-yard blast with his left foot into the top right corner, the RSL ‘keeper MacMath with no chance to thwart. LAFC entered the halftime break up 2-0 over the Utah side.

In the second half, both teams saw a much slower pace of play, as LAFC chose to take the air out of the ball with deliberate possession. LAFC added a third goal via penalty kick in the 86th minute, as DF Brayan Vera looked to have pulled down Bouanga in the box. RSL again created several opportunistic half-chances, but despite the advantage in corner kicks (6-2) and shots (20-15), the Claret-and-Cobalt suffered its third consecutive shutout in MLS action, last scoring late in the 3-1 home win over San Jose on April 22.

UP NEXT: Real Salt Lake remains home at America First Field to host Portland Timbers FC this Wednesday, May 17 at 7:30 p.m. MT. Tickets are available at www.RSL.com/tickets for this match, the second between the sides in a week, as RSL defeated the Timbers 4-3 in U.S. Open Cup play last Wednesday to advance in the 109-year-old tournament.

GOAL SCORING…