PORTLAND, Ore. (Wed., Oct. 22, 2025) – Real Salt Lake (12-17-5, 41 points, 9th West) fell 3-1 away to the Portland Timbers (11-12-11, 41 points, 8th West) in the Western Conference Wild Card matchup of the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, doomed by two first-half concessions and a late dagger from the home team on either side of RSL Homegrown DF Justen Glad’s first goal since 2023.
RSL boss Pablo Mastroeni made one personnel change to his starting lineup from Saturday’s 2-2 playoff-clinching draw in St. Louis, bringing Greek defender Alex Katranis back into the starting lineup after serving a one-game suspension for yellow-card accumulation. Two RSL Academy products, defender Justen Glad and rising young star Zavier Gozo featured in the starting XI, with Gozo coming off yet another assist to add to his tally in last weekend’s draw. Also featured in the starting lineup for the second consecutive week was Nigerian striker Victor Olatunji, who secured the brace against St. Louis on Saturday, ultimately leading Real Salt Lake to the wild card match.
The Claret-and-Cobalt took the pitch tonight in its fifth consecutive postseason appearance, a Conference-best active streak, all under the leadership of Mastroeni. In goal tonight was Brazilian goalkeeper and RSL captain Rafael Cabral who has been the backbone of the team all season, playing all 3,600 minutes across 40 games in all competitions in 2025, including tonight.
Real Salt Lake came out quick, getting into the attacking zone in the first minute. From then on, the opening fifteen minutes of the match proved to be a defensive battle, with the back-line working together as a brick wall for multiple offensive attacks by the home side. RSL fell behind in the 24th minute, after a rebounded save by Cabral off of a corner led to a Portland goal. With the score now at 1-0, the Claret-and-Cobalt would need to find offensive cohesion to equalize.
Just twelve minutes later, the deficit grew as the Timbers doubled their lead through Felipe Mora. RSL found a spark when veteran homegrown defender Glad pulled one back with a perfectly placed header into the top-left corner following a pinpoint cross from Portuguese Designated Player Diogo Gonçalves. The goal marked Glad’s first since scoring five times during the 2023 MLS season. The strike brought life into a frustrated RSL, bringing the equalizer back within reach. After three minutes of stoppage time the Claret-and-Cobalt headed into the locker room trailing 2-1.
Heading into the second half, Mastroeni opted to make a slight tactical change, bringing Gozo up top to join Olatunji and shift into a 4-2-2-2 formation. Along with the shift, midfielder Emeka Eneli came in as a substitute at the start of the half for the German-born midfielder Noel Caliskan, who received a yellow card in the first 45 minutes.
After a few offensive opportunities, Cabral proved once again why he is a top ‘keeper in MLS, making a diving save in the 59th minute and keeping the visitors within reach. Just a couple of minutes later, Gonçalves sent a cross into the box for Gozo, who drove it across the box for Olatunji, just one step shy of finding the net.
In the 65th minute, RSL made its next substitutions, bringing on the attacking duo of William Agada and Designated Player Rwan Cruz, whose fresh legs would be a big help in the push to find a second goal.
Joining the squad on the pitch in the 78th minute was MLS rookie Jesús Barea, a striking machine who tallied 14 goals in 19 matches with the Club’s MLS NEXT Pro affiliate, Real Monarchs. A turnover by RSL led to another Cabral save, as he punched the ball out of bounds for a Portland corner. The home side capitalized on a recycle, heading the ball in far post to take a 3-1 lead in the 82nd minute.
After two RSL goals were called back due to offside and a foul, the visitors were left with seven minutes of stoppage time to attempt to climb back. The Claret-and-Cobalt battled until the final whistle, pushing the ball into the attacking third time and time again but ultimately were unable to find the back of the net. Though RSL’s season ends in the Wild Card round, its resilience through a year of adversity and a fifth consecutive playoff appearance stand as testaments to the club’s enduring spirit.
GOAL SCORING SUMMARY: POR 3 : 1 RSL
POR: Felipe Mora (Unassisted) 24’: After a corner for the Timbers forced a save by Cabral, Mora took advantage off of the deflection, taking a right footed shot inside the box into the center of the goal.
POR: Felipe Mora (Unassisted) 35’: Following a cross from Velde from just outside the left side of the box, Mora got a second chance after his deflected header by Cabral with a right footed finish to the middle right zone of the goal.
RSL: Justen Glad (Diogo Gonçalves) 39’: After a corner kick for Real Salt Lake, Gonçalves sent a soaring pass to Glad from the outside right corner of the box, which Glad head into the top left corner of the goal from the center of the box.
POR: Kamal Miller (Ariel Lassiter) 82’: Following a corner for the Timbers, Lassiter crossed the ball from the right side of the box to Miller who headed it into the central bottom zone from the center of the box.
LINEUPS:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Rafael Cabral ©; DeAndre Yedlin (Johnny Russell, 88’), Brayan Vera, Justen Glad,Alex Katranis; Noel Caliskan (Emeka Eneli, 46’), Braian Ojeda (Jesus Barea, 78’); Zavier Gozo (Rwan Cruz, 65’), Diego Luna, Diogo Gonçalves; Victor Olatunji (William Agada, 65’)
Subs not used: Mason Stajduhar, Philip Quinton, Sam Junqua, Pablo Ruiz
Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni
Portland Timbers (4-3-3): James Pantemis; Juan Mosquera, Kamal Miller, Finn Surman, Jimer Fory; David Ayala (Cristhian Paredes, 78’), Diego Chará ©, David Da Costa (Joao Ortiz 86’); Antony (Ariel Lassiter, 78’), Felipe Mora (Kevin Kelsy, 85’), Kristoffer Velde (Omir Fernandez, 90’)
Subs not used: Maxime Crépeau, Dario Zuparic, Eric Miller, Ian Smith
Head Coach: Phil Neville
Stats Summary: POR / RSL
Shots: 11 / 23
Shots on Goal: 8 / 7
Saves: 6 / 5
Corner Kicks: 7 / 6
Fouls: 13 / 17
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
RSL: Noel Caliskan (Yellow Card - 23’)
RSL: Brayan Vera (Yellow Card - 74’)
RSL: DeAndre Yedlin (Yellow Card - 79’)
RSL: Diego Luna (Yellow Card - 84’)
RSL: Alexandros Katranis (Yellow Card -88’)
