DALLAS, Texas (Saturday, May 10, 2025) – Real Salt Lake (4-7-1, 13 points, 11th West) nearly had Diego Luna to thank for a narrow, vengeful victory in Texas, but Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s charges were forced to settle for its first draw of the season, an arduous 1-1 stalemate at FC Dallas.
Starlet Luna sent the visitors on their way with a moment of sheer individual magic midway through the first half, scoring his fourth goal in the last three weeks to put RSL in front. Early in the second half, the Claret-and-Cobalt were handed a cruel reminder as former striker Anderson Julio cut his way through two opponents en route to slamming home a second-half equalizer to force Mastroeni and Co. to settle for only a share of the spoils.
In a game of equal setback and difficulty, RSL were forced to see out the game’s final half-hour with 10 men, after William Agada was sent off for a second yellow card offense early in the second half.
Heading into Saturday night’s affair, RSL boss Mastroeni made two alterations to the starting XI from the preceding weekend, as teenage winger Zavier Gozo was handed a third consecutive start. Agada was handed his first start in RSL colors after coming off bench each of the last two weekends following his deadline-day acquisition, Noel Caliskan was also awarded his first start of the season, deputizing at right-back in light of injuries, suspensions and rotations.
The Claret-and-Cobalt enjoyed the more positive start between both teams and were eventually rewarded with the lead midway through the opening half through an ingenuity-filled piece of individual skill from Luna. In the 24th minute, a scramble in the penalty area ended with a blocked effort from midfielder Diogo Gonçalves, which deflected into the path of Luna, outside on the edge of the area. The 2024 MLS All-Star and reigning MLS Young Player of the Year initially feinted a shot and then twisted and turned first to his right, then back to his left, followed by another deceiving fake shot – bamboozling the Dallas defenders tasked with containing him – before magnificently curling a deft, left-footed strike off the post, past Dallas goalkeeper Martin Paes, and into the back of the net for a spectacular RSL advantage on the night.
RSL continued to control large sections of proceedings as halftime approached, but the hosts soon managed to restore parity when striker Julio netted an impressive individual effort of his own, bursting through two opponents with pace and a chop inside before finishing coolly from near the six-yard box.
A night which had begun with much promise and excitement for RSL subsequently descended into a sour note when Agada was handed his marching orders by referee Rosendo Mendoza, in the 58th minute, for a second bookable offense, handing RSL its league-leading fourth red card ejection of the season and forcing the visitors to see out the remainder of the game with a numerical disadvantage.
With the score deadlocked, both sides battled it out for the final 30 minutes in search of a crucial go-ahead goal, which ultimately proved fruitless as the two teams each settled for a point apiece.
The result places RSL in 11th in the Western Conference, with 13 points from the team’s opening 12 games. Next up for the Claret-and-Cobalt is a home date with Portland Timbers this Wednesday, May 14 at America First Field, with kickoff slated for 7:30 PM MT.
DAL 1 : 1 RSL
GOALSCORING SUMMARY
RSL: Diego Luna (Unassisted) 24’: A goal of sheer, raw class. A scramble in the penalty area ended with a blocked effort from midfielder Diogo Gonçalves which deflected right into the path of Diego Luna, outside on the edge of the area, who feinted a shot and then twisted and turned first to his right, then back to his left, followed by another deceiving fake shot – bamboozling the Dallas defenders tasked with containing him – before magnificently curling a deft left-footed strike off the upright, past Martin Paes, and into the back of the net for a spectacular RSL goal.
DAL: Anderson Julio (Pedrinho) 46’: Striker Anderson Julio received a return pass out wide right next to his team’s right-hand sideline before managing to cut this way through two opposition players, first with an effective burst of pace and then a chop inside, followed by a low finish into the back of the net for the game’s equalizer.
NOTES FROM DAL 1 : 1 RSL
- Midfielder Luna’s 24th-minute strike represented his fourth goal in the 21-year-old’s last three games, as well as his seventh overall thus far this season, just one shy than he managed in the entirety of 2024 (8).
- German Noel Caliskan’s start on Saturday was the auxiliary right back’s first of the 2025 season and third overall in MLS action since joining RSL in 2024.
- Striker William Agada’s harsh red card also arrived on the 25-year-old’s first start in Claret-and-Cobalt colors.
- 18-year-old Zavier Gozo also earned his third consecutive start in the team on Saturday night, well-merited on the back of his recent slew of positive displays.
- RSL’s penchant for scoring first appeared once again tonight, with RSL unable to add to the four wins and three losses this season when striking first, settling for the 1-1 draw
- Homegrown DF Justen Glad will be forced to serve a yellow-card accumulation suspension Wednesday, missing the home game against Portland due to tonight’s early caution
- DF Alex Katranis is now one yellow card away from suspension, while Captain Emeka Eneli is two cautions away from missing a game due to yellows
LINEUPS
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Rafael Cabral; Noel Caliskan, Justen Glad, Sam Junqua, Alex Katranis (Bode Hidalgo, 75’); Emeka Eneli ©, Braian Ojeda; Zavier Gozo (Dominik Marczuk, 64’), Diego Luna (Ariath Piol, 84’), Diogo Gonçalves (Jesus Barea, 84’); William Agada
Subs not used: Mason Stajduhar, Zack Farnsworth, Lachlan Brook, Tyler Wolff, Pablo Ruiz, Johnny Russell
Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni
FC Dallas (4-2-3-1): Marteen Paes; Lalas Abunakar, Osaze Urhoghide, Sebastien Ibeagha, Nolan Noris; Show (Pedrinho, 46’), Katiego Ntsabeleng (Paxton Pomykal, 81’); Luciano Acosta ©, Kaick Ferreria, Bernard Kamungo (Petar Musa, 72’); Anderson Julio
Subs not used: Michael Collodi, Diego Garcia, Logan Farrington, Alvaro Augusto, Shaq Moore, Patrickson Delgado
Head Coach: Eric Quill
Stats Summary: DAL / RSL
Shots: 8 / 7
Shots on Goal: 2 / 3
Saves: 2 / 1
Corner Kicks: 2 / 3
Fouls: 18 / 16
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
DAL: Show (Yellow Card - 6’)
RSL: Justen Glad (Yellow Card - 11’)
RSL: Diego Luna (Yellow Card - 15’)
RSL: Emeka Eneli (Yellow Card - 39’)
RSL: Alexandros Katranis (Yellow Card - 45 + 7’)
RSL: William Agada (Yellow Card - 51’)
RSL: William Agada (2nd Yellow Card - Red Card - 58’)
DAL: Kaick Ferreria (Yellow Card - 76’)
