Real Salt Lake 3 vs 1 Las Vegas Lights
April 26, 2023; Cashman Field; Las Vegas, Nevada
Real Salt Lake (3-5-0, 9 points in MLS); Las Vegas Lights (0-1-4, 4 points in USL)
Man of the Match: Gavin Beavers came up big in just his second career start, recording six saves to ensure RSL stayed in the contest throughout the course of the match. A 1v1 save in the 97th minute which kept the match tied at zero in extra-time was an exclamation point on the dominant performance from the 17-year-old Homegrown Player.
Telling Stats: The 3-1 extra-time win over Las Vegas is the first-ever road match win in U.S. Open Cup play in Club history, and the first win in the tournament since 2016. Beavers and forward Bertin Jacquesson also had a night of firsts, with Beavers picking up his first win and the Frenchman recording the first assist of his professional career.
What You Missed: The two sides exchanged chances over the course of the 90 minutes, but Las Vegas had the only significant opportunities of regulation, testing Beavers on multiple occasions including a couple of 1v1 situations. Finally, in the 105’+1st minute Damir Kreilach ended the goalless drought on a header from a Bertin Jacquesson corner to inch closer to a nail-biting victory. The momentum was short-lived however, as the Lights responded quickly via a Lucas Stauffer goal in the 112th. Captain Kreilach came to the rescue again in the 116th, jumping on to the end of an Andrés Gómez cross to retake the lead. Nine minutes later in the dying seconds of stoppage time, Las Vegas native Danny Musovski pounced on a fumbled rebound to solidify the 3-1 road win.
What’s Next?: RSL returns to MLS play as Seattle Sounders FC comes to America First Field for a Western Conference showdown this Saturday at 7:30 pm M.T.
