SANDY, Utah (Wed., July 15, 2026) – Real Salt Lake (8-2-4, 26 points, 3rd West, 5th Shield) earned an exhibition victory on Wednesday night at America First Field, defeating EFL Championship side Burnley FC 4-1 in RSL’s last contest before next week’s highly-anticipated return to MLS action.
Rookie FW Sergi Solans notched a brace, while Utah native and first-time MLS All-Star Zavier Gozo also found the back of the net. RSL star Diego Luna converted a late penalty kick in the 4-1 win, while captain and GK Rafa Cabral stopped an early Burnley PK to move RSL to eight wins in nine home matches in 2026 across all competitions.
Wednesday’s match posed a challenge for RSL after the long World Cup break, while also allowing fans to fill America First Field for the first time since May 16, when the Club prevailed 2-1 over rivals Colorado Rapids.
Real Salt Lake Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni made three changes to the lineup that started the Club’s last MLS game away at Minnesota United on May 23. Philip Quinton made his first start since May 13 against Houston Dynamo FC, while Diego Luna and Morgan Guilavogui also returned to the attack against Burnley.
Real Salt Lake came out hot in the first half, creating a great chance merely two minutes into the match. Diego Luna controlled the ball on the right side of the field and spotted the run of Sergi Solans in behind the last defender. Luna’s ball found Solans one-on-one with the keeper but the Spaniard was unable to finish, forcing a great save from Max Weiss that allowed time for Burnley’s defense to return to position.
The Clarets took little time to respond, winning a penalty on the other half of the pitch in the sixth minute, when FW Armando Broja was tripped up in the box by Stijn Spierings. Broja stepped up to take the kick, but was denied by an outstretched Rafael Cabral, whose heroics kept the game tied at 0-0 despite the chaotic start.
After the save, RSL grew into the match and put extreme pressure on the Burnley defense. The home side dominated the ball and created a plethora of scoring opportunities, unable to convert but maintaining a consistent threat. In the 44th and 45th minutes, both Solans and Uruguayan World Cup standout JuanMa Sanabria triggered powerful shots that rattled the outside netting of the goal from both the right and left sides of the field.
Just before the half, the home Club’s pressure paid off. In the 46+ minute, Quinton recovered the ball far into Burnley’s half and played a pass into Guilavogui, who was waiting at the top of the box. The Guinean international turned and played a pass behind the final defender into Solans, who calmly finished the ball past the keeper for a 1-0 lead. The lone goal was enough for Mastroeni and Co. to take a deserved advantage into the half.
Coming out of the break, the visiting team quickly capitalized on untidy defending in the 55th minute. With Real Salt Lake unable to clear the ball, it fell to an open Florentino Luis in the box, who volleyed the ball towards goal. The shot took a slight deflection off Quinton, which was enough to move it past Cabral and into the net for 1-1.
Less than 10 minutes later in the 62nd minute, RSL regained the lead with a well-worked team goal. Sanabria played a ball into Solans at the top left corner of the box, the rookie lofting the ball into Zavier Gozo at the back post. With his first touch, RSL’s teenage All-Star hit a low-driven volley into the bottom right corner of the net, squeezing the ball between the goalie’s glove and the right post.
The home side continued pushing, extending its lead soon after. In the 73rd minute, five minutes after he'd been subbed on, left back Alex Katranis crossed the ball to Solans who was alone at the top of the box. RSL’s co-Golden Boot leader controlled with his right foot, cut back onto his left, and fired a shot into the bottom right corner. The goal extended RSL’s lead to 3-1, but didn’t stop its momentum. The onslaught continued in the 81st minute as Real Salt Lake won a penalty, when Spierings was brought down while fighting for a ball in the box. Luna stepped up, converting the kick from the spot with a sure, right-footed shot for the final 4-1 margin.
Burnley seemingly had no answer for the Claret-and-Cobalt, and the penalty punctuated a dominant night for the home Club in their return to America First Field, before 16,776 fans in Sandy.
Real Salt Lake now returns to MLS play next week, where it will travel to face Los Angeles FC at BMO Stadium next Wed., July 22, with kickoff set for 8:30 p.m. MT. The match will stream exclusively on Apple TV. Following trips to Portland and St. Louis, RSL next returns home on Tuesday, August 4 to host legendary Liga MX power Tigres in its Leagues Cup opener - the first of five home games in 15 days - with tickets available at www.RSL.com/tickets.
GOAL SCORING SUMMARY: RSL 4:1 BUR
RSL: Sergi Solans (Morgan Guilavogui, Philip Quinton): 45 +1’: Far into Burnley’s half, Quinton played a ball from the right touchline into Guilavogui who was waiting at the top of the box. Guilavogui turned and played a through ball into Solans, who fired the ball into the back right corner of the net.
BUR: Florentino Luis: 55’: Luis gained control of the ball in the box after a failed clearance and fired the ball towards goal. After a slight deflection from Quinton, the ball found the back of the net.
RSL: Zavier Gozo (Sergi Solans, JuanMa Sanabria): 62’: Sanabria played a ball into Solans, who crossed the ball to the back post. Zavier Gozo volleyed the ball first-time, scoring with a low-driven shot to the bottom right corner of the net.
RSL: Sergi Solans (Alex Katranis): 73’: Katranis crossed the ball from the left touchline to Solans at the top of the box. Solans cut back and finished with a left-footed strike into the bottom right corner.
RSL: Diego Luna: 83’: Penalty won by Spierings and converted by Luna with a right-footed shot to the bottom left corner.
NOTES FROM RSL 4:1 BUR
- Real Salt Lake is now 8-1-0 at home this season, and 16-4-2 at home since June 1, 2025
- With tonight's win, Real Salt Lake moves to 18-10-7 all-time in international friendlies on Utah soil
- Neely-acquired attacker Saba Lobjanidze made his Club debut tonight, the former Atlanta United and Georgia international arriving on the Wasatch Front with 17 goals in 100 all-time appearances with the MLS side
- Tonight’s impressive attendance of 16,776 snapped a 13-game sellout streak for RSL events in Sandy, dating back to last August
LINEUPS:
Real Salt Lake (5-4-1): Rafael Cabral ©; DeAndre Yedlin, Lukas Engel, JuanMa Sanabria (Alex Katranis 68’), Zavier Gozo; Stijn Spierings, Noel Caliskan; Morgan Guilavogui (Saba Lobjandize 71’), Diego Luna, Sergi Solans (Victor Olatunji 78’)
Subs not used: Kobi Henry, Pablo Ruiz, Dominik Marczuk, Juan Arias, Zach Booth, Griffin Dillon, Sam Junqua, Mason Stajduhar, Antonio Riquelme
Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni
Burnley F.C. (4-4-2): Max Weiss; Connor Roberts (Lluc Castell 67’), Kyle Walker (Joe Worrall 67’), Bashir Humphreys (Andreas Hountondji 67’), Lucas Pires (Aaron Ramsey 67’); Josh Laurent (Troy Savage 67’), Florentino Luis (Luca Koleosho 67’), Jaydon Banel (Oliver Pimlott 67’), Mike Trésor (Kian McMahon-Brown 82’), Jacob Bruun-Larsen (Murray Campbell 67’); Armando Broja (Oliver Sonne 67’)
Subs not used: Connor Edwards, Michael Obafemi
Head Coach: Nicky Hayen
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
BUR: Kyle Walker (Yellow Card - 24’)
BUR: Josh Laurent (Yellow Card - 59’)
Photo Assets | Please Credit Real Salt Lake
