LOS ANGELES, California (Tuesday, August 8, 2023) – Real Salt Lake ended its Leagues Cup run with a 4-0 loss at LAFC in the Round of 16.
Real Salt Lake’s quest for a spot in the Leagues Cup Quarterfinal got off to an unfortunate start after an early injury to metronomic midfielder **Pablo Ruiz** forced Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni to make an untimely substitution in the ninth minute, putting on Colombian newcomer **Nelson Palacio** in his place. For most of the first half, LAFC was able to maintain possession, threatening RSL’s backline and forcing goalkeeper **Zac MacMath** to make several saves, including a kick-save in the 20th minute to prevent what appeared to be a sure goal.
Real Salt Lake’s best chance of the half came in the 43rd minute, when **Andrés Gómez** stripped an LAFC defender of the ball, taking off down the sideline to find an unmarked **Chicho Arango** in front of goal, but the forward’s shot sailed wide right. Neither side was able to find the opening goal before the end of the first half, heading into the halftime break scoreless.
Minutes into the second half, LAFC took the 1-0 lead when Mateusz Bogusz found Dénis Bouanga on the run, beating out two defenders to place his shot into the bottom-left corner. Bouanga doubled LAFC’s lead four minutes later in the 56th minute, picking the pocket of **Justen Glad** to create an open opportunity on goal and record his brace. In the 61st minute, Nathan Ordaz scored a third goal for LAFC, the home team’s third in a 10-minute blitz. In the 84th minute, LAFC scored its final goal of the night with Filip Krastev slotting his shot inside the near post past MacMath.
Real Salt Lake was unable to overcome LAFC’s second-half offensive dominance, bowing out of the Leagues Cup in the Round of 16, ending the team’s 11-game unbeaten road streak and marking just the second Claret-and-Cobalt loss in the last 15 matches.
UP NEXT: Real Salt Lake will return to MLS regular season play on Sunday, August 20 at the LA Galaxy, with kickoff from Dignity Health Sports Park set for 8:30 p.m. MT. The team will then head to South Texas for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinal at Houston Dynamo on Wednesday, August 23 at 7:30 p.m. MT.
GOAL-SCORING SUMMARY:
LAFC: Dénis Bouanga (Mateusz Bogusz) 52nd minute: Recovering the ball in LAFC’s final third, Bogusz launched a long ball over the top to Bouanga who beat two defenders to tuck his shot into the bottom left corner.
LAFC: Dénis Bouanga 56th minute: Bouanga stripped Justen Glad of the ball at the top of the box, creating an open shot on goal.
LAFC: Nathan Ordaz (Dénis Bouanga) 62nd minute: Bouanga found Ordaz in the middle of the box, hitting a right-footed shot into the bottom left corner.
NOTES:
- Tonight’s loss ends an 11-game unbeaten road streak, across all competitions, dating back to the team’s 3-1 win over Las Vegas Lights in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on April 26
- RSL last conceded four goals in one half back on March 25 at home against expansion side St. Louis CITY SC, the current MLS Western Conference leaders
- Tonight’s loss was RSL’s first on the road since April 15 at Dallas, a span of 11 games across all competitions without a road loss
- RSL had won each of its previous five elimination games in 2023 prior to tonight, including four in the Open Cup (at Las Vegas, at Portland, at Colorado and vs. LA Galaxy) and one in the inaugural Leagues Cup (vs Club León)
- RSL FW Chicho Arango failed to appear in the scoresheet for just the second time in his seven games with RSL; Arango also received his MLS Cup 2022 ring from LAFC prior to tonight’s match
- RSL’s 120-day slog through three competitions from April 8 - August 8 saw Pablo Mastroeni’s team accumulate 15 wins, 7 draws against just five losses in 27 matches played in MLS, Open Cup and Leagues Cup action
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-4-2): Zac MacMath; Emeka Eneli, Marceloa Silva, Justen Glad, Andrew Brody; Jefferson Savarino (Maikel Chang 80’), Braian Ojeda, Pablo Ruiz (Nelson Palacio 13’), Andres Gomez (Anderson Julio 68’); Chicho Arango (Rubio Rubin 80’), Danny Musovski (Diego Luna 68’)
Subs not used: Gavin Beavers, Tomas Gomez, Marcelo Silva, Bode Hidalgo, Jasper Löffelsend, Damir Kreilach, Bryan Oviedo, Brayan Vera
LAFC (4-4-2): John McCarthy; Ryan Hollingshead (Mamadou Fall 80’), Aaron Long, Giorgio Chiellini (Jesus Murillo 65’), Diego Palacios; Kellyn Acosta, Illie Sanchez (Erik Deunas 76’), Mateusz Bogusz; Stipe Biuk (Sergi Palencia 65’), Nathan Ordez, Denis Bouanga (Filip Krastev 76’)
Subs not used: Abraham Romero, Maxime Crepeau, Denil Maldonado, Danny Crisotomo, Christian Torres
Stats Summary: RSL / LAFC
Shots: 18 / 8
Shots on Goal: 6 / 2
Saves: 1 / 3
Corner Kicks: 5 / 5
Fouls: 8 / 13
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
LAFC: Giorgio Chiellini (caution) 38’
LAFC: Aaron Long (caution) 83’
