Carson, California (Sun., April 26, 2026) – Real Salt Lake (5-3-1, 16 points, 7th West) fell 1-2 at LA Galaxy (3-4-3, 12 points, 11th West), on Sunday afternoon at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Real Salt Lake conceded early, struck back through RSL Academy starlets Aiden Hezarkhani and Zavier Gozo to equalize just before halftime, but ultimately fell 2-1 at LA Galaxy to drop consecutive matches for just the 19th occasion in the 192-game Pablo Mastroeni era. Sunday’s death knell came in the form of a heavily-disputed penalty call just five minutes from time, roughly an hour after the RSL locker room felt aggrieved by a non-call denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity for Victor Olatunji, and the concurrent penalty kick / red card.
Head Coach Mastroeni made four changes to the starting XI following the home-win-streak-snapping 0-2 loss to Inter Miami CF at home on Wednesday. DF Philip Quinton, MF JuanMa Sanabria and Aiden Hezarkhani joined the lineup, with Nigerian striker Victor Olatunji making his debut 2026 start for the Claret-and-Cobalt. Midfielder Diego Luna also marked his 100th appearance in his MLS career tonight in Carson, Calif.
The Claret-and-Cobalt opened the match with determination, keeping the upper-hand with ball possession, holding a 60%-40% advantage in the first 45 minutes. With an opportunity from Olatunji in the fifth minute on a right-footed shot from the right side of the box, and a diving, one-handed save from GK Rafael Cabral in the fourth minute off of a shot from LA’s Marcos Reus, the first half looked hopeful for RSL.
In the ninth minute, Dutch MF Stijn Spierlings conceded a foul just outside the box, giving LA’s German star Reus the free kick. The shot curved just over RSL’s defensive wall, landing in the top right corner of the net and giving the Galaxy the 1-0 lead.
The Claret-and-Cobalt fought relentlessly for retaliation, which didn’t come until the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time. Hezarkhani craftily penetrated the box, driving down the left side of the field and cutting inside, past DF Jakob Glesnes. With a beautiful left-footed cross to Utah native Zavier Gozo at the right side of the goal box, the 19-year-old was set up perfectly for the shot. With a right-footed blast, Gozo hit the right post, the ball ricocheting off LA GK J.C. Marcinkowski, sending the ball back into the net and tying the match up 1-1.
Real Salt Lake continued to challenge LA’s defense with multiple chances on goal, including a header from DF Justen Glad in the 66th minute and Luna’s right-footed shot from outside the box at minute 71.
In the 85th minute, LA pushed back. DF Sam Junqua adjudged to concede a foul inside the box, giving Reus a chance from the spot. With a right-footed shot to the bottom left corner, LA took the late lead as the ball rolled just past Cabral’s outstretched hand for the eventual game-winner.
In the last minute of stoppage time, LA’s Joseph Paintsil had a breakaway drive down the field, resulting in a one-on-one with an approaching Cabral. Paintsil took a right-footed shot from the center of the box that was blocked by RSL’s GK, preserving the score and giving his team possession until the final whistle.
With the loss tonight, RSL’s record falls to 5-3-1, marking its second loss on the road in 2026, and its first since the Feb. 21 opener at Vancouver. The Claret-and-Cobalt will now return home to the Wasatch Front to face the Portland Timbers this Saturday, May 2, looking to change the tide and earn a win after failing to earn a point in its last two matches. Kickoff at America First Field is slated for 2:30pm MT, with tickets available here.
GOAL SCORING SUMMARY: LA 2 : 1 RSL
LA: Marco Reus 9’ — In the ninth minute, Marco Reus scored on a free kick just outside the 18-yard-box, with a right-footed shot to the top left corner, giving LA a 1-0 lead.
RSL: James Marcinkowski (OG) 45 +4’ — In the last minute of first half stoppage, Hezarkhani drove down the left, cut inside past Jakob Glesnes, and delivered a pinpoint cross to Zavier Gozo. Gozo’s right-footed shot hit the post, ricocheted off goalkeeper Marcinkowski and into the net to level the match 1–1.
LA: Marco Reus 85’ — In the 85th minute, LA responded as Sam Junqua was adjudged to have committed a foul in the box. Reus buried a right-footed shot into the bottom left corner, slipping past Rafa Cabral to give LA the lead.
RSL: NOTES FROM LA 2 : 1 RSL
- Uruguayan World Cup hopeful JuanMa Sanabria returned to the starting XI for the first time since March 22 at San Diego, squaring off against younger brother Lucas, who started and has scored twice for the Galaxy this season, his second with LA
- RSL Academy product Aiden Hezarkhani - a native of Irvine, CA - started in today’s SoCal homecoming, his first start since March 22 at San Diego
- Substitutes Pablo Ruiz and Dominik Marczuk made their first appearances for RSL since early April and late February
- RSL now looks ahead to Saturday’s return home against Portland, seeking to display its trademark resilience during the Mastroeni era … in 192 games played since August, 2021, RSL has dropped back-to-back matches on just 19 occasions
- GK and Captain Rafael Cabral has played every minute of all 49 games across all competitions since signing with RSLin January, 2025
- RSL will look to improve upon its 4-1-0 (W-L-T) mark on home soil in 2026, hosting the Portland Timbers Saturday in Sandy
LINEUPS:
Real Salt Lake (5-4-1): Rafael Cabral ©; Justen Glad, Philip Quinton (DeAndre Yedlin, 76’), Sam Junqua; Noel Caliskan, Stijn Spierings (Pablo Ruiz, 86’); Zavier Gozo, JuanMa Sanabria, Diego Luna (Dominik Marczuk,76’), Aiden Hezarkhani (Morgan Guilavogui, 56’), Victor Olatunji (Sergi Solans, 56’)
Subs not used: Mason Stajduhar, Zach Booth, Griffin Dillon, Alex Katranis
Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni
LA Galaxy (4-3-3): JT Marcinkowski; Mauricio Cuevas, Jakob Glesnes (Edwin Cerrillo, 46’ (Elijah Wynder, 67’)), Emiro Garces, John Nelson (Chris Rindov, 89’); Lucas Sanabria, Justin Haak, Marco Reus (Isaiah Parente, 89’); Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil, Harbor Miller (Miki Yamane, 72’)
Subs not used: Novak Micovic, Ruben Ramos Jr, Julian Placias, Troy Elgersma
Head Coach: Greg Vanney
Stats Summary: RSL / LA
Shots: 15 / 16
Shots on Goal: 9 / 7
Saves: 4 / 8
Corner Kicks: 0 / 7
Fouls: 14 / 16
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
LA: Justin Haak (Yellow Card - 21’)
LA: Lucas Sanabria (Yellow Card - 42’)
RSL: Noel Caliskan (Yellow Card - 48’)
RSL: JuanMa Sanabria (Yellow Card - 55’)
LA: Mauricio Cuevas (Yellow Card - 57’)
RSL: Diego Luna (Yellow Card - 63’)
RSL: Sam Junqua (Yellow Card - 83’)
LA: Elijah Wynder (Yellow Card - 90+3’)
