ST. LOUIS, Missouri (Wednesday, June 21, 2023) – Real Salt Lake (7-7-5, 26 points, 7th West) bested Western Conference leaders St. Louis City SC 3-1 behind a sensational goal from **Diego Luna** and a picture-perfect brace from RSL Captain **Damir Kreilach** to give RSL its Club-leading ninth consecutive result on the road across all competitions.
Postgame quotes from Pablo Mastroeni, Damir Kreilach and Diego Luna can be found here.
Against West-leading St. Louis, Real Salt Lake struggled in the opening minutes to gain meaningful possession against the home side at a sold-out CITYPARK. After weathering the storm during the first 10 minutes, a stolen ball just outside the 18-yard-box had Luna looking towards goal, but a last-second outstretched leg from a St. Louis defender denied his shot.
But the U-20 United States midfielder would not be denied for long, as Luna slammed home his first career goal in Major League Soccer in the 15th minute to give RSL the 1-0 lead. On the play, **Pablo Ruiz** sent a short pass to **Danny Musovski** which sent him flying up the right side of the pitch, and while reaching the top of the 18-yard-box with numbers, Musovski cut back and placed a perfectly-served cross towards Kreilach. Despite being in a good position to put the ball in the back of the net, Kreilach dummied the ball and froze the defense, creating space for a wide-open Luna, who made no mistake with his shot, launching it inside the far post.
Five minutes later, CITY leveled the score, as Nicholas Gioacchini pushed off **Justen Glad** to flick the cross past goalkeeper **Gavin Beavers**. However, for the remaining 25 minutes the two sides battled back and forth, neither able to find the go-ahead goal prior to the halftime break, the sides heading into the locker room deadlocked at 1-1.
Moments into the second half, Real Salt Lake regained the lead for good in the 48th minute, after Luna pounced and recovered a poor pass outside the box, chipping a short pass to second-half substitute **Maikel Chang**. Upon receiving the ball, Chang played an exquisite back-heel pass to Kreilach, who slotted his shot underneath the diving arms of Roman Bürki to take the 2-1 lead. St. Louis City seemed poised to level the match in the 65th minute, but a massive save from 18-year-old Beavers preserved the one-goal lead for the Claret-and-Cobalt.
With St. Louis pressing for the equalizer - and yet another goal-line clearance from rookie Emeka Eneli - Real Salt Lake punished the home side’s aggression, when Luna quickly picked out **Andrew Brody** downfield. Brody flew past veteran defender Tim Parker to create an easy cross to Kreilach who one-timed the ball into the back of the net for the 3-1 lead in the 66th minute. With the two-goal advantage in hand, Real Salt Lake were able to easily close out the remaining 25-plus minutes, becoming the first team in the League this season to record five wins on the road and securing the Club’s ninth-consecutive road result across all competitions.
UP NEXT: Real Salt Lake returns to America First Field this Saturday, June 24 at 7:30 p.m. MT to host Minnesota United for the Club’s annual Pride Night. Gates open on the U of U Health Plaza at 6:00 p.m. MT, with fans encouraged to arrive early for special pregame ceremonies commemorating milestones for both Pablo Ruiz and Justen Glad.
GOAL SCORING SUMMARY:
RSL: Diego Luna (Danny Musovski, Pablo Ruiz) 15th minute: Ruiz found Musovski on the run, deep in St. Louis’ half. Musovski sprinted up field before sending a cross towards Damir Kreilach, who dumbied the ball to an unmarked Luna for a wide open right-footed shot.
STL: Nicholas Gioacchini (Jake Nerwinski, Celio Pompeu) 21st minute: Nerwinski sent a cross towards Gioacchini in front, who pushed off Justen Glad to flick the ball forward past the goalkeeper.
RSL: Damir Kreilach (Maikel Chang, Diego Luna) 48th minute: Recovering a poor pass, Luna hit a short sliding pass to Chang who moved the ball forward with a cheeky back-heel pass to Kreilach. Kreilach one-touched his opportunity, sending it into the far post with his left foot.
RSL: Damir Kreilach (Andrew Brody, Diego Luna) 66th minute: Luna pushed a pass forward to Brody who sprinted past his defender to create an easy pass for Kreilach to run onto and slot into the back of the net.
NOTES:
- Real Salt Lake was without Anderson Julio (Ecuador), Rubio Rubin (Guatemala), Braian Ojeda (Paraguay) and Jefferson Savarino (Venezuela) - the quartet away on international duty with their respective national teams.
- U-20 USYNT midfielder Diego Luna, in his third consecutive start, recorded his Real Salt Lake and Major League Soccer goal, becoming the 98th Claret-and-Cobalt man to find the back of the net. With his goal Luna becomes the sixth-youngest to score for RSL, behind Luis Gil, Freddy Adu, Justen Glad, Jamie Watson and Brooks Lennon.
- In addition to recording his first goal, Diego Luna earned his first assist in MLS and for RSL and subsequently recorded his second assist on the team’s third goal of the night.
- Diego Luna became the youngest player in RSL history to record both a goal and an assist in a single game.
- After his first goal of the night, RSL Captain Damir Kreilach overtook Joao Plata for the third-most goals in Club history. After his second goal of the night his career total of 47 goals is now just two behind RSL Legend Javier Morales in second.
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-4-2): Gavin Beavers; Emeka Eneli, Justen Glad, Brayan Vera, Andrew Brody; Bertin Jacquesson (Maikel Chang 46’), Jasper Löffelsend (Moses Nyeman 84’), Pablo Ruiz (Bode Hidalgo 75’), Diego Luna (Bryan Oviedo 83’); Danny Musovski, Damir Kreilach (Ilijah Paul 83’)
Subs not used: Zac MacMath, Scott Caldwell, Delentz Pierre
St. Louis City (4-2-3-1): Roman Buerki; Jake Nerwinski, Njabulo Blom, John Nelson, Lucas Bartlett (Josh Yaro 80’); Tim Parker, Tomas Ostrak (John Klein 80’), Jared Stroud, Celio Pompeu (Rasmus Alm 64’), Nicholas Gioacchini (Isak Jensen 80’); Indiana Vassilev (Aziel Jackson 69’)
Subs not used: Selmir Pidro, Akil Watts, Miguel Perez, Ben Lundt
Stats Summary: RSL / STL
Shots: 13 / 11
Shots on Goal: 9 / 3
Saves: 2 / 5
Corner Kicks: 3 / 4
Fouls: 8 / 13
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
STL: Jared Stroud (caution) 29’
STL: Tomas Ostrak (caution) 30’
STL: Jake Nerwinski (caution) 47’
RSL: Brayan Vera (caution) 54’
STL: Lucas Bartlett (caution) 55’
RSL: Gavin Beavers (caution) 71’
