Storylines | Leagues Cup Looming: RSL Welcomes Tigres UANL to Sandy

By: Mickinley Briggs

The Claret-and-Cobalt return home following a 1-1 draw against St. Louis CITY SC on the road last Saturday, snapping its two-game losing streak. The draw generated RSL the momentum it needs to dominate during a three-game Leagues Cup homestand, opening the tournament on Tuesday, August 4th hosting Liga MX power Tigres UANL at America First Field. 

This edition of Storylines will explore RSL’s history in Leagues Cup that has seen the MLS side featured for four consecutive years as well as its history with its first opponent of the tournament, Tigres UANL.

Solans Snaps RSL’s Two-Game Losing Streak 

Real Salt Lake enters this year's edition of Leagues Cup following a 1-1 draw against St. Louis CITY SC on the road, snapping the Club’s two-game losing streak. The match procured RSL a point, a result made possible by a cornerstone of the club’s attack: Spanish rookie Sergi Solans. After a deadlock during the first half, Solans received the ball in the 60th minute following an impressive back-heel flick from RSL newcomer Saba Lobjanidze. The score by the 2025 SuperDraft pick standout gives Solans sole ownership atop RSL’s 2026 Golden Boot race, with his seventh score of the season thus far. The sequence earned Lobjanidze his second assist in just three appearances since joining the Utah side.

The Claret-and-Cobalt has many impressive attacking players on its roster headlined by 19-year-old MLS All-Star Zavier Gozo who is poised to make his return to the pitch on Tuesday evening following a hip strain suffered Wednesday night in Charlotte during his 27-minute appearance against the Liga MX selection. Gozo has continued to be a force throughout the 2026 MLS season, netting 6 goals and 5 assists this season. 

Whilst RSL’s attack has continued to impress, Leagues Cup is often won through defensive efforts, including the man between the posts and none is more capable than RSL Captain Rafael Cabral. 

The Brazilian ‘keeper wowed in his first appearance in last year's tournament, against Club Ámerica. Making many key saves throughout regulation to send the squad into a shootout. Cabral’s heroics continued as he made three penalty saves to help lift RSL to an important two points and a 3-1 shootout victory. 

As Real Salt Lake gears up for its fourth appearance in the international tournament, it is important to take a look at the host's history with its upcoming three opponents for Phase One.

RSL’s Fourth Consecutive Leagues Cup Appearance Commences

The 2026 Leagues Cup brings together 36 clubs, all 18 Liga MX teams and all 18 2025 MLS Playoff clubs, together in its fourth annual CONCACAF-sactioned competition, running from August 4th through September 6th. 

RSL’s first foe in this year’s Leagues Cup, Tigres UANL, enters Tuesday’s matchup sitting at 16th in the official Liga MX standings with a record of 0-1-2, collecting 1 point as the squad has recently begun its 2026/27 campaign. The Liga MX side has been unable to find a win since beginning its season on July 16, 2026, having experienced a 3-1 loss to Club Tijuana on July 16th and a 2-2 draw against Atlético de San Luis on July 25th, before falling 3-2 against Querétaro on August 1st.

Landing in the Wasatch Front for the Tuesday night matchup, Tigres UANL has a long and storied history with the Claret-and-Cobalt spanning back nearly a decade.  

Real Salt Lakes’s history with Tigres UANL is the most extensive of any Liga MX opponent, as Tuesday’s meeting will mark the fifth occasion between the two sides. Tigres first visited Utah back in 2008, arriving for a friendly as part of the Xango Cup, RSL winning the game at Rice-Eccles, 1-0. The Liga MX side then ousted RSL from the CONCACAF Champions League back in 2016, winning 2-0 at home before drawing 1-1 in Sandy, advancing with a 3-1 goal differential over the Utah based side.

In July, 2019, RSL fell 0-1 to Tigres at home in what was then called the Leagues Cup “Showcase,” a match that is known for a cat running on the field in what was former RSL Head Coach Mike Petke’s final match with the Club. Former RSL center back Carlos Salcedo arrived in Utah from the Tigres academy more than a decade ago, while RSL sold former goalkeeper Lalo Fernandez to Tigres at a similar juncture.

As Tigres seeks its first win of 2026, RSL will need to work as a unit to keep the visitors from finding the back of the net. With Cabral between the posts, the home side is poised to come out on top in its home fortress, lifting an impressive 7-1-0 (W-L-T) record at home thus far in 2026. 

As the Claret-and-Cobalt enters its trio of matches in Phase One of the 2026 Leagues Cup, RSL Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni will rely on the depth of his squad to help secure victories in a congested 15 days that sees the home side play five matches. With the striking power of Golden Boot leader Solans and Georgian MF Lobjanidze's effectiveness throughout the middle of the pitch, the home side enters its long home-stay with momentum and an energetic home crowd behind it.

Looking Ahead 

Following the match against Tigres UANL, Real Salt Lake will remain at home to play two consecutive Leagues Cup matches against Atlante F.C. on August 8th (8:00 p.m MT) and FC Juárez on August 11th (7:30 p.m. MT). In a stretch of five home games over 15 days at America First Field. RSL will resume regular season play with a home match against Minnesota United FC on August 15th, with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. MT. Tickets for all Leagues Cup and regular season matches are available at www.RSL.com/tickets.