“It ain’t how hard you hit, it’s how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward,” Rocky Balboa (2006).
Words spoken by a true and inspirational champion. Despite being a fictional character, Rocky exhibited consistent resilience, every step of the way proving skeptics wrong to become a winner inside the ring and overcoming his personal demons outside of it. Balboa knew that in order to succeed, one must always find a way to get back up whenever they suffer a blow and fall to the ground.
Few things are as relatable to this concept as what RSL is currently facing at this juncture of the marathon 2025 MLS season. Especially when one takes into account the high bar that was set last year, a record-setting points haul that saw the club finish in third place in the Western Conference. What’s past is just prologue, however, and dwelling on what once was fails to service the present.
Adversity is a given in this league, every team will face it on the journey to the Cup but not every club can overcome it. This Utah side has arrived at a critical point in the year, where results are imperative to sustain hopes of reaching the postseason.
The 3-2 home loss suffered against Vancouver Saturday was a gut punch, given that the team conceded its early two-goal lead. Few opportunities to rally the squad could have been better than a pair of goals inside the first five minutes, against the supporters shield leaders at home, in front of the RSL faithful. The disappointment and lost opportunity must serve as a learning mechanism for the group to help prevent similar outcomes in the future. The key is always to find a way to move on - “on to the next” was a favorite Kyle Beckerman mantra - as there’s a quick turnaround between Saturday’s game against the Whitecaps and this midweek matchup at Austin on Wednesday night.
There’s no doubt that Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s roster has the talent to shift momentum and regain control over the club’s destiny for the 2025 season. In this edition of storylines, we’ll discuss how RSL can get back on track ahead of the match with Austin FC.
Confiding In Your Stars
RSL needs to capitalize on this matchup with Austin to spark a much-needed boost in confidence moving forward. It’ll face off against the ninth-seeded team in the West, which currently occupies the final qualification spot for the playoffs with just over 50% of the season remaining. Only five points separate the Utah and Texas clubs, therefore the result of this game can have serious repercussions down the line.
Austin is coming off of a 1-1 draw against Minnesota United. Similar to the Claret-and-Cobalt, it has struggled in the last month, notching only one win in its last seven MLS games. Its last victory in the league came against the LA Galaxy on April 19, and since then, recorded three losses and three draws. In Real Salt Lake’s case, the team has managed only one win in its last six outings — a 3-1 result at San Diego. Both clubs will be looking to put an end to the daunting winless streaks this Wednesday knowing full well that a draw will not be good enough.
Mastroeni will likely continue to tap into the talent of young FW Zavier Gozo who, against Vancouver, made his career scoring debut, finding the back of the net for RSL just under one minute into the match, the seventh-fastest goal in Club history. The emergence of the 18-year-old into the starting lineup has brought a fresh energy to the squad, evident in the early stages of the last match, where RSL threatened their opponent’s goal on multiple occasions.
RSL continues to adjust to lineup changes but has yet to establish a consistent form. Playmaker Diego Luna and GK Rafael Cabral have established themselves as the most dependable players amongst the roster thus far, with Luna directly involved in 60% of the goals scored this season, netting eight and providing three assists. Cabral has asserted himself as one of the most dependable shot stoppers of the MLS, stopping two penalties and playing every single minute of the season so far (17 games across multiple competitions).
Breaking RSL’s five-game winless run won’t be easy, but Austin presents an opportunity that may be too valuable to overlook. Since joining the league in 2021, RSL and Austin FC have faced each other nine times. The Wasatch Front side have the upperhand in this matchup, boasting four wins to Austin’s three. RSL holds the edge in its last three meetings with two wins and a draw, including a thumping 5-1 home victory in June of last year. Considering the history and current form of both clubs, this is an opportunity for RSL to regain confidence and approach the second half of the season with renewed energy.
Making a Playoff Push in May
As the midpoint of the season approaches, the schedule begins to tighten up to accommodate for future competitions such as the Leagues Cup. As a result, the team will face, for the second time this month, a three-game span in just one week. This includes the home defeat against Vancouver last Saturday. The next game is an away match at Austin—the first meeting between the two this season—followed by a trip to Los Angeles to complete their regular-season series against the Galaxy.
After the game in LA, the club will have a two-week break before hosting D.C. United at home on June 14. During this period, the international break will be in full effect, and RSL expects to lose Diego Luna to the USMNT for the upcoming FIFA fixtures. The coaching staff can use this valuable time to plan ahead for what promises to be an action-packed summer in Utah, including six games in July and six games in August between the MLS and Leagues Cup.
The aim remains clear: to be among the playoff contenders come November. The talent and experience on the roster support the fanbase’s hopes of fighting for the cup. The time to turn the season around is now, and more players must rise to the occasion if the team hopes to change its fortunes.
With the objective of ending their five-game winless run, Real Salt Lake aims to usher in renewed optimism Wednesday night as it visits Austin FC at Q2 Stadium. Game kicks off at 6:30 MT.
