July has officially arrived and with it, a jam-packed, exciting schedule full of fireworks - both literally and figuratively - from beginning to end. On the heels of only two games in the month of June, Real Salt Lake will now jump into competition six times in July across two competitions: MLS get. season and the Leagues Cup. This year’s third edition of the tournament will see RSL face off against three Liga MX teams between July 30 and August 6.
In recent games, several players have taken on more prominent roles, stepping up as the lineup continues to shift due to injuries and international duty. In order to achieve the Club’s stated 2025 goals, it is crucial that RSL maintains this positive momentum to make the playoffs, especially this month, as the schedule tightens and home-game opportunities bloom. Every player will need to be ready to make an impact to maximize the points earned in the coming weeks, especially by capitalizing on the full three points each week on Utah soil.
One of the players who has excelled during his month away on international duty is superstar Diego Luna. It’s been over a month since RSL fans last saw the 21-year-old MLS All-Star donning the Claret-and-Cobalt. During that time, he’s been representing the U.S. Men’s National Team in the Gold Cup, emerging as a key contributor. Luna, proudly wearing the number 10 jersey, has become not just a regular starter under Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino throughout the Concacaf tournament, but the heart and soul of the Stars-and-Stripes, capturing international headlines. The ‘Moon Man’ scored his first goal for the national team in last Sunday’s quarterfinal, a penalty-shootout victory over Costa Rica, following that up with a 14-minute brace in the semifinal win over Guatemala on Wednesday.
Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni has recently emphasized the importance of taking each game 90 minutes at a time to ensure proper preparation and to position the team favorably for the end of the season. As a result, we now turn our attention to this Saturday, when RSL will host St. Louis SC for Matchday 21, despite having played only 19 games, as its late June match against LAFC was rescheduled to September 17 due to Black-and-Gold participation in the FIFA Club World Cup.
In this edition of Storylines, we’ll jump into the key narratives heading into Saturday’s matchup at America First Field.
Six games, Two Competitions, Four Weeks
The summer schedule is in full swing in Sandy. Over the course of the next month, RSL will play six games, hosting five of them at America First Field. The first opponent is St. Louis, coming to town this Saturday. RSL will then host Houston, kicking off a three-game stretch from July 12 to 19. After that, the club will visit Portland on the 16 before returning home to face FC Cincinnati. RSL will have a one-week break before resuming action on the 26 against San Jose. Then, on Wednesday, July 30, the Leagues Cup begins with a heavyweight matchup against Mexican power Club América. The Leagues Cup will continue heading into the beginning of August as RSL will close out its group stage games against Atlético San Luis and Querétaro in Sandy on August 3 and 6.
As it enters this crucial portion of the season, RSL will need to rely heavily on the full roster to compete on all fronts. Unfortunately, Mastroeni and his staff have dealt with multiple absences throughout the season as a result of injuries or other factors such as players representing their national teams. To the team’s benefit, a number of players have seized their opportunities and impressed, heightening the daily competition and are now under serious consideration for the starting XI and the gameday 20.
Among those who’ve stepped up is veteran MLS winger Johnny Russell, who has helped breathe new life into the Club since arriving in April via free agency. The Scottish forward has scored two goals - one in each of his last two starts - and will look to extend that streak this weekend. Beyond his goal-scoring ability, he’s brought valuable experience and leadership, giving younger players the chance to soak up his knowledge and learn from his professionalism.
In addition to Russell, Colombian midfielder Nelson Palacio has taken advantage of injuries sustained by team Captain Emeka Eneli and Paraguayan Braian Ojeda to assert himself in the center of the pitch, a dependable figure that organizes the team on defense and when they go on the attack. Despite a streaky start to the season coming off the bench, Palacio’s recent performances have exhibited the talent that the team sought when it first brought him to the club in 2023. He started the last three games - his first-ever back-to-back starts - playing the full 90 minutes in each, and averaged nearly 90% passing accuracy across those matches, according to fbref.com.
Another RSL standout that has earned recognition over the last couple of months is right back Noel Caliskan. The German-born and USA-educated player has provided the club with a reliable option at the right back position, one which has seen several players slot in over the first 10-12 games this season. Despite being only 24 years old, his game has matured into that of a seasoned defender with veteran qualities. He’s started the last eight games and hasn’t committed a single error leading to an opponent’s shot this season, all while averaging 1.5 shot-creating actions through 10 games played in the MLS in 2025, according to fbref.com.
Diego’s Dream Debut Goal
When it comes to absences, one that can't be overlooked is Diego Luna, who hasn’t featured for Real Salt Lake since the 2-0 away loss to LA Galaxy on May 31 due to international duty. However, the playmaker has been thriving with the U.S. Men’s National Team. Selected for the Gold Cup, Luna has earned a spot in the starting XI through strong performances in both friendlies and the Concacaf Nations League.
Throughout the competition, Luna has appeared in all five of the U.S.’s games so far, logging four starts, three goals and two assists. Representative of his incredible run of form, Luna scored his first international goal last weekend against Costa Rica, the quarterfinal goal which was celebrated across the nation. The goal stemmed from a left-sided attack orchestrated by Max Arfsten. Inside the box, Diego made a clever move to create space, calmly controlling Arfsten’s pass with his left foot before finishing with the same. Luckily, the shot was deflected off of a Costa Rican defender and beat the keeper who dove the opposite way. Elated by the accomplishment, he proceeded to celebrate with all of his teammates, before screaming “Vamos” straight into the camera.
Luna followed up that iconic moment with an early goal in the semifinal against Guatemala, slamming home a spilled rebound to give the U.S. a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute, the fastest goal in a knockout competition in the history of the USA men’s program. Just 10 minutes later, Luna completed the brace with an amazing individual effort, cutting across the top of the box and slamming a shot home near-post for the 2-0 lead - becoming just the fourth all-time USA player with a 15-minute brace.
While the victory means the national team advances to the Gold Cup Final to face Mexico on July 6 - and that RSL remains without their main man for one more match - the organization and fanbase can’t help but feel proud of his achievements, knowing he’s a Real Salt Lake talent.
Exploiting the Errors of St. Louis
Looking forward to this Saturday, RSL embraces the opportunity of cutting the distance between themselves and the final qualifying spot for the MLS playoffs. Regardless of St. Louis’ record so far this season with three wins, six draws, and 11 losses, the Western Conference team will aim to settle itself in the table. CITY SC currently sit in 13th place with 15 points, while RSL is in 12th with 19 points, despite having played one fewer game than its upcoming rivals.
For Real Salt Lake, this game will serve as the fourth consecutive match against a team in the bottom 20 of the Supporters Shield. Its previous opponents were LA Galaxy, D.C. United, and Sporting KC, each of whom ranked among the teams with the worst records in the league. Furthermore, St. Louis has struggled over the past month, losing three of its last four MLS games and conceding eight goals while scoring only six. This defensive vulnerability will be a key area for RSL to exploit. RSL ranks among the teams with the fewest goals scored in the West, tied with St. Louis and LA Galaxy, but still ahead of Austin FC, who leads the conference with just 15 goals through 20 games.
Come celebrate July 4th weekend as Real Salt Lake and St. Louis SC face off in a Western Conference showdown on Saturday, July 5, at America First Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 MT, with the Club’s annual post-game fireworks celebrating Independence Day Weekend. Tickets are available here.
