Storylines | With Leagues Cup Quarterfinals Secured, RSL Looks To Continue Home Dominance Against Minnesota

By Javier Mico-Crump

Real Salt Lake returns to MLS play this Saturday, August 15, following an impressive Leagues Cup run that earned Mastroeni and Co. a spot in the tournament’s quarterfinals. In its first game back to MLS play, the Utah side will host Minnesota United at America First Field, RSL looking to snap a four-game MLS winless run and a nine-game streak without an RSL victory against the Loons.

This edition of Storylines spotlights the Leagues Cup difference-makers looking to help RSL return to winning ways in MLS play, while also examining the Club’s struggles against Minnesota United FC dating back to 2022.

Riding Momentum From A Dominant Phase One Of Leagues Cup

Minnesota’s arrival this weekend for the fourth of five home games the Claret-and-Cobalt will play at America First Field from August 4 to 19, following the trio of Leagues Cup matches in which the Utah side went undefeated. RSL faced three Mexican sides in Leagues Cup Phase One, outscoring its opponents 8-1 for the best goal differential in the tournament. The Club’s last two matches - a 4-0 dismantling of Atlante FC, and a 3-0 win over FC Juarez - marked the first time EVER that RSL has scored as many as seven goals in an 180-minute stretch without conceding in the Club’s 22-year, 850-game  history. The last time RSL recorded back-to-back shutouts with this many goals was in July 2023, with five scored in a 1-0 win over Toronto followed by a 4-0 win over Orlando.

Maintaining this high-level of precision will be crucial for RSL in its return to MLS play, especially against a Minnesota side that has conceded in three of its last four games. With goals from six different scorers in its Leagues Cup matches, Real Salt Lake has a plethora of players who can create and convert opportunities. 

Among the attacking firepower at Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s disposal is rookie FW Sergi Solans, who continued his stellar campaign with goals in back-to-back Leagues Cup matches (vs. Juarez and Atlante). Displaying premier off-ball movement, timing and finishing, Solans has been one of the Claret-and-Cobalt’s most reliable pieces this season. The Spaniard is sure to be a focal point of RSL’s offense against Minnesota, having scored in three of the Club’s four August matches and now leading the teams’ MLS Golden Boot race with seven scored thus far.

Another name to recognize against Minnesota is Lineker Rodrigues, who provided the best performance of his young career on Tuesday, scoring his first-ever RSL goal and being named Man of the Match by both Leagues Cup and FotMob. Lineker has been a star for MLS Next Pro side Real Monarchs, scoring five goals with two assists in 14 matches this season. His performances earned him first-team minutes, where he has continued to shine en route to signing an MLS contract with Real Salt Lake last week. The Brazilian-born Houston native has only logged 65 MLS minutes in his career - starting at St. Louis on August 1 after making his debut at Minnesota on May 23 -  but coming off his recent performances against Juarez and Atlante, there is reason to believe Lineker can be another difference-maker for RSL’s attack.

Ending Minnesota’s Recent Dominance

Real Salt Lake enters Saturday’s encounter looking to do something it hasn’t done in nearly four years: beat Minnesota United. The Midwestern side has dominated recent history against RSL, with the Utah side holding a 0-2-7 record (W-L-T) in its last nine matches. Veteran DF Justen Glad and young star Diego Luna are the only players that remain from the team that last beat Minnesota United back in August, 2022.

The two sides met most recently right before the World Cup break, settling for a 1-1 draw at Allianz Field in St. Paul on May 23. That afternoon, Utah native and RSL Academy product Zach Booth got his first MLS goal in the 22nd minute, assisted by Zavier Gozo for the Club’s first “Utah only” scoring combination.

That draw against Minnesota was the start of a four-game MLS winless streak that RSL is desperate to snap, with the Midwestern side experiencing a long skid of their own. Now on a seven-game MLS winless streak, Minnesota hasn’t won a league game since May 2 against Columbus Crew. Coming off a 3-1 Leagues Cup win over Atlante, Minnesota will be eager to translate that success to its MLS return. 

With both teams keen on ending long winless streaks, Saturday’s matchup is sure to be a spectacle for fans. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. MT from America First Field, with tickets available to purchase here.

Following the game against Minnesota, RSL will host FC Dallas for its fifth straight home game on Wednesday, August 19, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. MT at America First Field, where RSL is 10-1-1 this season across all competitions. The Claret-and-Cobalt are awaiting final Leagues Cup results to determine who, when, and where it will play in the tournament’s quarterfinals in the Aug. 25-27 window.