By: Isabella Rubis
Although RSL was unable to snap its two-game road losing streak in MLS season openers following last year’s loss at San Jose and a 2024 defeat at Miami, the Claret-and-Cobalt showed flashes of brilliance Saturday in Vancouver, with several young players stepping up when called upon against the defending Western Conference champion Whitecaps.
Despite the result, the performance revealed encouraging signs of growth to open the new campaign, shining a spotlight on several standout efforts from RSL’s rising young talents.
Debuts, first starts, and standout performances highlight the Claret-and-Cobalt’s youthful energy against the defending Western Conference champions
RSL’s starting XI underscored the club’s depth of young talent, even in the absence of key contributors like standout playmaker Diego Luna (knee injury suffered in Wednesday training) and recently-acquired Designated Player Morgan Guilavogui due to visa procurement. Seventeen-year-old RSL Academy product Luca Moisa and Utah native Zach Booth each made their MLS debuts while earning their first starts for Real Salt Lake.
Midfielder Aiden Hezarkhani added his first career start for the Claret-and-Cobalt, as the lineup featured five RSL Academy homegrowns (Justen Glad, Zavier Gozo), and included two players born in Utah (Gozo, Booth).
Moisa opened his 2026 campaign in emphatic fashion, making an immediate case for continued minutes moving forward. The young midfielder created multiple scoring chances, including a driven, pinpoint switch across the field to find Alex Katranis, who quickly slipped a pass to Australian striker Ari Piol for a finish. Although the goal was ultimately - and perhaps dubiously - called offside, the vision, precision, and composure Moisa displayed in a high-pressure moment turned heads and certainly caught the attention of RSL boss Pablo Mastroeni and his staff as they continue to look ahead to the long season on the horizon.
The club’s mantra of “winning together through development” was on full display as Moisa, Hezarkhani, and 2025 breakout star Zavier Gozo combined seamlessly. The trio, who have played together across multiple levels of the club, including the MLS NEXT Pro side Real Monarchs, showcased their chemistry and mutual trust in the 20th minute. They strung together a beautiful sequence of passes, highlighted by a behind-the-back setup from Gozo that sent the ball into the attacking third and created an early scoring opportunity for the Claret-and-Cobalt.
While the score didn’t fully reflect the effort, RSL’s defense anchored by captain and goalkeeper Rafael Cabral stood firm for most of the match, fending off numerous Whitecaps attacks and conceding just one goal. Veteran defender DeAndre Yedlin led the backline with multiple key tackles, repeatedly stepping in to block threats, while Cabral produced a spectacular save in the second half, sliding in front of a Whitecaps shot to keep the Claret-and-Cobalt in the game, the score ultimately ended in favor of the home squad.
In a season-opening match that highlighted the skill of the team’s young talent and a new tactical formation, Real Salt Lake will look to build on the narrow loss, aiming to regain multiple key players from injury and visa-related absences as it pushes toward the top half of the Western Conference standings.
Real Salt Lake now returns home to prepare for its 2026 home opener, this Saturday, February 28, with a 5:30p MT kickoff, hosting Seattle - which has not come away with a win on Utah soil since 2012. Tickets are available for purchase here.
