CARSON, Calif. (Saturday, May 31, 2025) – Real Salt Lake (4-10-3, 15 points, 13th West) was unable to find the back of the net, falling 2-0 at LA Galaxy (1-12-4, 7 points, 15th West) to end its second three-game week of the month, as the Club heads into the June FIFA international break on a seven-game winless run.
RSL boss Pablo Mastroeni made three changes to the starting XI from Wednesday’s 1-1 stalemate in Austin, bringing Sam Junqua and Philip Quinton in for Justen Glad and Alex Katranis, also opting for Nelson Palacio in place of Pablo Ruiz for the Colombian U-22’s eighth start in his two years with the Claret-and-Cobalt.
The match was a slower start for the visitors, unable to convert on its offensive pressure. Despite the slow tempo, RSL managed to generate a handful of promising offensive opportunities. However, sharp finishing eluded them, as shots either missed the mark or were comfortably handled by the opposing keeper.
While managing comfortable possession for much of the first 15 minutes, LA Galaxy was able to capitalize in the 17th minute, stringing together passes that evaded the strong backline of RSL, ultimately ending in a goal. The early strike put Real Salt Lake on the back foot, forcing it into a difficult position that left the squad chasing from behind.
Ahead of the halftime break, LA broke away with what looked like a clear 1v1 with GK Rafael Cabral, but was quickly shut down by Palacio, who made a tremendous recovery run to get between the attacker and the net, blocking the shot with a perfectly-timed defensive effort to keep Real Salt Lake down just one at the end of the first 45 minutes.
Real Salt Lake came into the second half with energy, getting off multiple positive attacking opportunities and a couple solid shots, to no avail.
In the 55th minute, LA placed a long throughball downfield and were able to score through winger Joseph Paintsil, putting the Claret-and-Cobalt down by two. In the 78th minute, Mastroeni chose to bring RSL Academy homegrown and Los Angeles-area native Aiden Hezerkhani onto the pitch with fresh legs. The late minutes marked his MLS debut at just 17 years old.
RSL struggled to find offensive cohesion throughout the rest of the match, unable to connect in the final third and ultimately suffering a 2-0 shutout loss, handing the Galaxy its first win of the season.
Following tonight’s match, multiple RSL players depart for international duty. Midfielders Diego Luna (USMNT) and Domink Marczuk (Polish U21) along with forwards Ari Piol (Australia U23) and RSL’s up-and-coming star, Zavier Gozo (USA U20).
The Claret-and-Cobalt will return home after the International Break to host D.C. United on Saturday, June 14. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM MT at America First Field in Sandy, with tickets are available for purchase here.
GOAL SCORING SUMMARY:
LA: Lucas Sanabria (Matheus Nascimento) 17’: After forcing Cabral to step out to contend with a shot, Nascimento sent the ball across the box for a running Sanabria to take a right footed shot from a very close range and net the ball into the bottom left corner.
LA: Joseph Paintsil (unassisted) 55’: LA was able to find a long through ball that lead to a breakaway, after RSL defense got a deflection on a touch at the center of the box, Paintsil was able to regain possession and take a right footed shot to the top right corner.
NOTES FROM LA 2 : 0 RSL
- RSL now sits at seven games without a win, the longest streak of head coach Pablo Mastroeni’s nearly five-season tenure at RSL and the longest winless run since 2016.
- Goalkeeper Rafael Cabral remains the sole player to have started and played in every minute of this seasons campaign
- Aiden Hezarkhani’s MLS debut tonight makes him the 224th MLS player in RSL’s 665 games over 21 seasons.
- With this road trip coming to an end, RSL will head into a two-week FIFA International Break
- After the international break, the schedule flips into RSL favor with the squad playing nine of 11 games at home.
LINEUPS:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Rafael Cabral ©; Noel Caliskan (Bode Hidalgo, 86’), Philip Quinton, Brayan Vera, Sam Junqua (Alexandros Katranis, 86’); Braian Ojeda (Pablo Ruiz, 63’), Nelson Palacio; Dominik Marczuk (Johnny Russell, 63’), Zavier Gozo (Aiden Hezerkhani, 78’), Diego Luna; William Agada
Subs not used: Mason Stadjuhar, Tyler Wolff, Lachlan Brook, Ariath Piol
Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni
LA Galaxy (4-3-3): Novak Micovic; Miki Yamane, Maya Yoshida ©, Zanka, John Nelson
(Julian Aude, 80’); Edwin Cerrillo, Diego Fagundez (Mauricio Cuevas, 80’), Lucas Sanabria (Isaiah Parente, 46’); Gabriel Pec, Matheus Nascimento (Christian Ramirez, 71’), Joseph Paintsil (Elijah Wynder, 71’)
Subs not used: John McCarthy, Miguel Berry, Emiro Garces, Tucker Lepley
Head Coach: Greg Vanney
Stats Summary: LA / RSL
Shots: 10 / 20
Shots on Goal: 5 / 4
Saves: 4 / 3
Corner Kicks: 6 / 6
Fouls: 9 / 9
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
LA: Isaiah Parente (Yellow Card - 54’)
RSL: Brayan Vera (Yellow Card - 75’)
LA: Edwin Cerrillo (Yellow Card - 90+2’)
