Real Salt Lake officially entered must-win territory as it emerged from a three-week break, hosting Sporting Kansas City in Sandy. The previous outing — a 3-1 home defeat to Minnesota United all the way back on August 23 — left fans disappointed and frustrated. However, this game saw RSL at essentially full-strength, offering a chance to start fresh and head into the season’s crunchtime with renewed hope. The hunt for the playoffs remains the primary motivation for Utah fans, and RSL’s performance gave them something to cheer about.
Heading into this game, RSL sat in 11th place with 31 points, just four points shy of the final playoff spot held by the San Jose Earthquakes. Despite having two games fewer played than the teams its pursuing in the West, due to upcoming rescheduled matches against LAFC and at the Seattle Sounders, a home win would be crucial in keeping the Utah Club’s postseason hopes alive.
To secure a decisive victory against the Western Conference rival, RSL turned to two of its youngest, yet most dependable players: Diego Luna and Zavier Gozo. In this weekend’s matchup, the spotlight was on both Moon Man’s return and the homegrown Utah native, whose standout performances were key in securing three points in the 2-1 victory over Sporting KC.
New Hair, Same Flair
Diego Luna - who had never played with new striker Victor Olatunji after a chaotic and nonsensical two-game suspension levied from the August 10 match at New York Red Bulls - entered Saturday’s matchup fresh off a 10-day camp with the U.S. Men’s National Team, where he started and logged 70 minutes in a 2-0 loss to South Korea and came off the bench for 25 minutes in a 2-0 win over Japan.
The Claret-and-Cobalt welcomed the energy that Luna brings and the chaos he creates in the final third. Saturday night was the perfect opportunity for him to thrive—a high-pressure environment with the home crowd making its presence felt, as it always does at America First Field. He fed off the spirit in the stands to deliver a standout performance for the Claret-and-Cobalt.
In the early moments of the match, Luna was eager to get on the ball and initiate forward movements that could threaten the Kansas City defense, constantly scanning upfield to connect with his attacking teammates. During the first few minutes, RSL dominated possession, while SKC ceded space, allowing the hosts to control the ball in their half.
Throughout the rest of the half, however, the home side attempted to break through the defense without success, thanks to the compact defensive strategy employed by KC. It wasn’t until the 40th minute that RSL finally breached the defensive line, thanks to a well-worked play by both Gozo and Emeka Eneli. Eneli played the ball along the touchline to Gozo, who drove deep into the final third and delivered a dangerous cross into the box that narrowly missed Victor Olatunji but found Luna, who controlled the ball near the top of the six-yard box and calmly slotted it into the back of the net to give the club a 1-0 lead just before halftime. The goal not only gave RSL the lead but also marked Luna’s ninth MLS score of the season—his first since May 24 in the 3-2 home loss to Vancouver—reaffirming his status as the club’s leading scorer.
The lead going into the second half allowed Luna to be more creative on the ball, with Kansas City pushing higher and leaving space deeper in the pitch as it pressed to pull one back. His performance stood out for its precision, leading all starters in passing accuracy at 91% during his 79 minutes on the field before being subbed off.
Gozo’s Twin Assists Fuel the Win
The other star of the night was none other than Zavier Gozo, who got off to a rapid start. He took advantage of the space open on the right wing, getting on the end of accurately pinged long, diagonal passes from Brayan Vera that placed him at the edge of the opponent’s box, but both attempts were ultimately thwarted by the defense.
The Eagle Mountain native’s first major impact on the game came with RSL’s opening goal, providing the assist for Luna’s finish to give the team the lead. In the opening moments of the second half, he nearly doubled the advantage, rising high to meet a dangerous cross from Rwan Cruz with a powerful header, only to be denied by a sharp save from the SKC keeper off the line.
Later in the half, RSL continued to attack Kansas City’s right flank, which was proving to be a weakness for the visitors. Gozo took on a defender in the 18-yard-box, got onto his left foot, and lofted a calculated pass to Alex Katranis on the left side. Katranis controlled it and finished past the keeper, extending the lead to 2-0 in the 62nd minute and scoring his first RSL goal of the season. This marked the first time the young homegrown talent recorded multiple assists in a single game in his career.
Real Salt Lake returned from its three-week hiatus with an impactful MLS win—breaking its three-game losing streak—and its first since July 26, when it defeated San Jose 2-1 at home. The club currently sits in 10th place with 34 points and will look to build on this performance when it hosts global star Sonny and LAFC this Wednesday, September 17. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 MT. Tickets are available here.
