Throughout early 2026, Real Salt Lake has been propelled by its young stars stepping up in key moments, mentored by a veteran presence throughout the Club’s 22nd campaign. The controversial 2-1 loss away at LA Galaxy on Sunday Night Soccer again followed the script, with Claret-and-Cobalt teenagers leading the attacking charge, with elite veteran goalkeeping locking down the defensive efforts.
Teenage Duo
Prior to Matchday 10, MLS Analyst Dax McCarty ranked RSL teenagers Zavier Gozo and Aiden Hezarkhani amongst his top 10 teenagers in the league. Utah native Gozo, ranked second amongst teens in McCarty’s list, had logged eight consecutive starts to open the campaign prior to the Claret-and-Cobalt’s trip to Carson, off the field for just one minute en route to his hot start, leading RSL in goal contributions with two goals and four assists. Irvine, Calif., native Hezarkhani has appeared in seven matches, starting five, logging two goals - one against Seattle Sounders, and the other against Atlanta United FC, entering his MLS homecoming as the eighth-best teen.
Down one goal late in the first half, Real Salt Lake turned to its teenage duo in search of an equalizer before the break. Receiving the ball on the left flank, Hezarkhani decided to take matters into his own hands, attacking Galaxy defender Jakob Glesnes down the line. Beating Glesnes off his first step, Hezarkhani drove down the line fighting against Glesnes’ last-ditch effort of a severe shirt grab, before cutting back onto his weaker foot, sitting down the 2022 MLS Defender of the Year and two-time MLS All-Star.
Open in space, Hezarkhani displayed chemistry with his former RSL Academy and Real Monarchs teammate Gozo, sending a precise ball across the area to the far post. Taking one touch to settle the service, Gozo fired, hitting the right post before ricocheting off the back of a diving JT Marcinkowski to level the match in the final moments before the break. The sequence goes down in the record books as an own goal, but RSL fans know there will be plenty of teenage fire in matches to come.
Elite Veteran Display
RSL fans truly love Captain Rafa Cabral, the oldest member of the 2026 roster, for his now-routine shot-stopping abilities to keep the Claret-and-Cobalt within striking distance. Sunday was no different for the Brazilian goalkeeper, after being called into action early following a turnover in the defensive third. Cabral quickly stepped off of his line, nearly to the top of the box, to deny Marco Reus in the fourth minute to keep the scoreline level.
Down 2-1 and fighting for an equalizer, Captain Cabral was called into action again in the final minute of stoppage time after Joseph Paintsil broke free, alone in his attacking half with no one to beat but Cabral. Displaying patience, elite footwork, and positioning, Cabral was quick to drop to his left and stop what could have been the nail in the coffin.
Dating back to Wednesday’s 0-2 loss to Inter Miami CF, Cabral has conceded multiple goals in each of RSL’s back-to-back losses, both of which arguably left Cabral helpless courtesy of quality strikes from the opposition. An “Iron Man” since his arrival in the Wasatch Front, playing every minute of all 49 games since signing with the Utah side, Cabral still searches for his first clean sheet of the season after logging seven last year.
Real Salt Lake now shifts its focus forward, hosting Portland Timbers this Saturday, May 2, at America First Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. MT, tickets are available for purchase now at www.RSL.com/tickets.
