Four Wins in Last Eight Down Stretch Allow RSL to Secure Ninth in West;
Winner of Wednesday’s West Wild Card Match at Portland Advances to First-Round Series w/ San Diego;
RSL Clinches League-Best Fifth Consecutive Postseason Appearance w/ 2-2 Draw at St. Louis
- LOUIS (Sat., Oct. 18, 2025) – Real Salt Lake (12-17-5, 41 points, 9th West) survived a gritty MLS Decision Day road contest with a 2-2 draw at St. Louis CITY SC (8-18-8, 32 points, 13th West), clinching its MLS-best fifth consecutive postseason berth, its seventh in the last eight seasons and its 15th in 18 occasions since first progressing to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in 2008.
With tonight’s result - paced by two goals from newcomer Nigerian striker Victor Olatunji in support of “Iron Man” Captain and GK Rafael Cabral’s stellar performance, playing every single one of 3,510 minutes across 39 games in all competitions in 2025 - RSL secures ninth place in the MLS Western Conference and will travel to Providence Park in Portland for Wednesday’s Wild Card matchup against the eighth-seeded Timbers in a rematch of the 2021 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Final.
RSL boss Pablo Mastroeni - now an unbeaten 4-0-1 in his MLS Decision Day contests from 2021-present - made five personnel changes and one positional switch to the starting lineup from last Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Seattle. Holding midfielder Braian Ojeda (Paraguay), rising star Diego Luna (USA) and teenage homegrown winger Zavier Gozo (USA U-20) returned from recent international duty. Nigerian striker Victor Olatunji recovered from a slight groin strain to reenter the XI, while left-sided defender Sam Junqua replaced the suspended Alex Katranis (caution accumulation).
The Claret-and-Cobalt now continue its 2025 MLS campaign with an elimination Wild Card match on Wednesday at Providence Park in Portland. Kickoff against the eighth-seeded Timbers is scheduled for 8:30p MT and will stream free of charge on Apple TV.
GOAL SCORING SUMMARY: STL 2 : 2 RSL
RSL: Victor Olatunji (Zavier Gozo) 17’: Olatunji scored his third of four goals in eight games for RSL early on, streaking in alone on the keeper on a sequence begun by Braian Ojeda. Olatunji stayed just onside in a perfectly-timed run, taking the centering pass from Gozo and running to the right post, cutting his low line-drive shot back across goal, past STL GK Roman Bürki.
RSL: Victor Olatunji (Diogo Gonçalves) 32’: Just after the first half-hour, Olatunji completed his first-ever MLS career brace with a 60-yard run from his own half, taking a precise through-ball from Diogo Gonçalves to break open the defense and slot home his second of the match.
STL: Eduard Löwen (penalty) 42’: Following a handball call in the box on Brayan Vera, who apparently deflected a Klauss shot attempt with his arm, STL midfielder Eduard Lowen converted the second of two penalty attempts, as RSL GK Rafa Cabral saved the initial Hartel attempt, but was adjudged to have come off his line early.
STL: Joao Klauss (Fallou Fall) 89’: Following a throw-in on the far side, the near-post flick-on from Fall created a looping header from Klauss to provided the far-post equalizer just after a late RSL substitution.
RSL: NOTES FROM STL 2 : 2 RSL
- Zavier Gozo’s assist on the opening RSL goal marked his third of the season and his seventh goal contribution of 2025, extending his Club-record for teenage appearances on the RSL scoresheet in the Claret-and-Cobalt’s 21-season history.
- Olatunji’s goal enabled RSL to score first for the 23rd time in 39 games across all competitions this year, with tonight’s draw improving RSL to 11 wins and five draws against seven losses when drawing first blood. RSL’s July 26 home victory over San Jose was its lone come-from-behind win throughout 2025 in MLS reg. season, Leagues Cup and Champions Cup action.
- Olatunji’s brace tonight was RSL’s fourth of the 2025 campaign, with two previously in MLS reg. season action (both by Diego Luna) and one by Braian Ojeda in Leagues Cup.
- With tonight’s draw enabling RSL to bounce back from last week’s loss in Seattle, the Utah side has now dropped back-to-back games just 17 times in Pablo Mastroeni’s 181 games coached at RSL, winning 31 games and drawing 12 in matches following a loss.
- With the 2025 MLS regular season concluded, 22-year-old playmaker Diego Luna was RSL’s Golden Boot winner, with nine MLS goals and a 10th overall throughout the campaign.
LINEUPS:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Rafael Cabral ©; DeAndre Yedlin, Brayan Vera, Justen Glad,
Sam Junqua; Braian Ojeda, Diego Luna (Rwan Cruz 65), Diogo Gonçalves, Zavier Gozo (Philip Quinton 87), Noel Caliskan (Emeka Eneli 80); Victor Olatunji (William Agada 80)
Subs not used: Mason Stajduhar, Pablo Ruiz, Tyler Wolff, Johnny Russell, Jesús Barea
Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni
St. Louis CITY SC (4-2-3-1): Roman Burki ©; Conrad Waltem, Tomas Totland (Devin Padelford 83), Kyle Hiebert, Fallou Fall, Chris Durkin (Alfredo Morales 83), Eduard Lowen (Simon Becher 83), Marcel Hartel, Mykhi Joyner (Tomas Ostrak 72), Sang Bin Jeong; Joao Kiauss
Subs not used: Celio Pompeu, Josh Yaro, Timo Baumgartl, Ben Lundt, Brendan McSorley
Head Coach: David Critchley
Stats Summary: STL / RSL
Shots: 27 / 8
Shots on Goal: 7 / 3
Saves: 1 / 5
Corner Kicks: 7 / 3
Fouls: 13 / 13
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
STL: Chris Durkin (Yellow Card - 21’)
RSL: Diego Luna (Yellow Card - 24’)
RSL: Justen Glad (Yellow Card - 74’)
STL: Fallou Fall (Yellow Card - 79’)
RSL: DeAndre Yedlin (Yellow Card - 85’)
STL: Tomas Ostrak (Yellow Card - 97+)
