Real Salt Lake Secures Comeback 2-2 Draw Against LAFC

SANDY, Utah (Sat., Sep. 5, 2026) – Real Salt Lake (8-9-5 29 points, 10th West / 16th MLS Shield) rebounded twice from one-goal deficits to earn a 2-2 draw against LAFC (10-7-7, 37 points, 3rd West / 7th MLS Shield) on Saturday in front of 21,078 fans at America First Field, the 10th-largest all-time soccer attendance in venue history. 

The first of two equalizers was provided by newcomer Saba Lobjanidze, who notched his first-ever Real Salt Lake goal, while midfielder Noel Caliskan secured his first goal of 2026 to salvage a point. The match also saw the Club debut of newly-arrived forward Jason Shokalook, who made his first-ever RSL appearance after subbing on in the 89th minute.

RSL Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni made six personnel changes to the starting XI from last weekend’s 1-0 loss at Colorado. Returning from Leagues Cup injuries into the backline were MLS veterans Philip Quinton and defender Lukas Engel. Making his return at the 10 was Diego Luna alongside Lobjanidze, making just his third-ever start, as well as Uruguayan World Cup standout JuanMa Sanabria and homegrown 18-year-old Luca Moisa.

Real Salt Lake put intense pressure on the visitors early, with both Moisa and Luna making attempts on goal in the 4th and 6th minutes. LAFC responded when DF Nkosi Tafari headed a corner, only for RSL GK and Captain Rafael Cabral, who saved it easily. 

Soon thereafter, LAFC star Denis Bouanga ran up the left side and rocketed a curling shot into the top of the net, giving LAFC a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute. 

Real Salt Lake answered immediately when Caliskan slid pass inside to Lobjanidze, who took the opportunity and cemented a shot into the bottom left corner, equalizing in the 18th minute, cutting short the LAFC lead. The goal marked Lobjinze’s first for the Claret-and-Cobalt, having joined 11 games ago on July 1.

RSL continued to press relentlessly, with multiple players making attempts on goal. In the 21st minute, Solans took a shot that didn’t quite find the net and seconds later Sanabria attempted a header that went just over the bar. In the 24th minute, Lobjanidze just missed the top right corner. 

LAFC’s Bouanga broke dangerously up the left side in the 38th minute, finding global icon Son, who finished precisely from the center of the box, giving LAFC a 2-1 lead just prior to halftime. That world-class duo has scored 12 goals between the two of them in just the last four LAFC matches. 

Despite the deficit, Salt Lake returned from the locker room with determination. LAFC had a flurry of attempts on goal, but none found the back of the net. In the 52nd minute, Bouanga took a corner attempt,straight into the hands of Cabral. 

In the 54th minute, Luna took a corner that found Moisa, whose right-footed attempt from outside the box was blocked. Mere seconds later, Lobjanidze saw his shot  saved by the LAFC keeper. In the 58th minute, Caliskan fired an effort that was once again saved by the keeper.

In the 75th minute, homegrown Aiden Hezarkhani blasted a right-footed attempt, the ball defecting to Caliskan on the left side of the box, who effortlessly tapped it in, securing the second equalizer and notching his first goal of the 2026 season.

In the 87th minute, DeAndre Yedlin miraculously prevented an apparent LAFC game-winner, as Son eluded Cabral on a breakaway, his shot on an open net cleared by Yedlin at the last possible moment, blocking the shot and maintaining the 2-2 score.

Minutes later, Shokalook made his Real Salt Lake debut, becoming all-time player No. 241 in the club’s 22-year history, coming on for Sergi Solans in the 89th minute, just before the final whistle blew, the Club securing a point in front of a home crowd.

Following Saturday’s draw against LAFC, the Claret-and-Cobalt now head to Houston to face the Dynamo this Wednesday, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. MT. RSL then returns home next Saturday, September 12, hosting New York City FC for its second of four home games during September at America First Field (kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. MT.) Tickets are available for purchase here.

GOAL SCORING SUMMARY: 

RSL 2 : 2 LAFC

LAFC: Denis Bouanga (Son Heung-Min) 14’: Son made a fast break, finding Bouanga, who took the ball up the left side before rocketing a right-footed shot into the top right corner. 

SLC: Saba Lobjanidze (Noel Caliskan) 18’: Caliskan made a slide pass to Lobjanidze, who took the opportunity and cemented a shot into the bottom left corner from the center of the box, equalizing the score.

LAFC: Son Heung-Min (Denis Bouanga) 38’: Bouanga made a fast break up the left side before finding Heung-Min who took a left-footed shot from the center of the box.

SLC: Noel Caliskan 75’: The ball found Caliskan on the right side, who effortlessly tapped it in, securing the equalizer and notching his first goal of the 2026 season. 

NOTES FROM RSL 2 : 2 LAFC

• RSL moves to 10-2-3 (W-L-T) across all competition. on Utah soil in 2026, with the Club now 18-5-5 at home since June 1, 2025, returning America First Field to its long-time fortress status 

• Attendance for the match was 21,078, the 10th- highest in Salt Lake history. 

• Tonight’s draw extended RSL’s nine-match winless streak in MLS action, the fifth-longest drought in Club history

• However, the 2-2 draw did manage to snap a four-game losing streak across all competitions, the Utah side earning a point for the first time since August 15

• RSL now heads to Houston, seeking its first road win since March 7 at Atlanta, working to snap a 10-game winless streak away from home, a run that includes the neutral-site Leagues Cup Quarterfinal against Leon in Denver on August 25

LINEUPS:

Real Salt Lake (3-4-2-1): Rafael Cabral ©; Philip Quinton, Juan Jose Arias (DeAndre Yedlin, 67’), Lukas Engel; Noel Caliskan, Luca Moisa (Colin Guske, 70’), Alex Katranis, Juan Manuel Sanabria; Saba Lobjanidze (Aiden Hezarkhani, 67’), Deigo Luna; Sergi Solans (Jason Shokalook, 89’) 

Subs not used: Mason Stajduhar, Kobi Henry, Linekar Rodrigues

Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni

Los Angeles FC (4-4-2): Hugo Lloris; Yevhen Cheberko, Nikosi Tafari, Aaron Long ©, Ryan Hollingshead; Jacob Shaffelburg (Ryan Raposo, 82’), Mark Delgado, Mathieu Choiniere, Tyler Boyd (Armindo Sieb, 82’); Denis Bouanga, Son Heung-Min

Subs not used: Eddie Segura, Sergi Palencia, Jeremy Ebobisse, Jude Terry, Cabral Carter, Kenneth Nielsen, Tommy Mihalic

Head Coach: Marc Dos Santos

Stats Summary: RSL / LAFC

Shots: 21 / 14

Shots on Goal: 9 / 5

Saves: 7 / 3

Corner Kicks: 5 / 8

Fouls: 5 / 7

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:

RSL: Juan Jose Arias (Yellow Card - 30’)

RSL: Luca Moisa (Yellow Card - 61’) 

RSL: Colin Guske (Yellow Card - 77’)