RSL Academy Earns Victories at Home

The Real Salt Lake Academy returned to Zions Bank Real Academy for its final homestand for the fall portion of the 2022-23 MLS NEXT regular-season, earning nine out of a possible 12 points on the weekend. 

Led by Head Coach Jordan Allen, the RSL U-15s extended its win streak to six matches, earning all six available points, while the RSL U-17s secured its fourth win of the season before suffering a loss to San Jose Earthquakes. 

Led by a brace from forward Armani Haro, the RSL U-15s kicked off the weekend with a dominant 3-1 win over USL Championship academy side Sacramento Republic. Despite receiving a red card just eight minutes into the match, Sacramento took an early 1-0 lead, scoring on a breakaway to put the away side on the front foot just 10 minutes into the match. The U-15s eventually found its rhythm, maintaining the majority of possession and peppering the USL side with shot after shot. Haro capped off the first half with his first goal of the day, finding the equalizer just before the halftime whistle. Coming out of the halftime break, Haro continued his offensive tear, connecting with Khodadad Panahi in the 42nd minute to secure the brace and the 2-1 lead. Just 15 minutes later, US Youth National Team players Juan Gio Villa and Luca Moisa linked up for Moisa’s first goal of the 2022-23 season, snatching all three points in the 3-1 victory. 

Moving into Sunday, the U-15s kept the good times going, earning a 4-0 victory over Northern California side San Jose Earthquakes. Haro buried a penalty early in the match to net his team-leading seventh goal of the season in the 21st minute, while Isaac Murphy found Omar Marquez on a through ball just 13 minutes later to double the lead. Forward Karlos Flores put the game away in the second half, earning a brace of his own by connecting with Villa and midfielder Lorenzo Tuch to secure all six points on the weekend. Additionally, goalkeeper Will Mackay pocketed his fourth clean sheet of the 2022-23 MLS NEXT season, giving the squad an 8-1-1 record, earning 25 of a possible 30 points, while maintaining its position seven points clear atop of the MLS NEXT West Division. 

The RSL U-17s also netted three goals against Sacramento Republic, holding off the USL Championship side’s comeback to secure a 3-2 victory. Forwards Zavier Gozo and Brice Miller traded goals and assists, each netting a goal from a pass on the other to take a quick 2-0 lead just before the first half came to a close. At the start of the second half, RSL Homegrown Jude Wellings netted his second goal of the season with midfielder Tony Ramirez setting him up. As the match came to a close, Sacramento nearly came back, finding two goals in the final 15 minutes but the U-17s were able to hold them off to earn three points at home. The next day, RSL fell to the San Jose Earthquakes in a 2-0 defeat. 

The Real Salt Lake Academy will now travel to the Bay Area to face San Jose Earthquakes for the second-consecutive weekend on Saturday, November 19 before finishing off the first half of the MLS NEXT regular-season against De Anza Force on Sunday, November 20.