Commerce City, Colorado (Saturday, May 17, 2025) – Real Salt Lake (4-8-2, 14 points, 12th West) fell 1-0 at Colorado Rapids (5-4-5, 19 points, 7th West) to conclude its first three-game week of the 2025 Campaign. Despite the loss, the result still leaves RSL with a chance on Decision Day to capture 15 out of the last 18 Rocky Mountain Cup series.
RSL boss Pablo Mastroeni made four personnel changes and one positional shift from the midweek stalemate at home against Portland. Defender Justen Glad returned from a caution accumulation wearing the captain's armband along with homegrown Bode Hidalgo shifting to the left side of the defensive line.
Midfielders Pablo Ruiz and Tyler Wolff were a part of Mastroeni’s starters for the first time since March. After missing what would have been his home debut with RSL due to suspension, striker William Agada rounded out the starting XI up top.
The first leg of the 2025 two-game Rocky Mountain Cup was largely a defensive battle in the first half, with Real Salt Lake focusing heavily on keeping Colorado Rapids off the scoresheet. Goalkeeper Rafael Cabral continued to show his composure between the posts with an impressive diving save, stopping the ball from finding the back of the net with his body.
RSL's backline stayed compact and disciplined, absorbing pressure and disrupting the Rapids' attacking rhythm. Despite a few close calls, their defensive efforts set the tone for a tightly-contested match, emphasizing the intensity and rivalry that defines the Rocky Mountain Cup while also keeping a clean sheet going into the locker room at halftime.
After a Colorado goal in the 70th minute forced the visitors to try to come from behind, striker Johnny Russell subbed on for the first time since being acquired by Real Salt Lake. By stepping onto the pitch, Russell became the 223rd player in RSL’s 21-year MLS history, also marking the first time he and former KC teammate William Agada shared the field together in the Claret-and-Cobalt.
While managing to generate opportunities in the final third, RSL was unable to find the back of the net for an equalizer. Real Salt Lake will look to sharpen their attack and tighten up defensively as they aim to deny Colorado a win later in the season and with it, the Rocky Mountain Cup.
Next up for the Claret-and-Cobalt is a brief return home next Saturday, May 24, to host the Western Conference’s top-ranked Vancouver Whitecaps FC, playing them for the second time this campaign. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 PM MT and tickets are available for purchase here. The game will also be streaming on Apple TV with the MLS Season Pass.
COL 1 : 0 RSL
GOALSCORING SUMMARY:
COL: Đorđe Mihailović (Cole Bassett) 70’: Colorado capitalized on a RSL turnover in the box, Mihailović with a right-footed shot from the center of the box to the bottom left corner.
NOTES FROM COL 1 : 0 RSL
- Tonight’s loss snapped RSL’s two-game unbeaten run with draws at Dallas and against Portland earlier in the week
- Colorado has now won each of its last three reg. season matches against RSL, including the last two at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
- Tonight’s second-half appearance by newcomer Johnny Russell marked the 223rd debut by a player in RSL’s 21-year MLS history
- Eighteen-year-old homegrown winger Zavier Gozo made his fifth consecutive start tonight, playing the full 90 minutes in three of the five matches, with 60+ at Dallas last Saturday and 70 minutes played tonight
- Second-year right back Noel Caliskan made his third consecutive start of the week tonight, after playing with Real Monarchs of MLS NEXT Pro for the first three months of the season
- Two RSL defenders, Brayan Vera (head) and Philip Quinton (hamstring), returned to availability for the first time in several weeks after recovering from injury, although they did not appear tonight
- Next Saturday at Vancouver affords RSL the fourth opportunity of the season to avoid back-to-back losses, something which has occurred just 13 times in HC Pablo Mastroeni’s 55 games managed since August, 2021, with the Utah side
LINEUPS:
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Rafael Cabral; Noel Caliskan, Sam Junqua, Justen Glad, Bode Hidalgo (Alexandros Katranis, 59’); Pablo Ruiz (Johnny Russell, 75’), Braian Ojeda; Zavier Gozo (Dominik Marczuk, 58’), Diego Luna (Emeka Eneli, 58’), Tyler Wolff (Jesús Barea, 75’); William Agada
Subs not used: Brayan Vera, Ariath Piol, Philip Quinton, Mason Stajduhar
Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni
Colorado Rapids (4-4-2): Nicholas Defreitas Hansen; Reggie Cannon, Andreas Maxsø, Chidozie Awaziem, Jackson Sims Travis (Sam Vines, 88’); Cole Bassett (Samuel Angelo Bassett, 79’), Oliver Larraz, Josh Atencio, Đorđe Mihailović © (Calvin Harris, 88’); Darren Yapi (Connor Ronan, 88’), Kévin Cabral (Theodore Ku-DiPietro, 61’)
Subs not used: Keegan Rosenberry, Wayne Frederick, Ian Murphy, Adam James Beaudry
Head Coach: Chris Armas
Stats Summary: COL / RSL
Shots: 6 / 11
Shots on Goal: 3 / 4
Saves: 4 / 2
Corner Kicks: 3 / 3
Fouls: 9 / 11
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
COL: Josh Atencio (Yellow card - 29’)
RSL: Braian Ojeda (Yellow card - 31’)
COL: Darren Yapi (Yellow card - 80’)
COL: Reggie Cannon (Yellow card - 90’+6’)
