Real Salt Lake Falls To FC Dallas At The Death

SALT LAKE CITY – Real Salt Lake fell to FC Dallas in the dying minutes and lost its fifth match of the 2023 season.

Manager Pablo Mastroeni played a 4-2-2-2 formation with the biggest surprise coming at right back as Bode Hidalgo started over an injured Andrew Brody. Anderson Julio and Rubio Rubin headlined the point of the attack while Jefferson Savarino and Andres Gomez played as wingers. Pablo Ruiz and Jasper Loffelsend started in the middle of the pitch while Bryan Vera, Marcelo Silva, and Justen Glad joined Bode across the backline. Zack MacMath maintained his starting goalkeeping position for a consecutive week following his benching against Colombus.

xi dudes in dallas

oops… *frisco pic.twitter.com/4DtJxaH4Y7

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) April 15, 2023

The fixture began with the hosts jumping on Real Salt Lake and scoring an early goal in the fifth minute when Jesus Ferreira got in behind the RSL backline and comfortably poked the ball past MacMath to open the scoring.

However, Real Salt Lake responded and remained patient as they attempted to level up proceedings. Pablo Ruiz had a terrific opportunity to level the score in the early stages of the second half but failed to capitalize. Rubio Rubin also had an opportunity in the first half to level the score but pushed his shot wide.

Real Salt Lake relied on their star man, Jefferson Savarino, who pinched the equalizer following a remarkable cross by Justin Meram who came off the bench in the second half. Savarino made up for an earlier miss that should have found the back of the net when he notched his second goal of the season.

THE CROSS. THE HEADER.

*chefs kiss* pic.twitter.com/VguxElhnDQ

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) April 16, 2023

Just when it seemed as though Real Salt Lake would pinch a much-needed point on the road, the hosts stole all three points in the 88th minute when substitute Bernard Kamungo got on the end of a cross and buried his shot into the top of the net and past the reaching arms of MacMath.

Despite throwing numbers into the attack in the final minutes of the game, Real Salt Lake was unable to find an equalizer and lost its fifth game of the season.

It was a devastating blow for Real Salt Lake who looked poised to steal a point on the road against a very talented team. The club has endured a tough start to the 2023 season despite picking up all three points a week ago against Charlotte at home.

The loss drops Real Salt Lake down the Western Conference standings to 11th position while the victory for FC Dallas keeps them in the fourth position tied on points with LAFC who has two games in hand.

Next week Real Salt Lake will return home to host San Jose who is currently in the sixth position in the West.