Real Salt Lake Goes Scoreless In Loss To LAFC

SALT LAKE CITY – Real Salt Lake dropped its home matchup against LAFC on Saturday.

With the 0-3 loss, RSL went scoreless in its third-straight MLS game.

feelin warm.
feelin ready. #MentalHealthMatters | #RSLvLAFC pic.twitter.com/9mj9WDXurl

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) May 14, 2023

RSL Can’t Get On The Scoreboard At Home Against LAFC

First Half

The opening minutes of the match were all defense.

LAFC midfielder Timothy Tillman took the first shot of the match from the center of the box but it missed high and right.

In the 8th minute, midfielder Kwadwo Opoku caught a pass in stride and put LAFC on the board.

What a pass. What a finish. 💫 pic.twitter.com/R5w4QFUYnv

— LAFC (@LAFC) May 14, 2023

RSL Attacker Rubio Rubín missed a header off a cross from Jefferson Savarino in the 13th minute.

After a move that lost the defender, midfielder Pablo Ruiz sent a strike toward the bottom right corner but it was saved by LAFC goalkeeper John McCarthy.

Real Salt Lake continued to apply pressure. Rubín gained control of a cross directly in front of the goal but his shot was saved.

At this point it feels like Rubin is cursed or something#RSL

— RSL Show on KSL (@rslshow) May 14, 2023

After trading possessions for a few minutes, LAFC attacker Denis Bouanga sent a shot to the top right corner from outside the box.

Los Angeles does it again in the 34th. Denis Bouanga takes a shot from outside of the box and drills it. @realsaltlake 0@LAFC 2#RSL #RSLvLAFC

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 14, 2023

Through the first 40 minutes, RSL led in time of possession, shots, shots on goal, and corner kicks.

MacMath couldn’t get a save on either of LAFC’s shots on goals. He got a hand on the first and the second was out of reach.

LA took their first corner kick in the 43rd minute. It was quickly conceded by defender Andrew Brody.

HALFTIME.

RSL took 11 shots (3 on goal) to LA’s 8 (2 on goal). Time of possession split 50/50.@realsaltlake 0@LAFC 2#RSL #RSLvLAFC @rslshow

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 14, 2023

Second Half

RSL picked up the defensive aggression early in the second half.

Midfielder José Cifuentes and attacker Denis Bouanga missed back-to-back shots in the 54th and 56th.

Real Salt Lake made its first substitutions of the night in the 59th minute. Anderson Julio and Bertin Jacquesson entered for Andrés Gómez and Danny Musovski.

59′ | Julio steps on#MentalHealthMatters | @SJ_Utah pic.twitter.com/jlyZv0RHAR

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) May 14, 2023

Both Julio and Jacquesson took shots from outside the box shortly after checking in. Both were saved by McCarthy.

A header from Rubín off of a cross from Brody soared just high in the 66th minute.

LAFC’s Ryan Hollingshead was shown a yellow card for a foul in the 68th minute.

A delay took place in the 70th minute after a rough collision between Anderson Julio and LAFC goalkeeper John McCarthy.

Damir Kreilach and Emeka Eneli checked in for Rubio Rubín and Pablo Ruiz in the 73rd.

Kreilach checking in for Rubin. Emeka Eneli steps in for Pablo Ruiz
0-2 73rd minute #RSL

— RSL Show on KSL (@rslshow) May 14, 2023

Emeka Eneli was shown a yellow card for a foul in the 79th minute.

MacMath saved a shot from Mateusz Bogusz that was taken inside the box.

On the other end, Kreilach took a shot from outside the box that missed high and right.

LAFC was awarded a penalty kick-off for a foul by Brayan Vera in the 86th. Mateusz Bogusz put it in the bottom left corner to give Los Angeles a three-score lead.

LA scores off a penalty kick in the 87th. Dénis Bouanga drew the foul on Brayan Vera.@realsaltlake 0@LAFC 3#RSL #RSLvLAFC

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 14, 2023

Real Salt Lake’s next game is against the Portland Timbers on Wednesday, May 17.

How To Watch Real Salt Lake

All Major League Soccer games are broadcasted on Apple TV with MLS Season Pass.

All Real Salt Lake English-language radio coverage for the 2023 season and beyond will be carried on various KSL radio signals. KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM) and KSL Newsradio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) are both stations under the Bonneville International umbrella.

Chandler Holt is a Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com, specializing in all things basketball and football. Follow Chandler on Twitter at @ChandlerHoltKSL.

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