Chicho Arango Records First-Half Brace Against Galaxy In Los Angeles

May 11, 2024, 9:34 PM

Chicho Arango Real Salt Lake RSL Sporting KC...

(Photo courtesy of Real Salt Lake)

KSL Sports

LOS ANGELES – Chicho Arango continues to be the heart and soul of Real Salt Lake as he led the club to a 2-0 first-half lead over the LA Galaxy.

After scoring a highlight header goal in the 20th minute, Arango wasn’t done.

CHICHO ARANGO CAN’T BE STOPPED 🔥 pic.twitter.com/PuISxwWgvP

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 12, 2024

A series of passes between Andrew Brody, Andres Gomez, and Matt Crooks created an excellent scoring opportunity for RSL in the box.

Gomez attacked from the right side and found Arango streaking down the middle.

Arango got his foot beneath the ball and put the shot over LA goalkeeper John McCarthy to give Real a 2-0 advantage.

41′ | AND ANOTHER#LAvRSL | 0-2 pic.twitter.com/06fVaDFAPR

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) May 12, 2024

With the first-half brace, Arango is now up to 11 goals and seven assists on the year.

Real Salt Lake has only scored two goals this season without a contribution from Arango.

He is now tied with Christian Benteke and Luis Suárez for most goals in the MLS so far this season.

Real Salt Lake Looks To Keep Top Spot In West In LA Against Galaxy

Real currently holds the top seed in the Western Conference with a record of 6-2-3.

Despite coming off of an early U.S. Open Cup loss to New Mexico United, Real Salt Lake is undefeated in its last seven MLS matches with five wins and two draws.

RSL’s last MLS loss came over two months ago to Colorado on March 9.

▪️ Colorado and Toronto enter the top ten
▪️ Miami maintains status as #1

Where does your club stand?

Power Rankings pres. by @RBCWealth: https://t.co/AqoWw5KTj4 pic.twitter.com/PPuJTuPHGB

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 7, 2024

However, they won’t have an easy matchup as they aim to build on their three-game MLS win streak.

The LA Galaxy holds the third spot in the West with a record of 5-2-4.

The Galaxy haven’t been as hot as RSL as of late with a 2-2-1 record in its last five. However, they have yet to lose at home in four games with two wins and two draws.

scenes from training ☀️ pic.twitter.com/Bt8iVll2aT

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) May 10, 2024

RSL and LA last met in October 2023. They played to a 2-2 draw in Los Angeles.

Both clubs look a lot different than they did last season though. The Galaxy was a bottom-five team in the MLS last season but has turned around to become a borderline contender in 2024.

The biggest difference for RSL this year has been the play of Chicho Arango. With nine goals and seven assists, Arango has become a serious threat for MVP.

Who poses the biggest threat to Messi in the MVP race? 🤔

More here: https://t.co/h1hcrBcZHZ pic.twitter.com/jAPL0NAIHI

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 8, 2024

Real Salt Lake will need Arango and the entire roster to step up this weekend as the game against LA could prove to have playoff implications.

The Galaxy sit just two points behind RSL in the standings. A loss would likely drop Real down to third in the West.

Real Salt Lake and LA face off one more time at America First Field on June 22. With both clubs competing for a playoff appearance, a win in at least one of the two matchups will be very important.

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 2024 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.

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Chandler Holt is a co-host for the Jazz Notes podcast and a Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com, specializing in all things basketball and football. Follow Chandler on Twitter @ChandlerHoltKSL or on Threads @chandlerho1t.