Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA – Real Salt Lake took all 3 points while visiting expansion club San Diego FC. Diego Luna led all scoring with a brace and Sam Junqua added to the tally with San Diego getting a lone gone on a Penalty kick by Hirving Lozano. With RSL up 3-1 for most of the second half the claret and cobalt was phenomenal at eating up the clock and keeping San Diego trying to keep up with the pace of play. Even a late red card shown to Bode Hidalgo couldn’t swing things in favor of the home club.
It was a great start to the match with a light rain clearing up shortly before kick off but things took a turn against RSL in the 15th minute when Brayan Vera collided with the San Deigo keeper and looked to be unconscious before he walked off the pitch under his own power and was replaced by Sam Junqua. It took until stoppage time for either time to score. First it was a Diego Luna who cut at just the right moment and after a couple touches shot a rocket to the back of the net in the first minute of stoppage. San Diego answered just 5 minutes later when Alex Katranis was caught holding another player in the box following a corner kick. It was Hirving Lozano that leveled the score just getting in front of the fingers of Cabral with his PK attempt.
If RSL fans were disappointed in the soft PK awarded to San Deigo they were relieved when RSL was awarded a PK just 10 minutes into the second half after Jeppe Tverskov was caught handling the ball in the box. Diego Luna took the PK and beat keeper CJ dos Santos with room to spare to earn a brace and put RSL on top again. Sam Junqua added to the tally in the 66th minute with a shot from short distance that completely outpaced the San Diego defense. With a two point lead Real showed just how tough they can be with a defense that wouldn’t let San Diego get close enough to put any real pressure on Cabral.
RSL picked up its fourth win of the season. This was he first start for Zavier Gozo since joining Real Salt Lake. Up next for Real Salt Lake is another road match when they travel to Canada, Saturday May 3rd to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Goals by Period 1 2 F
Real Salt Lake 1 2 3
San Diego FC 1 0 1
Scoring Summary
RSL – Diego Luna – 45’+1′
SAN – Chucky Lozano – 45’+6′ PK
RSL – DIego Luna – 54′ PK
RSL – Sam Junqua – 66′
Misconduct Summary
RSL – Alex Katranis – 45+1′ – foul
SAN – Luca Bombino – 56′ – foul
SAN – Chucky Lozano – 73′ – foul
RSL – Philip Quinton – 83′ – foul
RSL – Diogo Goncalves – 86′ – foul
SAN – Alejando Alvarado – 87′ – foul
RSL – Bode Hidalgo – 90’+3” – foul
RSL – Bode Hidalgo – 90’+6” – foul Red Card
Officials
Referee: Ricardo Fierro
Assistant Referee: Michael Barwagen
Assistant Referee: Eduardo Jeff
4th Official: Elvis Osmanovic
Video Assistant Referee: Kevin Scott
AVAR: Jeff Muschik
Attendence: 28,116
Lineups
Real Salt Lake: Rafael Cabral; Bode Hidalgo; Brayan Vera (Sam Junqua, 19′); Phllip Quinton; Alex Katranis; Emeka Eneli; Braian Ojeda; Zavier Gozo; Diego Luna (Tyler Wolff, 89′); Diego Goncalves (Noel Caliskan, 90’+3′); Araith Piol (William Agada, 67′)
Substitutes Not Used: Mason Stadjuhar; Pablo Ruiz; Nelson Palacio; Lachlan Brook; Jesus Barea
Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni
San Diego FC: CJ dos Santos; Luca Bombino (Hamady Diop, 67′); Christopher McVey; Paddy McNair; Willy Kumado (Jasper Loffelsend, 77′); Luca de le Torre (Alejandro Alvarado, 83′); Jeppe Tverskov (Tomas Angel, 837); Anibal Godoy (Alex Mighten, 67′); Chucky Lozano; Onni Valakari (Milan Iloski, 77′); Ander Dreyer
Substitutes Not Used: Pablo Sisniega; Emmanuel Boateng; Ian Pitcher
Head Coach: Mikey Varas