Real Salt Lake (RSL) clinched a place in the Major League Soccer postseason on Saturday night after a tense 2-2 draw with St. Louis City SC. Despite squandering a two-goal lead, RSL managed to seal a wild-card berth thanks to results elsewhere in the Western Conference.
The draw marks RSL’s fifth straight playoff appearance, keeping alive their streak of postseason qualifications under head coach Pablo Mastroeni.
Olatunji’s First-Half Brilliance
Nigerian striker Victor Olatunji was the hero early on, scoring both goals for RSL. His first came in the 17th minute, finishing off a perfectly weighted pass from Zavier Gozo. He doubled the lead in the 32nd minute after a clever setup from Diogo Gonçalves, giving RSL a commanding first-half advantage.
RSL’s momentum, however, faded before halftime. St. Louis clawed back with a penalty kick from Eduard Löwen in the 42nd minute, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
St. Louis Storms Back
As the second half wore on, St. Louis ramped up pressure with wave after wave of attacks. The hosts dominated statistically, posting 27 total shots to RSL’s 8, including eight on target.
Goalkeeper Rafael Cabral was vital in preserving the draw, making six key saves in a standout performance. But in the 88th minute, João Klauss capitalized on a defensive lapse to score the equalizer, securing a 2-2 final scoreline.
Help from Elsewhere Sends RSL Through
The result alone wasn’t enough to guarantee RSL’s postseason hopes. However, a 2-2 draw between LAFC and the Colorado Rapids meant RSL held onto ninth place in the Western Conference standings.
RSL finished the regular season 12-18-4 (41 points) — the same as the San Jose Earthquakes and Colorado Rapids — but advanced on a tiebreaker thanks to having one more victory.
Next Up: Wild Card Clash in Portland
RSL will now face the eighth-seeded Portland Timbers on Wednesday in Portland, Oregon, for a one-match wild-card showdown. The winner advances to the MLS first-round best-of-three playoff series, while the loser’s season ends.
For RSL, survival and postseason soccer are cause for celebration — even if their road to get there was anything but straightforward.
