Real Salt Lake Scores Three Unanswered Goals To Salvage Point Against FC Dallas
May 25, 2024, 8:51 PM | Updated: May 28, 2024, 4:00 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – Real Salt Lake scored three unanswered goals late in the second half to salvage a point after a mistake-filler performance against FC Dallas.
Real Salt Lake draws with FC Dallas
Dallas hosted RSL at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas on Saturday, May 25.
RSL entered the match atop the Western Conference standings with 28 points this season. Dallas came into the contest with a 3-3-6 record, good for 12th place in the West.
Real Salt Lake played FC Dallas to a 3-3 draw.
can't count us out #DALvRSL | @SelectHealth pic.twitter.com/rh87kfkjON
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) May 26, 2024
Mistakes and a strong start to the second half by Dallas gave Real Salt Lake a mountain to climb in order to earn a point on the road.
Things appeared to start well for RSL during the opening 25 minutes of the contest. MLS star Chicho Arango hit both posts and looked to be on the verge of putting one on frame.
However, RSL was unable to find the back of the net in the first half.
According to xG analytics, Real Salt Lake should have entered the locker room at halftime with 2.09 goals. Instead, the Sandy-based club trailed at the break, 1-0.
During the first half, MacMath made five saves but allowed a brutal own goal before the break.
Following the first 45 minutes, five minutes of stoppage time were added to the half.
Shortly before the halftime whistle, RSL’s goalkeeper made a mistake while attempting to make a save and FC Dallas went into the break up a goal on the scoreboard.
🙃🙃🙃#RSLonKSL #RSL #DALvRSL @rslshow pic.twitter.com/9a5nNAE5yZ
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 26, 2024
In the opening half, Real Salt Lake owned possession 57.4 percent of the first 45 minutes plus stoppage time. The visitors outshot Dallas, 9-7. However, the home side had four shots on target compared to only two for RSL.
After the break, things went from bad to worse for Real Salt Lake, and did so in quick fashion.
In the 57th minute, MacMath made another error and FC Dallas’ Patrickson Delgado took advantage. Delgado put a deep shot on frame with MacMath nowhere near the goal. Delgado’s goal put Dallas up, 2-0.
After the match, MacMath said that he wants to continue to be an “aggressive goalkeeper” but improve on his decision-making that allowed Dallas its first two goals.
.@FCDallas goes up 2-0 in the 57th minute after another mistake by @realsaltlake.#RSLonKSL #RSL #DALvRSL @rslshow pic.twitter.com/40jYj0SwUr
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 26, 2024
Two minutes after Delgado’s goal, Real Salt Lake let another one find the back of the net. Paul Arriola put Dallas in front of Real Salt Lake by three goals in the 59th minute.
.@FCDallas makes it three in a row vs. @realsaltlake in the 59th minute.#RSLonKSL #RSL #DALvRSL @rslshow pic.twitter.com/g333OCHAga
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 26, 2024
Shortly after falling into the 3-0 hole, Diego Luna pulled one back for Real Salt Lake. It was Luna’s third goal of the season.
Moon Boy pulls one back for #RSL. 🌙#RSLonKSL #DALvRSL @rslshow pic.twitter.com/4v4tjXb06O
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 26, 2024
After Luna’s goal, Pablo Mastroeni subbed Anderson Julio into the contest in place of the forward who had just scored.
Julio rewarded his head coach by scoring on a rocket of a goal in the 73rd minute to give RSL hope.
Anderson Julio with a 🚀 in the 73rd minute. #RSLonKSL #RSL #DALvRSL @rslshow pic.twitter.com/FO1gD0ite5
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 26, 2024
After the 90-minute mark, eight minutes of stoppage time were added to the clock.
In the 98th minute and before the final whistle, Nelson Palacio scored his first MLS goal to grant RSL and equalizer and a point on the road.
Nelson Palacio scores an equalizer to salvage a point for @realsaltlake. 🤯🤯🤯#RSLonKSL #RSL #DALvRSL @rslshow pic.twitter.com/CGdOzTchRz
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 26, 2024
With the result, RSL improved to an 8-5-2 record this season.
Real Salt Lake’s next match is on the road against Seattle Sounders FC on Wednesday, May 29 at 8:30 p.m. (MT). The game will be broadcast via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM), KSLSports.com, and the KSL Sports app.
629 games played for #DaleReal in its @MLS reg szn history, tonight was first time #RSL EVER earned a point after going down 0-3#BELIEVE pic.twitter.com/Rk72xpOlyS
— Trey Fitz-Gerald (@3FitzSLC) May 26, 2024
Real Salt Lake this season
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Real Salt Lake opened its 2024 schedule with a 2-0 loss to Inter Miami CF on February 21. The club followed up the season-opening loss by picking up a point in a 1-1 draw with St. Louis only three days later.
Following the draw with St. Louis, Real Salt Lake beat LAFC at home, 3-0.
After defeating Los Angeles, RSL fell at home to the Colorado Rapids, 2-1. Real Salt Lake has been unbeaten in MLS play since the home loss to Colorado.
Real Salt Lake got back on track with a 2-1 win over Vancouver on March 23 and a 3-1 victory over St. Louis on March 30.
The team’s two-game winning streak was snapped with a 1-1 draw with Minnesota United FC on April 6 at Allianz Field.
On April 13, RSL played the Columbus Crew to a scoreless draw before crushing the Chicago Fire, 4-0, a week later.
In the club’s last match, RSL picked up a 2-1 win over Philadelphia.
After beating Chicago, RSL picked up consecutive wins over the Philadelphia Union and Sporting Kansas City. After the back-to-back victories, Real Salt Lake fell to New Mexico United of the USL Championship in the U.S. Open Cup. Real Salt Lake rebounded in MLS play by earning a point after drawing with the LA Galaxy on May 11.
RSL entered the match against Dallas coming off wins over Seattle and Colorado.
Kyle Ireland is an insider for Utah’s NHL team for KSLSports.com. Follow him on X (@kyleireland), Threads (@kyleirelandksl), and Instagram (@kyleirelandksl).
