Real Salt Lake Secures MLS Playoff Berth as Galaxy Fall Short
Sergi Solans and Zach Booth struck in the opening 13 minutes on Saturday afternoon, propelling Real Salt Lake to a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy in Sandy, Utah, and securing a postseason spot on the final day of the regular season. Real Salt Lake finished the campaign with a 13-15-6 record and 45 points, squeezing just above the Western Conference playoff line after months of turbulent form.
Getting over that line required more than just beating Los Angeles. RSL entered the day needing either a win or a draw, alongside help from elsewhere in the league. That assistance materialized when FC Dallas rallied for a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids. That result sealed the fate of the standings, allowing Salt Lake to capitalize on their early dominance at home.
The Late Surge That Saved the Season
Salt Lake’s path to the postseason was anything but straightforward. The club had to claw its way out of a 13-game winless run that stretched from mid-August through October 10. By putting together a 4-1-1 closing stretch, RSL managed to extend their streak of playoff appearances to six consecutive seasons. It also marks the fifth consecutive postseason berth under head coach Pablo Mastroeni.
The decisive match in Utah started at a blistering pace. Just 10 minutes in, Solans broke free onto a midfield pass from Noel Caliskan. The forward pulled Galaxy goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski off his line before slotting a right-footed shot into a wide-open net. Three minutes later, Booth doubled the advantage. He collected a ball inside the box and poked a shot through the legs of the Galaxy’s Marco Reus, slipping it past a diving Marcinkowski to make it 2-0.
Los Angeles fought back before halftime. In the 40th minute, LA’s Chucky Lozano whipped a cross into the penalty area, where RSL defender Luc de Fougerolles inadvertently redirected the ball into the goal. That own goal ultimately provided the only scoring for the visitors.
Galaxy Collapse and Up Ahead in Seattle
The stakes were equally high for Los Angeles, which needed a victory to punch its own postseason ticket. Instead, the defeat sent the Galaxy tumbling from seventh place to 11th in the Western Conference standings with an 11-12-11 record and 44 points. After scoring a season-high four goals last weekend in a victory over Austin FC, the attack sputtered when it mattered most. The loss marks a drop-off for the franchise, which has now missed the playoffs for two consecutive seasons after capturing the MLS Cup in 2024.
Goalkeeping duties proved remarkably lopsided in terms of workload. RSL’s Rafael Cabral was forced to make just one save all afternoon, while LA’s Marcinkowski turned away six shots to keep his side within striking distance.
With the regular season officially in the books, ninth-seeded Salt Lake turns its attention northward. RSL will travel to face the eighth-seeded Seattle Sounders in a wild-card playoff match on November 19. The winner of that clash will advance to meet the top-seeded Vancouver Whitecaps.
Earlier coverage: Real Salt Lake beats LA Galaxy 2-1 to clinch final MLS playoff spot
