Real Salt Lake Clinch 2025 Playoff Berth, Journey to Portland on Wednesday in Wild Card Decider

Four Wins in Last Eight Down Stretch Allow RSL to Secure Ninth in West;

Winner of Wednesday’s West Wild Card Match at Portland Advances to First-Round Series w/ San Diego;

RSL Clinches League-Best Fifth Consecutive Postseason Appearance w/ 2-2 Draw at St. Louis

2008. LOUIS (Sat., Oct. 18, 2025) – Real Salt Lake (12-17-5, 41 factors, ninth West) survived a gritty MLS Decision Day street contest with a 2-2 draw at St. Louis CITY SC (8-18-8, 32 factors, thirteenth West), clinching its MLS-best fifth consecutive postseason berth, its seventh within the final eight seasons and its fifteenth in 18 events since first progressing to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in 2008.

With tonight’s end result – paced by two objectives from newcomer Nigerian striker Victor Olatunji in assist of “Iron Man” Captain and GK Rafael Cabral’s stellar efficiency, enjoying each single one among 3,510 minutes throughout 39 video games in all competitions in 2025 – RSL secures ninth place within the MLS Western Conference and can journey to Providence Park in Portland for Wednesday’s Wild Card matchup towards the eighth-seeded Timbers in a rematch of the 2021 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Final.

RSL boss Pablo Mastroeni – now an unbeaten 4-0-1 in his MLS Decision Day contests from 2021-present – made 5 personnel modifications and one positional swap to the beginning lineup from final Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Seattle. Holding midfielder Braian Ojeda (Paraguay), rising star Diego Luna (USA) and teenage homegrown winger Zavier Gozo (USA U-20) returned from latest worldwide obligation. Nigerian striker Victor Olatunji recovered from a slight groin pressure to reenter the XI, whereas left-sided defender Sam Junqua changed the suspended Alex Katranis (warning accumulation).

The Claret-and-Cobalt now proceed its 2025 MLS marketing campaign with an elimination Wild Card match on Wednesday at Providence Park in Portland. Kickoff towards the eighth-seeded Timbers is scheduled for 8:30p MT and can stream freed from cost on Apple TV.

GOAL SCORING SUMMARY: STL 2 : 2 RSL

RSL: Victor Olatunji (Zavier Gozo) 17’: Olatunji scored his third of 4 objectives in eight video games for RSL early on, streaking in alone on the keeper on a sequence begun by Braian Ojeda. Olatunji stayed simply onside in a perfectly-timed run, taking the centering move from Gozo and working to the proper publish, chopping his low line-drive shot again throughout objective, previous STL GK Roman Bürki.

RSL: Victor Olatunji (Diogo Gonçalves) 32’: Just after the primary half-hour, Olatunji accomplished his first-ever MLS profession brace with a 60-yard run from his personal half, taking a exact through-ball from Diogo Gonçalves to interrupt open the protection and slot residence his second of the match.

STL: Eduard Löwen (penalty) 42’: Following a handball name within the field on Brayan Vera, who apparently deflected a Klauss shot try together with his arm, STL midfielder Eduard Lowen transformed the second of two penalty makes an attempt, as RSL GK Rafa Cabral saved the preliminary Hartel try, however was adjudged to have come off his line early.

STL: Joao Klauss (Fallou Fall) 89’: Following a throw-in on the far facet, the near-post flick-on from Fall created a looping header from Klauss to offered the far-post equalizer simply after a late RSL substitution.

RSL: NOTES FROM STL 2 : 2 RSL

• Zavier Gozo’s help on the opening RSL objective marked his third of the season and his seventh objective contribution of 2025, extending his Club-record for teenage appearances on the RSL scoresheet within the Claret-and-Cobalt’s 21-season historical past.
• Olatunji’s objective enabled RSL to attain first for the twenty third time in 39 video games throughout all competitions this yr, with tonight’s draw enhancing RSL to 11 wins and 5 attracts towards seven losses when drawing first blood. RSL’s July 26 residence victory over San Jose was its lone come-from-behind win all through 2025 in MLS reg. season, Leagues Cup and Champions Cup motion.
• Olatunji’s brace tonight was RSL’s fourth of the 2025 marketing campaign, with two beforehand in MLS reg. season motion (each by Diego Luna) and one by Braian Ojeda in Leagues Cup.
• With tonight’s draw enabling RSL to bounce again from final week’s loss in Seattle, the Utah facet has now dropped back-to-back video games simply 17 occasions in Pablo Mastroeni’s 181 video games coached at RSL, profitable 31 video games and drawing 12 in matches following a loss.
• With the 2025 MLS common season concluded, 22-year-old playmaker Diego Luna was RSL’s Golden Boot winner, with 9 MLS objectives and a tenth total all through the marketing campaign.

Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Rafael Cabral ©; DeAndre Yedlin, Brayan Vera, Justen Glad,

Sam Junqua; Braian Ojeda, Diego Luna (Rwan Cruz 65), Diogo Gonçalves, Zavier Gozo (Philip Quinton 87), Noel Caliskan (Emeka Eneli 80); Victor Olatunji (William Agada 80)

Subs not used: Mason Stajduhar, Pablo Ruiz, Tyler Wolff, Johnny Russell, Jesús Barea

Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni

St. Louis CITY SC (4-2-3-1): Roman Burki ©; Conrad Waltem, Tomas Totland (Devin Padelford 83), Kyle Hiebert, Fallou Fall, Chris Durkin (Alfredo Morales 83), Eduard Lowen (Simon Becher 83), Marcel Hartel, Mykhi Joyner (Tomas Ostrak 72), Sang Bin Jeong; Joao Kiauss

Subs not used: Celio Pompeu, Josh Yaro, Timo Baumgartl, Ben Lundt, Brendan McSorley

Head Coach: David Critchley

STL: Chris Durkin (Yellow Card – 21’)

RSL: Diego Luna (Yellow Card – 24’)

RSL: Justen Glad (Yellow Card – 74’)

STL: Fallou Fall (Yellow Card – 79’)

RSL: DeAndre Yedlin (Yellow Card – 85’)

STL: Tomas Ostrak (Yellow Card – 97+)