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SANDY — Real Salt Lake got a win when it needed it the most, defeating the Portland Timbers 3-1 Sunday at America First Field to qualify for the MLS Playoffs.
"The energy that the fans brought in was fantastic, and the guys definitely lived off that," head coach Pablo Mastroeni said of the 21,333 in attendance, the third-most in stadium history. "I think to put forth the performance and get a result like that in front of a big crowd is fantastic, not only for the players, and not only for the fans, but I think for the club and really the synergy between the club and the fans."
For the second year in a row, RSL's playoff chances came down to the final game of the season, with the Claret and Cobalt needing a win on Decision Day to keep their season alive.
RSL wasn't afraid to push the envelope early, getting off five shots in the first 20 minutes. The pressure paid off when Jefferson Savarino cut inside and curled a shot into the bottom corner of the goal to put the home team up 1-0 in the 19th minute.
The first half ended with RSL right where it wanted to be, up one in a must-win game. The home team led the possession battle 55-45% and total shots 8-3 but was able to register just one shot on goal — Savarino's goal — to match Portland's one shot on target.
The second shot on goal came early in the second half, as Bryan Oviedo found Rubio Rubin in the box in the 48th minute, and the Guatemalan national team member slotted home his first goal of the season to put RSL up 2-0 in the crucial must-win match.
One step closer to the @Audi#MLSCupPlayoffs.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 9, 2022
Rubio Rubin fires @RealSaltLake ahead 2-0!#RSL // #DecisionDaypic.twitter.com/dmAv7T6yS3
Mastroeni made a surprising move in the 58th minute, bringing on 20-year-old Utah native Bode Hidalgo for Maikel Chang on the right wing. Hidalgo was able to keep up the pace Chang started with and continued the attacking pressure for an RSL squad looking for a third goal.
"He's always done what's been asked and really brought his own flavor to it," Mastroeni said of Hidalgo. "So I think this is a great step in the direction of a very good career."
Yimmi Chara had the Timbers' best chance of the second half in the 69th minute when his shot from the right side of the box hit the post and bounced harmlessly away from RSL's goal.
Savarino and Sergio Cordova were subbed off in the 71st minute, making way for Justin Meram and Anderson Julio. The other goalscorer, Rubin, left the match in the 76th minute for Jasper Loffelsend, signaling a defensive shift for RSL.
Hidalgo got his first MLS goal off of an assist from Loffelsend in the 82nd minute, but Portland came back and made it 3-1 in the 87th minute when leading scorer Dairon Asprilla got one past Zac MacMath. Hidalgo is the first Utah-born player to ever score for RSL.
ALSO BODE SCORED THIS GOAL!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/n7QaHj7OMB
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) October 9, 2022
"I just knew — being on the bench all year — you have your shot and you have to take it," Hidalgo said. "And fortunately, today was my day."
RSL — officially the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference — will face No. 2-seeded Austin FC on the road in the first round of the playoffs on Sunday, Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. MDT.
