RSL gets 1st win of season with 2-0 result over Seattle Sounders

SANDY — Sometimes all you need is a little stroke of luck to get momentum going in your direction.

That's exactly what Real Salt Lake got on the first day of March with an own goal by the Seattle Sounders in the opening 10 minutes of Saturday's matinee MLS home opener for the Claret and Cobalt at America First Field.

Alex Katranis sent a long, searching ball into the Seattle box with nobody on the other end of it, but Sounders defender Nouhou Tolo decided to head the ball and it bounced right into his own goal eight minutes in.

"I think the luck has been kind of going against us in the early part of these first three games," head coach Pablo Mastroeni said. "But I think today, again, putting balls in dangerous areas ... we are creating havoc in front of goal and good delivery. So that's the stroke of luck we needed."

The goal gave RSL a lead for the first time in MLS play this season after falling 4-0 in last Saturday's season opener in San Jose. Seattle didn't go away quietly, though, with the team Mastroeni called "the best attack in the league" leading in total shots and expected goals.

Former RSL attacking midfielder Albert Rusnak led the attack for Seattle and created a match-high four chances on goal. New goalkeeper Rafael Cabral and the defense held taut, however, achieving a clean sheet after last week's four-goal barrage.

"When we concede goals and when we score goals, it's connected," Cabral said. "Everybody has to defend and everybody has to attack. So I think today we improved a lot and we have to keep improving. Because, in my opinion, defense is everything. Defense wins championships."

Cabral earned the statistical "player of the match" award for RSL with his shutout in goal — his second through four starts in Claret and Cobalt.

Forward Forster Ajago put the game away for RSL in the 79th minute, just 11 minutes after entering the match, with his second goal in 2025 after scoring RSL's lone goal in the 2-1 loss that eliminated RSL from the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Wednesday.

Newly minted team captain Emeka Eneli got to lead the ceremonial planting of the flag after the win in front of the RioT supporter section, which raised a giant banner before the match that read, "Start the Riot."

RSL moves to 1-1 on the young MLS season and stays at home for its next match against expansion MLS side San Diego FC on Saturday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. MST at America First Field.

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