Real Salt Lake rallies by Austin to stretch unbeaten run to 3 straight

SANDY — If his first five minutes in an MLS match are any indicator, Real Salt Lake's newly signed Dutch midfielder is going to be all right, all right, all right.

Late substitute Stijn Spierings scored the match-winning goal in the 88th minute as Real Salt Lake rallied to take all 3 points with a 2-1 win over Austin FC on Saturday night at America First Field.

Before he replaced RSL Academy alum Griffin Dillon in his debut start after the 81st minute, Spierings took a moment to visualize himself going toward goal, taking a shot, and finding the back of the net.

He knew he wanted to shoot. To score, as well. But at least put himself in those positions.

Within seven minutes, he had manifested that visualization — arguably the most impressive seven minutes and roughly four touches in Salt Lake history, with the match-winner.

"I guess I have to believe in it," he said of his manifesting of the shot with which he didn't look up.

Even more impressive, because Stijn insists he's not a natural goal scorer. In 29 appearances at his former club in Denmark, he scored just two goals. So don't get used to it? Or maybe do, he joked.

"I know myself, and know it's not really part of my game to score a lot of goals," he said. "But I know myself, and I can tell you this probably won't happen every week."

On this weekend, it was exactly what RSL (3-1, 9 points) needed to maintain its three-match unbeaten streak. It's still early in the 2026 season. But between a group of rising young talent, new veterans, and club talisman (and United States' World Cup hopeful) Diego Luna, the group has something cooking, head coach Pablo Mastroeni said.

"I think a lot of people watch the game with their eyes, but I've been in this league for almost 30 years and part of some winning teams," Mastroeni said. "More than what you see on the field is a feeling in the locker room.

"The young guys get these opportunities and they take it, but it's because the veteran guys support them," he added. "And then when you have returning guys like Victor and Diego return, they don't miss a beat — that's what is special."

Luna and center forward Victor Olatunji returned to the lineup following a pair of injuries, but as substitutes. Luca Moisa, the 17-year-old homegrown who started the club's first three matches, was also available only from the bench.

That left a young side available, with previous starters Pablo Ruiz and Utah native Zach Booth healthy scratches.

It also opened up space for Dillon, the former Corner Canyon standout, to earn his first career start in MLS play alongside young stars Aiden Hezarkhani and Zavier Gozo, along with Designated Player Morgan Guilavogui.

Dillon played through the 81st minute, when the newly signed Spierings made his formal RSL debut as a substitute. Luna and Olatunji also made their season debuts as second-half subs.

But Austin (1-1-2, 4 points) struck first in the 18th minute, when Jon Bell rose up like a salmon to meet a ball from Facundo Torres that put the green-clad visitors up, 1-0.

Noel Caliskan pulled one back five minutes later, putting a cross into the box after a give-and-go with Juan Manuel Sanabria that caromed off Austin center back Oleksandr Svatok into his own goal for the equalizer.

"That was Noel Caliskan identifying the moment," Mastroeni said. "His level of soccer understanding continues to impress me."

Salt Lake lofted 24 shots, including eight on goal, searching for the go-ahead goal. But each was parried by Brad Stuver made seven saves and the Austin defense held firm until Spierings received a pass through traffic from Justen Glad that the former Brøndby midfielder scored inside the left post to seal the win.

While at Brøndby, he played with former Real Salt Lake goalkeeper and academy product Gavin Beavers. In fact, Beavers was the only player with whom he spoke about a potential move to RSL — and the Nevada native had only positives to say about it.

If nothing else, he's already scored more goals than two of the three clubs with which he played in France. But the fit in MLS and Salt Lake seems natural.

"This is my fourth country outside the Netherlands," Spierings said. "Maybe the language is a bit easier; I've been in France, and I don't want to talk bad about France. But it's a big, big difference."

Real Salt Lake travels to San Diego FC next Sunday, March 22 (5 p.m. MDT, Apple TV) before returning home to host Sporting Kansas City on April 4.

Related topics