SANDY — Four days ago, Real Salt Lake made three penalties and saved three in a shootout win over America.
On Saturday, the script was flipped, with RSL missing its first two attempts and Atletico de San Luis making its first four to take 2 points from a 2-2 draw and shootout.
RSL takes just 1 point from the draw and is trending in the wrong direction heading into the final match of Phase 1 of the Leagues Cup in another four days.
The top four MLS teams advance to the Leagues Cup quarterfinals, and RSL currently sits eight spots below that line, with six teams above them still yet to play their second game of the phase.
The final match of the phase for RSL comes on Wednesday against Queretaro at 7:30 p.m. MDT at America First Field.
Both goals for RSL on Saturday came from midfielder Braian Ojeda, who had just one goal in 21 MLS matches coming into the Leagues Cup. The assist for the first goal came on a corner kick in the opening 10 minutes from midfielder partner Pablo Ruiz, who has also come alive recently after struggling in his return from an ACL injury earlier this year.
“Some of the struggles that we’ve had on the front line, it’s really important that our pivots continue to contribute,” head coach Pablo Mastroeni said of his midfielders. “Braian’s been that guy for us. He’s doing a really good job of getting into dangerous spots, putting in dangerous crosses and scoring goals for us.”
San Luis’ goals came in the 24th and 82nd minutes, taking a 2-1 lead on the second for six minutes until Ojeda tied the match at 2-2 in the 88th minute. Goalkeeper Rafael Cabral had six saves during regulation but failed to stop a shot during the ensuing shootout after stopping three against America.
Brayan Vera and Justen Glad missed the first two attempts for RSL in the shootout and San Luis made its first four to end the game.
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