Utah Royals concede late in 2-1 loss to Boston Legacy
Sep 5, 2026, 12:53 AM
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Royals’ result at home Friday night to NWSL newcomers Boston Legacy FC wasn’t just surprising for the result, based on the placement of the two squads in the 16-team league table.
The bigger surprise may have been how it happened.
Nicki Hernandez’s late cross found Aleigh Gambone at the back post for the game-winning goal in the 86th minute as Boston took all 3 points from Utah Royals FC with a 2-1 win in front of an announced crowd of 8,112 fans at America First Field.
“We’ve seen in this league that anyone can win on any given day, and we’re at home; we have to play better than that,” center back Kate Del Fava told reporters after the game. “It wasn’t a performance we’re proud of.
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“I feel like we were out-worked, which is not something that happens very often with this group. I think we just kind of played into their hands — they wanted it to be physical, and we allowed them to play physical. They thrive on that, and they have nothing to lose at this point. I think they came in and showed that.”
Aissata Traoré opened the scoring less than 12 minutes in for Boston (6-12-5, 23 points), which snapped a five-match losing skid to move to 15th in the NWSL table.
But Kiana Palacios equalized just 10 minutes later, running on to the end of goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn’s punt over the midfield before beating her final defender and placing a first-time finish for her fourth goal of the season.
GOALKEEPER ASSIST ALERT 🚨
Mandy McGlynn finds Kiana Palacios for her second career assist and Palacios' fourth goal of the season! pic.twitter.com/bZms64AGPR
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) September 5, 2026
It’s McGlynn’s second assist in her career with the Royals (12-8-3, 39 points), and just the fourth assist by a goalkeeper in the NWSL this season.
But the Legacy out-shot the hosts 14-9, holding Utah to just three shots on target while controlling 52% of possession.
That helped set up Gambone’s match-winner, an unmarked diving header with four minutes remaining to clinch the win.
Utah travels to Houston next Saturday, Sept. 12 for a road match against the Dash at 6:45 p.m. MT on ION.
