Late equalizer denies Real Salt Lake victory over San Jose

SANDY — Real Salt Lake delivered one of its most aggressive performances in months Wednesday night, but a stoppage-time equalizer from San Jose’s Jack Jasinski turned a desperately needed victory into a 1-1 draw at America First Field.

Luc de Fougerolles scored his first RSL goal in the 79th minute, only to suffer an apparent knee injury on the shot. Jasinski equalized in the 94th minute, denying Salt Lake two crucial points in its pursuit of a playoff berth.

RSL outshot San Jose 22-16, put eight attempts on target to the Earthquakes’ two and created three big chances.

“It’s just such a stroke of bad fortune ‘cause the guys tonight I thought were excellent,” RSL head coach Pablo Mastroeni said. “They played great.”

Real Salt Lake vs San Jose Earthquakes – Postgame Press Conference https://t.co/PDaJhNL7yu

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) October 15, 2026

A different kind of RSL

From the opening whistle, Salt Lake played with an aggression and physicality that had been missing from recent performances.

De Fougerolles led the charge, battling San Jose attackers, stepping into challenges and repeatedly joining the attack from his right center-back position.

In the 11th minute, he connected with Saba Lobjanidze’s free kick, striking the right post with a first-time effort. Minutes later, he was charging forward again, combining with Dominik Marczuk before racing back to block a shot inside RSL’s penalty area.

Kobi Henry and Philip Quinton matched his intensity, repeatedly denying San Jose attackers room to operate.

“The physicality, the competitiveness he brings is something that I think we’ve been starving for,” Mastroeni said of de Fougerolles. “And I think it’s rubbing off on both Phil and Kobi.”

RSL controlled much of the first half without finding a breakthrough, but emerged from halftime with renewed urgency.

Noel Çalışkan forced Angus Gunn into a save with a free header in the 49th minute. Sergi Solans also tested the San Jose goalkeeper with a header before Stijn Spierings fired narrowly wide.

In the 62nd minute, Çalışkan delivered a dangerous lob ball to Henry, whose left-footed effort sailed high with the goal beckoning and a defender dragging him down from behind.

San Jose introduced Eduard Löwen at halftime and Timo Werner in the 59th minute, giving the Earthquakes more attacking options, but Salt Lake continued creating chances.

Lobjanidze slipped the ball between a defender’s legs inside the penalty area in the 65th minute, only for Gunn to make the save.

In the 76th minute, an Aiden Hezarkhani shot took a double deflection before trickling just wide of the far post. Quinton rose to meet Juan Manuel Sanabria’s corner but sent his header wide from close range.

Two minutes later, RSL finally broke through.

De Fougerolles delivers

After pushing forward and winning a free kick on the right, de Fougerolles stayed on the deck momentarily while Hezarkhani helped him stretch his left calf. He remained forward as Salt Lake worked the ball around San Jose’s penalty area off of the free kick.

Sanabria found him on the right side of the box, and the Canadian international took a touch and then struck a hard shot across Gunn and inside the far post.

But de Fougerolles immediately collapsed, clutching his right knee. Medical personnel rushed onto the field, rubbing his right calf, and he was eventually replaced by DeAndre Yedlin.

De Fougerolles was able to hobble off under his own power, applauding the fans as he made his way back around to the bench.

“We don’t know the extent of it. It doesn’t look good,” Mastroeni said afterward. “He needed help getting into the locker room.”

The coach described the 20-year-old defender’s impact in his first two RSL appearances as transformational.

“He’s not scared of anything. He’s not scared of space behind, he’s not scared of whoever’s on the ball,” Mastroeni said.

“He’s an impossible player to replace.”

2 points slip away

Salt Lake had opportunities to extend its lead. Spierings fired wide in the 84th minute, while Zach Booth forced another save from Gunn in stoppage time before Ari Piol’s rebound attempt was blocked.

Then, in the 94th minute, Werner sent a ball across RSL’s penalty area. Sanabria attempted to clear it, but his touch popped the ball straight into the air. Jasinski met it ruthlessly with a volley into the far corner, snatching two crucial points away from RSL.

Mastroeni acknowledged that RSL had surrendered space earlier in the sequence but called the final bounce extraordinarily unfortunate.

“There’s a million things that could’ve happened, and it wouldn’t have led to that goal,” he said.

For Quinton, the result was painful, but the performance offered something to build on.

“I think the fans deserve to see a team that’s aggressive, physical, pushing for games,” Quinton said.

Mastroeni was equally determined not to let the final minute overshadow the preceding 94.

“Soccer’s cruel at times, and that’s what it feels like tonight,” he said.

RSL travels to Kansas City on Saturday to face Sporting Kansas City.