Solans powers Real Salt Lake by Colorado in Rocky Mountain Cup opener

SANDY — Sergi Solans’ first month of his MLS career was red hot, but the past month cooled off a bit.

Which made Saturday night that much sweeter for Real Salt Lake’s rookie attacker.

Solans had a goal and an assist, and Zavier Gozo added a third goal in two matches as Real Salt Lake turned a 1-0 early deficit into a 2-1 win over Colorado in the Rocky Mountain Cup rivalry series Saturday night in front of an announced sellout of 21,424 fans at America First Field.

For Solans, it’s his first goal since scoring a brace April 18 against San Diego FC.

Sure, it’s just a month. But that month can feel like an eternity for a striker, even one as young as the 23-year-old rookie out of UCLA.

“I always have chances. I know that in this league and how I play,” Solans said. “But I need to keep my mind calm and keep focusing on my strengths, to keep me running and pressing; that gives me confidence in front of the goal. But when JuanMa was about to cross, I knew his crosses are great and I only had to put my head.

“Good moment, and an amazing environment, too,” he added.

Sergi Solans with a THUNDEROUS header to give @realsaltlake the lead! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/GY8eBUZrvo

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 17, 2026

RSL manager Pablo Mastroeni didn’t shy away from calling the end of Solans’ mini-scoring drought “huge for him as an individual.”

“I think he does a lot of wonderful things between the boxes, but I think every striker has this yearning to see the ball go into the back of the net. Every striker is going to go through dips, but to be able to go a few games without hitting the back of the net and to continue to put your head down and grind … is important.

“There are going to be streaks. But stay grounded, and know that if you keep doing the little things right then things will bounce in your favor. It’s a big learning moment for him — but obviously it’s huge for our group.”

It’s just the third time in two years that Real Salt Lake has conceded first and earned all 3 points, and the first since a 2-1 win over San Jose last July.

“I think it was always going to be interesting to see how the young guys up front would handle those kinds of moments,” Mastroeni said. “But what I saw was a group that was really calm, emotionally. It wasn’t erratic; we stayed the course. We knew we were going to get opportunities.

“And then guys making plays.”

RSL rotated heavily for its third match in eight days, making nine personnel changes to Saturday’s lineup for the 3-0 midweek win over Houston and replacing star talisman Diego Luna with homegrown Aiden Hezarkhani due to muscle tightness.

Wayne Frederick opened the scoring in the seventh minute, redirecting a ball from Paxten Aaronson into the top left corner to give Colorado the 1-0 advantage in the rivalry tilt.

But Real Salt Lake, which out-shot the Rapids 10-4 including a 6-2 edge in shots on target in the first half, didn’t quit.

Not with Gozo in the lineup.

The teenager from Eagle Mountain found the end of a pass across the face of goal from Solans, settled it in the 36th minute, and swiftly finished one-on-one against Colorado goalkeeper Nico Hansen to equalize at a goal apiece.

Solans put the hosts in front for the first time, heading home the perfect ball behind the back line from Juan Manuel Sanabria in the 68th minute to give Salt Lake its first lead of the match.

The win, combined with Seattle’s 2-0 loss to the LA Galaxy, vaulted Salt Lake to third in the Western Conference and just 4 points behind West-leading Vancouver as the team hits the final home match before the month-long World Cup break at 8-4-1 and 7-1 at home.

“We haven’t been great away from home,” Mastroeni said. “So the focus today now was to be the same team away from home.”

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