Real Salt Lake bounces back with 2-0 win over struggling Portland
May 2, 2026, 6:32 PM | Updated: May 4, 2026, 11:06 am
Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Rafael Cabral (1) grabs the ball out of the air as Real Salt Lake and Portland Timbers play at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, May 2, 2026. Real won 2-0. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
(Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
SANDY — Real Salt Lake’s bounceback home attempt after consecutive losses wasn’t perfect.
But it was pretty close.
Zavier Gozo and Diego Luna each scored a first-half goal to help Real Salt Lake snap a two-match losing skid with a 2-0 win over the Portland Timbers on Saturday afternoon.
Juan Manuel Sanabria assisted or had a second assist on both goals, and Sergi Solans added the second assist of his rookie season in the club’s first shutout since last October’s 1-0 win over Colorado.
Rafael Cabral made two saves in Salt Lake’s first clean sheet in 13 tries.
“For us, the most important thing is to always win games,” Cabral said of the goalkeeper’s first shutout since Oct. 4, 2025. “But we know as a team, if we improve this part, we’re going to be stronger. We’ve been working a lot.”
RSL manager Pablo Mastroeni called it “one of the most complete performances of the year,” but it wasn’t perfect.
For starters, starting midfielder Noel Caliskan — who recently finalized an extension to stay with the club through at least 2029 — missed arguably the most important part of Gozo’s goal: the celebratory back handspring near the corner flag in front of an announced sellout of 20,614 fans at America First Field.
“I didn’t see it,” Caliskan quipped. “He did a back flip?”
Zavier Gozo golazo!
The 19-year-old scores his third of the season for @realsaltlake. pic.twitter.com/OQ6ixmxlTJ
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 2, 2026
Next time.
The 19-year-old Utah native had his third goal and seventh goal contribution of the year Saturday as Salt Lake posted 25 shots against the Timbers (3-6-1, 10 points) to cruise to the win.
Gozo took a touch from Sergi Solans on the right side, and buried a one-timer inside the near-post to give Salt Lake a 1-0 lead.
Luna doubled the advantage in the 28th minute, taking a pass from JuanMa Sanabria to score his third goal in five matches and to give RSL a second goal for the seventh time in the last nine matches.
It’s the 25th goal of Luna’s MLS career, tied for the 10th-most in Real Salt Lake history.
It could’ve been even worse by halftime, too. Salt Lake out-shot Portland 18-6, including placing 11 shots on target. Timbers goalkeeper James Pantemis did everything possible to limit the damage, including making nine first-half saves.
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Pantemis kept the scoreline with 13 saves. But Portland put just two of its 11 shots on target in suffering the club’s sixth loss in the last nine matches.
“I think we were cleaner on the ball,” said Caliskan, who raised his own hand for being more dangerous in the final third even as the only RSL field player to play every minute of the 2026 season. “I think we defended better, especially from the front. And I think once the guys up front start to finish actions and shots and not allow Portland to be more traditional, then it gave us more confidence.
“I think we did a really good job of re-pressing when we lost the ball, too.”
Next up
Real Salt Lake hits the road again to face FC Dallas next Saturday, May 9 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. MT.
Follow Real Salt Lake with KSL Sports
All Real Salt Lake matches are broadcast on Apple TV as part of Major League Soccer’s exclusive broadcast deal with the tech giant.
Real Salt Lake English-language radio coverage for the 2026 season will air live on KSL radio, including KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM) and KSL Newsradio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM).
You can find KSL Sports coverage of Real Salt Lake here.
