Tigres takes extra point off Leagues Cup shootout after 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake

SANDY — Real Salt Lake dropped points from its Leagues Cup opener Tuesday night against a Liga MX club that was winless to start the season.

Jesus Garza converted the go-ahead penalty kick in the sudden-death portion of a shootout as Tigres UANL took a 6-5 result over Real Salt Lake after a 1-1 draw in a Leagues Cup opener for both teams Tuesday night at America First Field.

The setback dropped RSL to 6-6-6 against Mexican clubs all-time on Utah soil, and 18-10-8 all-time in international matches at home.

Juan Brunetta, Fernando Fontes, Rodrigo Aguirre, Cesar Araújo and Alan Franco also converted from the penalty spot for Tigres, which started 0-1-2 in the most recent Liga MX season.

Real Salt Lake controlled much of the game with just 44% of possession, out-shooting the visitors 16-12 and holding Tigres to just three shots on target.

But the hosts couldn’t capitalize on six shots on target and Nahuel Guzmán made five saves to split points in regulation and send the final decision to penalty kicks under Leagues Cup rules.

“Any other night, we score a second goal,” RSL manager Pablo Mastroeni said. “Thinking about the performance — because the result is what it is — it’s about how we can affect it.”

we fall in PKs#RSLvTIG | @SelectHealth pic.twitter.com/qd2Ta3avtB

— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) August 5, 2026

Juan Manuel Sanabria, Sergi Solans, Diego Luna, Noel Caliskan and Lukas Engel each converted a penalty for RSL before Zach Booth’s attempt was tipped into the left post that set up Garza’s final tally.

With reports swirling around star winger and Utah native Zavier Gozo and a potential move to Crystal Palace in the Premier League, RSL rotated heavily three days after a 1-1 draw with St. Louis in MLS play.

Saba Lobjanidze made his first start, Dominik Marczuk started in place of Gozo at right wing back, and Pablo Ruiz made a return to the midfield after making just four appearances in league play while returning from injury.

But Brunetta opened the scoring in the seventh minute for Tigres. The 29-year-old Argentine took a header from Aguirre in the seventh minute and fired a shot from close range that gave the Mexican side its initial lead.

Ruiz equalized just 10 minutes later, scoring his first goal in any competition in 2026 for Real Salt Lake with a left-footed screamer inside the right corner.

Pablo Ruiz is back on the scoresheet 👊@realsaltlake are back level with Tigres!

📺 Apple TV: https://t.co/foXUFlCFPc pic.twitter.com/4EMF2X51Oo

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 5, 2026

Morgan Guilavogui had a chance blocked moments prior. But the Designated Player backtracked and placed a toe on the ball to find Ruiz at the top of the box for the Argentine’s first goal since June 17, 2023 — a span of 35 matches across all competitions.

“That man, I’m so happy for him,” Mastroeni said of Ruiz, after mentioning fellow midfielder Griffin Dillon will undergo surgery Wednesday to repair a fracture of the fifth metatarsal in his foot. “He’s been waiting for his opportunity, and has been training extremely well. Tonight, he grabbed (the opportunity) with both hands.

“If there’s one player who has had to overcome a ton of adversity in his career, it’s Pablo Ruiz,” he added. “I’m his biggest fan.”

After the slow start, Real Salt Lake found its form with 11 touches in the opponents’ box to Tigres’ seven while matching the Liga MX side with six shots and holding the visitors to just one attempt on target.

Solans nearly pulled the hosts ahead less than three minutes after entering as a second-half substitute. But the Spanish rookie’s right-footed attempt from the left side of the box was saved by Guzmán in. the 65th minute.

But after out-shooting Tigres by four, Salt Lake finished regulation with a 1-1 draw before the decisive penalty shootout.

Real Salt Lake. hosts Atlante in Leagues Cup play Saturday,  Aug. 8. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. MT on Apple TV.