Comeback falls short as Philadelphia deals blow to Salt Lake’s playoff hopes

SANDY — Real Salt Lake’s playoff push suffered another setback Saturday evening as former RSL Homegrown Milan Iloski scored the winner against his old club in a 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park.

Designated Player Bruno Damiani opened the scoring in the 31st minute, and Iloski doubled Philadelphia’s advantage in the second half on a goal that survived a lengthy video review. Saba Lobjanidze pulled one back in stoppage time, but RSL couldn’t find an equalizer.

The loss came two weeks after Salt Lake snapped a 13-match MLS winless streak with a 3-0 victory over New England. With six regular-season matches remaining, RSL sits four points below the playoff line, pending other results.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, extended its club-record unbeaten streak to 13 matches and won its seventh straight.

Philadelphia strikes first

RSL started aggressively, with Morgan Guilavogui drawing a yellow-card foul from Danley Jean Jacques in the second minute. Stijn Spierings forced Andre Blake into a save on the ensuing free kick.

The teams traded chances, with Philadelphia defender Frankie Westfield sending an unmarked header over the crossbar before Dominik Marczuk similarly kicked a pass from Aiden Hezarkhani into the stands.

In the 28th minute, Sergi Solans slipped a pass to Guilavogui, who put the ball in the net, but the flag was already up for Solans being offside.

Philadelphia broke through in the 31st minute when Cavan Sullivan drove into the right side of the penalty area and played the ball back to Westfield in space. The defender squared the ball across the box, and Iloski let it run, leaving Damiani with a straightforward finish past Rafael Cabral.

Head coach Pablo Mastroeni was frustrated by RSL’s defending on the play, particularly Philip Quinton’s positioning.

“On their first goal, you have Philip, who’s defending space instead of defending man,” Mastroeni said. “And the problem with zonal defending in the box is nobody knows whose responsibility is what.”

“Space has never scored goals in the history of the sport. Players do.”

Cabral prevented a second goal before halftime, tipping Damiani’s header over the crossbar.

New arrival makes immediate impact

Mastroeni made two changes at halftime, introducing JuanMa Sanabria and Luc de Fougerolles for Sam Junqua and DeAndre Yedlin.

The coach explained that he had wanted to preserve the continuity of the lineup that beat New England while accounting for Sanabria’s international travel and de Fougerolles’ recent workload.

“My idea was always to bring them on the field. I didn’t think it was going to be at halftime,” Mastroeni said. “Again, players change games, players make plays, and I thought those two guys in particular in the second half flipped the game on its head.”

On his debut, de Fougerolles showed a willingness to draw opponents toward him before advancing the ball, along with an infectious appetite for physical challenges.

In the 52nd minute, de Fougerolles intercepted a Philadelphia pass and carried the ball into attacking territory before finding Marczuk. The winger set up Noel Caliskan, whose effort narrowly missed the left post.

“That is the role of that position,” Mastroeni said of de Fougerolles’ aggressive positioning. “There’s a reason why he’s 20 years old and he’s played in the World Cup.”

Six minutes later, Guilavogui found Hezarkhani inside the penalty area, but the young attacker turned and fired over the crossbar before slapping the grass in frustration.

Mastroeni introduced Lobjanidze for Hezarkhani in the 65th minute, and the Georgian winger quickly threatened Philadelphia’s defense.

Solans nearly equalized in the 69th minute, driving into the left side of the box and shooting toward the far post. Blake stretched to his right and parried the effort away. Lobjanidze then forced another save.

“His change of pace, his endeavor to always run forward and play forward was so bright with the team, alongside JuanMa, who’s running and playing forward, and Luc running and playing forward,” Mastroeni said.

Zach Booth entered in the 70th minute for his first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury Aug. 15. Ari Piol followed in the 79th minute, returning after rupturing his Achilles tendon in February.

Iloski haunts his former club

Philadelphia doubled its lead following a chaotic sequence in front of RSL’s goal.

Cabral made the initial stop, but the rebound pinballed through a crowd. Iloski eventually bundled the ball over the line despite de Fougerolles’ attempt to clear it.

Initially disallowed for handball, the goal survived a lengthy VAR review that also examined possible fouls and a potential offside. The referee eventually reversed the decision, awarding Iloski his 17th league goal.

“If it takes eight minutes to come away with something, it is not clear and obvious by definition,” Mastroeni said. “And the rule is it has to be a clear and obvious mistake.”

In stoppage time, a short corner sparked a passing combination between Sanabria, de Fougerolles and Lobjanidze. The Canadian defender slipped a delicately weighted ball into Lobjanidze’s path, and the winger curled his right-footed finish inside the far post.

“I turned and saw Saba, for some reason, was completely free in on goal,” de Fougerolles said. “So it wasn’t the hardest of passes, and I just tried to give it to him in a good way.”

The assist made de Fougerolles just the ninth player in RSL history to record an assist in his club debut and the 15th to register a goal contribution. He was the first to do either since Lobjanidze assisted Luke Engel against LAFC on July 22.

De Fougerolles subsequently drew a foul to give RSL one final free kick, but Salt Lake couldn’t manufacture a scoring opportunity.

RSL hosts San Jose on Wednesday, needing wins to keep its playoff hopes alive.

“I think the mentality piece that Luc brought,” Mastroeni said, “where with the ball he provokes the defense before passing the ball.”

“This is the type of bravery we need for these last six games.”