Real Salt Lake Defeats Colorado, Enters Playoff Picture With Late-Season Win
Oct 4, 2025, 10:18 PM
Real Salt Lake striker Victor Olatunji reacts after scoring a goal during a game against Austin FC at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Tess Crowley, Deseret News)
(Photo courtesy of Tess Crowley, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Real Salt Lake may have lost the Rocky Mountain Cup, but they got the last laugh against Colorado with a 1-0 win at America First Field on Saturday.
The result had RSL replace the Rapids in the West Conference’s ninth seed. If the season ended today, Real would have a chance to make the playoffs with a Wild Card matchup against FC Dallas.
However, the season isn’t over quite yet. RSL will face Seattle next week, and St. Louis the week after. They will have the opportunity to both rise higher in the standigns, or at least hold tight onto their Wild Card spot.
three points closer to playoffs#RSLvCOL | @SelectHealth pic.twitter.com/9FGj3U4mkO
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) October 5, 2025
First Half
The first 15 minutes of the match served as a clear feeling-out period for both sides. There were no shots on goal and a combined six fouls across this stretch.
Real was the first to hit its stride. Over three minutes, Goncalves, Diego Luna, and Alexandros Katranis each looked to put RSL on the board, but the attempts came up just short.
Goncalves was the first to take a second shot at it, and after some fakes from other players in the area, he got a clean look on goal.
His shot was the first on frame from either side, but Colorado keeper Zack Steffen made an impressive diving save. The Rapids were next to put together a threatening attack. Rob Holding and Paxten Aaronson took the second and third shot attempts for Colorado in the 31st and 33rd minutes, but the first missed right and the second was reeled in by Rafael Cabral.
A lesson from Goncalves and Real Salt Lake: if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Off of well-placed passes from Katranis and Rwan Cruz, Goncalves loaded up from the top of the box to give Real a 1-0 lead.
RELATED: Diogo Goncalves Gives Real Salt Lake Lead In Rocky Mountain Showdown
Diogo Gonçalves with a beautiful first-timed finish!@realsaltlake take the lead near the end of the first half.
📺 #MLSSeasonPass: https://t.co/xsTnda95wK pic.twitter.com/qL7DjZZ3hf
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 5, 2025
The shot also tied the season series aggregate score at 1-1. RSL needed one more to prevent Colorado from retaining the Rocky Mountain Cup as holders.
In the first half, Real controlled the possession, took five more shots, and was overall the more aggressive team both with and without the ball.
Real Salt Lake carried that 1-0 lead into halftime, setting up 45 more minutes to reclaim rivalry bragging rights.
Second Half
However, more important than the status of the cup was the potential playoff seeding implications that the result of the match had.
Colorado would fall completely out of the playoff picture if they didn’t at least come away with a point, and they came out of the break with a vengeance.
The first three attempts of the half all came from the Rapids, and they all came in the first three minutes. Real held strong against the early surge and kept pushing. In the 53rd minute, Victor Olatunji nearly doubled RSL’s lead, but his shot bounced off the crossbar.
Colorado once again took control, taking four shots in four minutes. At this point, the story for Real Salt Lake was bend, but don’t break.
After the 70th minute had passed, they didn’t even bend. Colorado had just two shots from this point until the end of regulation, and neither was on target.
The nerves and anticipation started to build as stoppage time began. With eight extra minutes on the clock, the Rapids put a shot on frame in the 91st. That was followed by four more shots that forced three blocks and a Cabral save.
However, RSL survived the storm. Braian Ojeda put a shot on goal in the 99th minute, and then the final whistle blew, cementing the one-goal victory and three points at home.
How To Watch Real Salt Lake
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For more Real Salt Lake coverage and analysis, subscribe to The RSL Show and follow them on Instagram.
You can find KSL Sports coverage of Real Salt Lake here.
