10-Man Real Salt Lake Salvages Draw Against FC Dallas
May 10, 2025, 9:07 PM | Updated: 9:08 pm
SANDY, UTAH - MARCH 01: Diogo Gonçalves #10 of Real Salt Lake runs with the ball during the MLS match between Real Salt Lake and Seattle Sounders at America First Field on March 01, 2025 in Sandy, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
FRISCO, Texas – Real Salt Lake went to Frisco, Texas, to visit FC Dallas in hopes of tying the season series and avenging their 1-0 loss back in March at America First Field.
It was a match full of familiar faces for both sides with Sam Junqua visiting Dallas for the first time since the transaction in the off season, as well as Anderson Julio playing against Real Salt Lake for the first time since his departure, and based on the physical play on the field, there is clearly no love lost between these two teams.
😠😁😠😠😠
😠😠😠😠😠😁 pic.twitter.com/nxQgKtTFbm— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) May 11, 2025
First Half
Real Salt Lake were the aggressors from the very beginning in an attempt to dictate the pace and tone of the game, even as the away team.
In the second minute, Alex Katranis got the game’s action started with a shot from outside of the box that flew wide of the goal.
From the moment FC Dallas possessed the ball for the first time near their own goal, Real Salt Lake pressed to try to force a turnover and create an easy scoring opportunity. The mentality early helped RSL enjoy much of the possession early in the game.
In the 7th minute, Willy Agada tried to put in his first goal in the Claret and Cobalt, but his attempt from way outside ended up nowhere near goal.
While Real Salt Lake still hadn’t struck to this point in the game, they were clearly pushing the envelope.
In the 9th minute, Real won a free kick and Luna whipped a high-arcing pass into the box, winning a corner kick, putting more pressure on the FC Dallas defense.
Justen Glad was booked in the 11th minute and Diego Luna in the 15th, both for bad fouls, two of several yellow cards shown to Real Salt Lake players throughout the second half.
FC Dallas finally got dangerous in the 17th minute with two crosses into the box, but nobody for the home team was able to get on the other side of them.
Real Salt Lake was finally rewarded for their effort in the 24th minute when Diego Luna once again showed his class with a left-footed strike from the top of the box that struck the inside of the left post and into the back of the net for the first goal of the game. Luna has now scored a goal in three straight matches and now has the most goals for an American in MLS this season.
RELATED: Diego Luna Dances Around Dallas Defense, Finds Top Corner With Left Foot
Diego Luna continues his brilliant run of form by opening the scoring for @realsaltlake on the road with a wonder goal@kslsports | #RSL pic.twitter.com/T5BF6zwDpU
— RSL Show on KSL 🎙️⚡️ (@rslshow) May 11, 2025
FC Dallas quickly sought the equalizer just a few minutes later after Lucho Acosta won a free kick just outside the box. His ensuing strike was pure, but Rafael Cabral read it perfectly and was able to punch it wide.
In the 33rd minute, Alex Katranis sent a cross across the six-yard box, but nobody from Real Salt Lake was home to put it away.
Before the end of the first half, which included eight minutes of extra time, both Emeka Eneli and Alex Katranis were shown yellow cards, making it four bookings for Real Salt Lake in just 45 minutes.
45 down 45 more to go#DALvRSL | @SeatGeek pic.twitter.com/fWwExZW0tC
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) May 11, 2025
Second Half
For as well as Real Salt Lake played in the first half, the beginning of the second half was equally as disastrous.
In the 51st minute, Willy Agada was shown a yellow card, Real Salt Lake’s fifth of the night, after a bad two-legged tackle.
Then two minutes later, for RSL forward Anderson, Julio got his golden moment against his former club as he featured his elite speed, passing two defenders on the way to the game-tying goal.
Anderson Julio honestly pop off dude. pic.twitter.com/UhO2iA7FbF
— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) May 11, 2025
While the conceded goal was not ideal, Real Salt Lake was still very poised to find a winner, but their task would shortly become taller.
Just seven minutes after receiving his first booking, Willy Agada brought the ball into the box, but went down after the Dallas goalkeeper came out to intercept. Despite some apparent contact shown on replay, the referee deemed that it did not match the fall, and Agada was shown his second yellow card of the match for simulation, putting Real Salt Lake down to 10 men. Real Salt Lake now leads MLS with four red cards.
Real Salt Lake now leads MLS with 4 red cards in just 12 games.@rslshow
— Tanner Tripp (@tanner_tripp) May 11, 2025
The final thirty minutes and the rest of the match was a display of defensive grit for Real Salt Lake as they were now just looking to leave Texas with a point.
In the 64th minute, a clearance attempt from Real Salt Lake in their own box deflected hard off of a Dallas player and back toward RSL’s net, but fortunately for Rafael Cabral, it flew wide.
In the 68th minute, Dallas found a hole in the depleted RSL defense and a pass into the box was just ahead of Pedrinho who would have likely tapped the ball in for the lead taking goal, and Kamungo, who came in behind, was also unable to get on the right side of the ball to center it back.
Just two minutes later, Anderson Julio once again found himself in space on the near side of the field and made an extended run into the box, but San Junqua was able to stay with the speedster step-for-step, forcing his shot attempt wide to keep the score even at one.
Real Salt Lake had limited scoring chances once they went down to 10 men, but their best came with just two minutes until the 90 as a perfectly weighted pass guided Dominik Marczuk into the box ahead of the defense, but his shot attempt was deflected at the last moment. Real Salt Lake was unable to take advantage of the corner kick that followed.
Due to the red card, FC Dallas dominated the ball during the entirety of the second half, but Real Salt Lake’s defense held strong despite some dangerous scoring chances for the home team, resulting in split points and RSL’s first draw of the season.
Ends all square#DALvRSL | @SelectHealth pic.twitter.com/2NwSmNOppc
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) May 11, 2025
How To Watch Real Salt Lake
All Major League Soccer games are broadcast on Apple TV with MLS Season Pass.
All Real Salt Lake English-language radio coverage for the 2024 season and beyond will be carried on various KSL radio signals. KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM) and KSL Newsradio (102.7 FM / 1160 AM) are both stations under the Bonneville International umbrella.
