Mina Tanaka’s match-winner stretches Utah Royals FC unbeaten run to 8 straight

SANDY — Through arguably the best start to a season and a franchise-record seven-match unbeaten streak, Utah Royals FC has pitched itself as the blue-collar team without ego or superstars while taking the NWSL by storm.

But the Royals have a star, and Mina Tanaka showed it Sunday.

Tanaka scored the match-winning goal in the second half of a 2-1 win over Racing Louisville FC at America First Field, sending the Utah Royals back to second place in the 16-team league and a single point off league-leading San Diego through 10 games.

With one redirected goal off a brilliant assist from Cece Delzer, Tanaka notched her third goal of the season and 10th of her Royals career — tied for the second-most in franchise history — to show, once again, that Utah is a legitimate threat in the NWSL.

And Tanaka is a star, perhaps in the league but certainly with the Utah team that matched its win total from all of last year with a 6-2-2 start for 20 points.

“Am I annoyed that she’s going under the radar? Probably not,” Utah coach Jimmy Coenraets said. “But Mina’s going to stay humble anyways; she’s that type of player.

“You look at her, and wonder what is she not able to do? She can score goals, she’s a nine, she can assist. But she also presses … She’s becoming that total player, and she’s doing it with a smile on her face.”

One more time for the game-winner 🥳 pic.twitter.com/m9TZrP7ot5

— Utah Royals FC (@UtahRoyalsFC) May 18, 2026

Tanaka sparks Utah Royals comeback

Utah captain Paige Cronin rejoined the starting lineup after coming off the bench in last week’s 0-0 road draw with Bay FC that extended the club’s franchise-record unbeaten streak to seven straight.

The attacker made her return felt early, crossing a transition ball in the 22nd minute that caromed off Louisville’s Lauren Milliet to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

Cronin was forced to exit early after apparently planting an ankle wrong, making way for Alexa Spaanstra in the 42nd minute for the most minutes in a match yet for the Royals attacker currently on loan from Portland.

The Royals out-shot Louisville 10-2 in the first half, including the only two shots on target with more than 60% of possession.

Louisville (2-6-1, 7 points) equalized shortly after halftime, when Kayla Fischer took advantage of a poor turnover in the back and finished to snap Utah’s five-match shutout streak at 536 minutes.

But just nine minutes later, Tanaka found the back of the net. Delzer drove past two Louisville defenders into the box in the 77th minute before teeing up the Japanese international from the end line for Tanaka’s 10th goal of her Utah Royals campaign.

“I always joke that when I’m in the box, 90% of the time I’m passing the ball off,” Delzer admitted half-jokingly. “Mina’s usually there, and she’s always going to finish that. It’s so nice to have her there.”

That’s the second-most goals in Utah’s NWSL history, tied with former U.S. star Christen Press and four behind former captain and head coach Amy Rodriguez.

But Tanaka, the Thai-born Japanese star who at 32  years old still has plenty left in the tank, still has time to prove herself among the best — not just among the club, but in the league that markets itself as the best in international women’s soccer.

“People came to apologize about conceding a goal,” Coenraets said. “I told them, I don’t care; the reality of this league is that you’re going to concede goals. It’s about how you respond.”

Next up

After playing three of four games on the road recently, the Royals stay home for another week in hosting expansion side Denver Summit on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. MT on Ion.

Utah then hits the road for the final match before the month-long men’s World Cup break at league-leading Portland Thorns FC on Saturday, May 30. (2 p.m. MT, Ion).