Breakout game from Andrés Gómez lifts Real Salt Lake to 2nd-straight home win
RSL got a goal and an assist from Gómez and Jefferson Savarino, and a cracker from Jasper Loffelsend, en route to a 3-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes.
SANDY, Utah — RSL is back to fortifying its home at America First Field.
Jefferson Savarino and Andrés Gómez each had a goal and an assist, and Jasper Loffelsend added a goal as Real Salt Lake pulled away from San Jose, 3-1 in front of an announced crowd of 16,666 fans Saturday night at the home pitch formerly known as The RioT.
Loffelsend opened the scoring in the 40th minute, taking a pass from first-half substitute Danny Musovski and ripping a rocket into the back of the net to put the hosts up 1-0 for the first time in 2023.
The Pitt product scored his first goal since July 30, 2022, when the German-born midfielder scored against … wait for it … San Jose. It also marked the first point for Musovski in MLS play since last June, prior to him joining RSL from LAFC.
“I didn’t even see the ball hitting the net, so I was very confused,” said Loffelsend of his goal, which he celebrated with a flex of “biceps that are bigger than my quads,” he joked. “I saw it go over, and then I saw the fans cheering.
“It’s not my speciality, but at home, I’ve never had that feeling and emotions took over.”
Cristian Espinoza equalized just four minutes after halftime, ripping a strike inside the near corner off a free kick to give the visitors a much-needed equalizer. But just five minutes later, Savarino crushed a ball inside the far post, converting Gómez’s team-high third assist of the year into a banger to retake.
Gómez notched the first goal of his RSL campaign in the 81st minute, converting a chance from Bryan Oviedo to put the hosts up 3-1 and send the RSL fans home happy and dancing.
“I was very happy, because it’s something I was seeking to do, my first goal since signing here,” Gómez said. “I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I wanted to dance.
“I ended up dancing a little bit, because I wanted to dance with the fans.”
The win pushes RSL back above the playoff line, one point ahead of Portland for ninth place in the West with 9 points on a 3-5-0 record. It also gives Salt Lake back-to-back victories at home for the first time this year.
“I think in our league, home is a big advantage,” RSL coach Pablo Mastroeni said. “The guys vibe off the fans, who have been fantastic.
“As a player, you play for that type of environment. It really brings the best out of the guys.”
Gómez unlocking his potential
With respect to Carlos Andrés Gómez and the effort, workload and impeccable crossing he’s put in since signing for an RSL club-record contract from Millonarios FC in his native Colombia, Saturday was the best match of his young season in MLS.
That’s no surprise, and it should take nothing away from the previous seven matches, his two assists against Charlotte, or his powerful crossing that has unlocked Savarino in recent weeks.
But Gómez showed why RSL management went out and added the winger on a five-year, U-22 under Major League Soccer’s U-22 initiative. He finished with four shots and two shots on target, and completed passes at a 65% clip in addition to a goal and an assist.
“One goal, whatever way you get it, definitely gives you confidence,” Gómez said. “I’m definitely more confident after getting it.
“I’m very happy with this group, and I’m happy I am able to get their trust.”
Poco a poco, Gómez is adapting to his new environment, a high-profile 20-year-old winger playing abroad for the first time in his career while adapting to a new culture, new language and new style of player. He’s adapting, though, fitting in well with Savarino, Anderson Julio, Marcelo Silva and the other Latin American players on the team.
The group goes to lunch regularly with goalkeeper coach Nacho Hernandez, the always-smiling assistant who has been critical in bridging the gap between the Spanish- and English-speaking contingent at the RSL training facility. And as Gómez gets more comfortable off the pitch, his style of player — and his personality — are showing themselves more on it.
He’s adapting in almost every possible. Except, he admits, one.
"But also, the cold weather,” Gómez said after explaining much of the previous, in Spanish. “The cold has been a little difficult.”
Like we said, poco a poco.
Injury bug strikes again
Moments after Anderson Julio went down with an apparent leg injury (resulting in Danny Musovski entering the match at his earliest point this season), Brayan Vera visibly favored his left side while grimacing toward his inner thigh area.
The recently acquired left back was replaced by Bryan Oviedo in the 32nd minute, leaving Mastroeni visibly (and understandably) frustrated after making his second sub by the half-hour mark.
No doubt the RSL manager had plans to introduce veterans Damir Kreilach and Justin Meram into the match to unlock the second half, just as Meram did in a second-half assist during Salt Lake’s 2-1 loss at FC Dallas a week ago.
“Having two guys go down in the first half is not something we planned for,” Mastroeni said. “From there, the conversation was just about making it to the 75th minute.
But Musovski revised that strategy again, propelling Loffelsend’s midfield turnover into a quick-striking counter attack and setting up the German Accountant for his first goal of the season to give RSL a 1-0 halftime lead.
“It definitely impacts the game,” Mastroeni added. “There’s never a time where you plan on making a sub, or two, that early in the first half.”
Pablo Mastroeni | Postgame media availability
Jasper Loffelsend | Postgame media availability
Andrés Gómez & Jefferson Savarino | Postgame media availability
MLS Match Day 8
Real Salt Lake 3, San Jose Earthquakes 1
Goals: Jasper Loffelsend, Jefferson Savarino, Andrés Gómez; Cristian Espinoza
Lineups
RSL: Zac MacMath; Brayan Vera (Bryan Oviedo 33’), Marcelo Silva ©; Justen Glad, Bode Hidalgo (Emeka Eneli 81’); Pablo Ruiz, Jasper Loffelsend (Braian Ojeda 81’), Jefferson Savarino, Andrés Gómez; Rubio Rubin (Maikel Chang 81’), Anderson Julio (Danny Musovski 25’).
Subs not used: GK Tomas Gomez; MF Damir Kreilach, MF Justin Meram, MF Diego Luna.
Head coach: Pablo Mastroeni.
SJ: JT Marcinkowski; Paul Marie (Miguel Trauco 84’), Jonathan Mensah, Rodrigues, Carlos Akapo; Carlos Gruezo (Judson 84’), Jackson Yueill ©; Jamiro Monteiro; Cristian Espinoza, Jeremy Ebobisse, Cade Cowell (Benji Kikanovic 65’).
Subs not used: GK Daniel De Sousa Brito; DF Tanner Beason, DF Tommy Thompson; MF Jack Skahan, MF Michael Baldisimo.
Head coach: Luchi Gonzalez.
Referee: Filip Dujic.
Assistant referees: Micheal Barwegen (AR), Mike Rottersman (AR), Ramy Touchan (4th).
VAR: Carol Anne Chenard, Joshua Patlak (assistant).