Julio's brace inches Real Salt Lake closer to playoff spot with 3-2 win over FC Dallas

Anderson Julio scored his second brace of the year, and Brayan Vera added a goal on his career-first penalty kick as RSL held off FC Dallas, 3-2 at America First Field in Sandy, Utah.

It wasn’t always pretty — especially not Wednesday night — but Real Salt Lake took a significant step toward securing a spot in the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs — and pivotal top-four seed in the Western Conference.

Anderson Julio scored his second brace of the year, and Brayan Vera added a goal on his career-first penalty kick as RSL held off FC Dallas, 3-2 at America First Field in Sandy, Utah.

With the win and LAFC’s 1-1 draw with Austin FC, Salt Lake inched up to second in the Western Conference with 50 points on a 14-7-8 record ahead of the five-match stretch run of the regular season.

Only LA Galaxy, currently in first in the West with 55 points, have clinched a playoff spots from the left half of the league. RSL could have joined them if Austin had lost to LAFC.

But following a 4-1 loss to Houston, the win was the most important thing.

Vera opened the scoring in the 11th minute, demanding the ball before blasting the set piece from the spot for the early 1-0 lead.

“At first, Anderson wanted to take it,” Vera said with a laugh, before adding in Spanish: “But I really wanted a goal today, and so I asked him for it. And since he’s such a good teammate, he gave it to me.” 

Julio doubled the advantage just before the 24th minute with a 57-yard rocket that will turn plenty of heads for potential MLS Goal of the Week honors.

When the Ecuadorian striker just one goal shy of his hoped-for 10 on the season noticed the goalkeeper playing off his line, and he didn’t think twice when he took a touch.

He just trusted — and fired.

“When I got the ball, I didn’t even look up,” Julio said in Spanish. “I just trusted the shot.”

Added teammate Emeka Eneli: “It’s crazy. Chicho first, and now Ando; I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe it.”

But Jesus Ferreira pulled one back in first-half stoppage time to keep the visitors with striking distance, 2-1 at the break.

Julio scored his ninth goal of the year and first brace since June 6 against Austin FC to lift RSL to a 3-1 advantage.

But Alan Velasco converted from the spot in the 88th minute to force plenty of nervy moments — and a wild defensive combination by Philip Quinton and Gavin Beavers against Dallas’ Bernard Kamungo — for the 10 minutes of announced stoppage time by head official Sergii Demianchuk.

Real Salt Lake is back home Saturday to host the Portland Timbers (7:30 p.m. MT, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).