Real Salt Lake still has everything to play for after 0-0 draw with CS Herediano in CONCACAF Champions Cup opener
First-year acquisition Rafael Cabral made two saves in goal as Salt Lake returned to regional competition for the first time since 2016.
“It’s a very important competition for us. We want to go as far as possible. It’s the first official game of the season, and we want to compete; we want to be 100% here tomorrow, concentrate and focus on us so we can go finish the job in our stadium,” -Real Salt Lake DF Alex Katranis
With all due respect to the San Jose Earthquakes — including a certain newly acquired Designated Player striker who arrived from Salt Lake City in the offseason — Real Salt Lake’s 2025 season started Wednesday night at Estadio Nacional in San José, Costa Rica.
The team treated the club’s return to CONCACAF play for the first time since 2016 like any Major League Soccer match, with needs, wants, and “must-do’s” despite playing on Central American soil.
And RSL? Well, it did what it had to do.
First-year acquisition Rafael Cabral made two saves in goal, and fellow debutante Kobi Henry marshaled a back line alongside Brayan Vera and Bode Hidalgo to help Salt Lake preserve a 0-0 draw and give the club everything to play for next Wednesday, Feb. 26 at America First Field in Sandy, Utah.
Wednesday’s third all-time meeting with Herediano — RSL improved to 0-1-2 in the encounters — Salt Lake extended its current unbeaten streak (across 90-minute contests) to nine-straight, with only two goals conceded in the past five competitive matches.
And the visitors did it while CS Herediano — the reigning Liga Promerica Apertura champions — out-shot Salt Lake, 16-7 with four shots on goal.
"Coming here to a really difficult place, I thought the guys performed well,” RSL manager Pablo Mastroeni said after the match. “Now we've got to go back home and take care of business."
Henry and Vera started at center back for RSL, which sent Justen Glad to the bench after picking up a knock in training Monday. The visitors saw another change to the back line just 10 minutes in, when Sam Junqua replaced Katranis (concussion sub) when the former Greek youth international took a ball to the face while defending against Herediano’s attack.
Herediano out-shot the visitors 9-3 in the first half, but RSL had the only shot on goal when Forster Ajago broke free in the 35th minute to force a save from Costa Rican goalkeeper Danny Carvajal.
Junqua nearly headed in another goal off a free kick from second-half substitute Pablo Ruiz in the 81st minute, but his effort just missed the mark before Herediano cleared it off the line with a (miscalled?) goal kick.
“These games are very difficult, and you’re not going to get a lot of opportunities,” Mastroeni said. “We’ve got to take advantage of it … But if one of those go in, then I feel like we were in a good position to get a win.”
RSL will open the 2025 MLS regular season Saturday in San Jose, California (8:30 p.m. MT, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
LINEUPS
Real Salt Lake (4-2-3-1): Rafael Cabral; Bode Hidalgo, Kobi Henry, Brayan Vera (Justen Glad, 89’), Alex Katranis (Samuel Junqua, 19’); Braian Ojeda, Emeka Eneli ©; Dominik Marczuk (Zavier Gozo, 59’), Lachlan Brook (Tyler Wolff, 59’), Diogo Gonçalves; Forster Ajago (Pablo Ruiz, 75’)
Subs not used: Max Kerkvliet, Mason Stajduhar, Nelson Palacio, Ariath Piol, Tommy Silva, Griffin Dillon
Head Coach: Pablo Mastroeni
C.S. Herediano (4-4-2): Danny Carvajal; Haxzel Quirós, Getsel Montes Escobar (Juan Luis Pérez, 46’), Keyner Brown, Yurguin Román; Emerson Bravo (Axel Amador, 71’), José Rodríguez, Allan Cruz, Randy Vega (Joseph Bolaños, 61’); Elías Aguilar© (Aaron Murillo, 82’), Marcel Hernández (Joaquín Hernández, 71’)
Subs not used: Emmanuel Garita, Anthony Walker, Darryl Araya, Ronaldo Araya, Eduardo Juárez, Sergio Rodríguez Aguilera, Yeltsin Tejeda
Head Coach: Alexander Vargas
Stats Summary: RSL / HER
Shots: 7 / 16
Shots on Goal: 2 / 4
Saves: 2 / 2
Corner Kicks: 5 / 5
Fouls: 17 / 19
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
HER: Getsel Montes Escobar (Yellow Card - 36’)
HER: Randy Vega (Yellow Card - 54’)
HER: Juan Luis Pérez (Yellow Card - 90’+3’)
RSL: Bode Hidalgo (Yellow Card - 90’+4’)