Real Salt Lake secured a 3-0 victory over FC Juárez during their Leagues Cup Phase One finale on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, according to reports from MLSsoccer.com and KSL Sports. The win brought RSL’s record to 2W-0L-1D, giving them seven points in three matches and keeping their hopes alive for one of Major League Soccer’s four quarterfinal spots in the inter-league tournament.
Match Breakdown and Penalty Opening
Real Salt Lake took control of the match in the first half when FC Juárez defender Jesús Murillo conceded a penalty for a handball inside the box in the 25th minute, as reported by KSL Sports. Designated Player striker Morgan Guilavogui stepped up to the spot in the 29th minute and fired a shot inside the right post to open his Leagues Cup account and give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
According to KSL Sports, Juárez out-shot Salt Lake 7-6 in the first half, but RSL held 60% of possession and restricted the visitors to just two shots on target by halftime. Head coach Pablo Mastroeni praised his squad’s defensive transformation, noting that the team’s mentality on defense has markedly improved over their recent fixtures.
Second-Half Surge by Young Talents
Manager Pablo Mastroeni turned to his bench at halftime, bringing on Sergi Solans and Noel Caliskan. The tactical shift paid off quickly when Solans lifted a chip over goalkeeper Sebastián Jurado to double RSL’s advantage. The 23-year-old Spanish striker, selected in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft, notched his second consecutive Leagues Cup goal to add to his regular-season tally of seven goals and three assists in 17 appearances.
“The Serge goal was world class,” Mastroeni said, as quoted by MLSsoccer.com. “On so many different levels, Sergi has continued to beat his former self. He’s a growth mindset guy.”
Lineker Rodrigues dos Santos, newly signed from MLS NEXT Pro affiliate Real Monarchs, capped the scoring in the 68th minute by finding the back of the net to seal the 3-0 scoreline. The victory marked RSL’s second straight blowout win in the competition following a 4-0 shutout against Atlante FC.
Leagues Cup Standings and Next Steps
With the conclusion of Phase One, Real Salt Lake sits with seven points, placing them as high as second on the MLS side of the tournament table behind Columbus, which finished with eight points following a 1-1 draw against Pumas, according to KSL Sports. RSL must now wait for the final Phase One fixtures involving other MLS and Liga MX clubs to learn whether their point total is enough to advance to the knockout rounds.
“We’ve got Minnesota at the weekend, so all attention goes to Minnesota and prep for that game,” Mastroeni said regarding RSL’s upcoming return to regular-season MLS play against Minnesota United FC on Saturday, as reported by MLSsoccer.com. “You’ve gotta do your job and control what you can, and the rest of it you leave to fate and chance.”
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