RSL falls 2-1 at Philadelphia as playoff push tightens

PHILADELPHIA (ABC4) —Real Salt Lake couldn’t carry the momentum from snapping its lengthy winless streak into Saturday night’s trip to Philadelphia.

Saba Lobjanidze scored deep into stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough as RSL fell 2-1 to the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park.

Real Salt Lake entered the match following a two-week break and coming off a 3-0 win over New England that ended a 13-match MLS winless streak.

RSL created an early opportunity when Morgan Guilavogui found Stijn Spierings, whose long-range effort was stopped by Philadelphia goalkeeper Andre Blake. It would be Real Salt Lake’s only shot on target of the opening half.

Philadelphia broke through in the 31st minute. Frankie Westfield sent a ball into the box, where Milan Iloski cleverly let it run through to Bruno Damiani, who finished to give the Union a 1-0 lead.

RSL became more dangerous after halftime and finished the night with 11 total shots and four on target, compared to Philadelphia’s 14 shots and five on goal.

The Union eventually added some insurance following a chaotic sequence in front of the RSL net in the 81st minute. Rafael Cabral initially made the save, but the loose ball bounced around the box before Iloski eventually put it away. The play went through a lengthy VAR review for a possible handball before the goal was allowed to stand, putting Philadelphia ahead 2-0.

In the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time, Lobjanidze finished from close range off a pass from Luc de Fougerolles to cut the deficit to 2-1. The goal was Lobjanidze’s third in his last six appearances for RSL.

De Fougerolles made his RSL and MLS debut as a halftime substitute and became just the ninth player in club history to record an assist in his debut. Zach Booth also returned for his first RSL minutes since suffering a hamstring injury in August, while Ari Piol returned to MLS action after rupturing his Achilles in February.

The comeback ultimately came too late, dropping RSL to 9-14-5 with 32 points. Real Salt Lake also remains winless away from home since March 7 and is now 1-10-3 on the road in MLS play this season.

With six matches remaining in the regular season, head coach Pablo Mastroeni stressed afterward that the focus now is simple: RSL needs wins to keep its playoff hopes alive.

Real Salt Lake returns home Wednesday, Oct. 14, to host the San Jose Earthquakes at America First Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. MT.