Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
KANSAS CITY — Real Salt Lake made club history with its 14-game unbeaten streak last week, and reached the upper tier of MLS history Wednesday with their 15th game in a row without a loss.
A 4-3 win on the road at Kansas City tied RSL with the Portland Timbers (2013, 2018) and Colorado Rapids (2016) for the second-longest unbeaten streak in a single MLS season. The 2010 FC Dallas squad holds the No. 1 spot with 19 in a row without a loss.
"We don't talk about the streak," head coach Pablo Mastroeni — who was Colorado's coach in 2016 — said. "It's not important for us as much as getting better every game. But if you try to get better every game and you look at yourself honestly and reflect I think you end up in situations like this."
RSL scored first and scored often in Kansas City after a scoreless draw last week against Montreal. Andres Gomez scored twice in the 14th and 51st minutes to reach 10 goals on the season, and Anderson Julio scored in the 33rd minute to help RSL to a 3-1 halftime lead.
"Games like tonight where I don't think we were at our best in many of the phases, although maybe the attack and transition phases were quite good," Mastroeni said. "But you still find ways to get results and that's really a testament to the mentality of the group."
Andres Gomez bags his brace, capping off another LETHAL transition attack 😤 pic.twitter.com/g1xiCWne7t
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 20, 2024
New midfielder Matt Crooks scored the eventual game-winner in the 84th minute for his first goal in an RSL uniform after coming to MLS from English club Middlesbrough this year.
Sporting KC's William Agada gave RSL a bit of a scare with goals in the 70th and 95th minutes but 19-year-old Gavin Beavers impressed once again in a spot start in goal with eight saves, including saving a penalty kick in the first half.
"Gavin had a great game and kept us in the game quite a few times with some big plays," Mastroeni said. "He's just got a knack for pulling balls out of the net and he did a great job."
The win maintains RSL's spot at the top of the Western Conference and keeps them one goal ahead of Inter Miami in league-wide goal differential at +18.
The Claret and Cobalt return home on Saturday to take on rival LA Galaxy — who sits in third place in the West behind RSL and LAFC — at 7:30 p.m. MDT at America First Field.
