Real Salt Lake enjoyed an unforgettable night with a dramatic Leagues Cup win over Club América, in front of 19,544 fans at America First Field. The match finished 2-2 in regulation, and RSL claimed a 3-1 victory in the penalty shootout. Rafael Cabral was the undisputed hero, making eight saves during the 90 minutes and stopping three penalties to seal the result.
RSL comes out bold and reaches halftime on top
From the opening whistle, Real Salt Lake showed no fear of its heavyweight opponent. The team pressed high and created chances right away. In the 16th minute, forward William Agada struck a low shot, goalkeeper Luis Malagón failed to hold it, and Diego Luna pounced on the rebound to make it 1-0.
Club América answered in the 42nd minute when Brian Rodríguez delivered a precise free kick that left Cabral with no chance. But the first half still had a twist. In stoppage time, Caliskan swung in a perfect cross and Agada rose above the defense for a powerful header. The ball hit the crossbar and crossed the line, sending RSL into the break with the lead restored.
Rafael Cabral turns into the hero in the final moments and the shootout
The second half brought relentless pressure from Club América. The Mexican side pushed hard for the equalizer, forcing Rafael Cabral into crucial saves, including one in the 84th minute that kept the home team in front. It looked like RSL would hold on in regulation, but in the 97th minute, on the final play, Erick Sánchez fired a low shot from the top of the box to level the score at 2-2.
The match went to penalties, and Cabral took center stage. The Brazilian keeper stayed composed and quick on his line, saving three of the four attempts from Club América. Real Salt Lake converted its kicks and closed out the shootout 3-1. Cabral was named Man of the Match, capping a performance that gave RSL two valuable points in the opening stage of the Leagues Cup and a memorable win over one of Liga MX’s most storied clubs.