They came away with a 2-2 draw after conceding one goal from a route-one goal kick that caught the entire defense walking back, and another from a long throw that … well, you can probably guess.

Anyway. Soccer!

The Royals are in Orlando, where they take on a Pride team that just eked out a 1-0 win over Washington last Sunday. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. MT; here’s a primer:

https://sports.ksl.com/nwsl/utah-royals/utah-royals-focus-on-defense-ahead-of-orlando-pride-rematch/576608

Then RSL returns to Colorado, where it was bounced out of Leagues Cup last Tuesday. This time RSL will actually be the visitor, facing a Colorado Rapids team that is apparently in the process of selling its leading goalscorer for a rather large bag of cash.

Here’s a preview, written and submitted before Tommy Bogert broke the news that Rafael Navarro may be wearing St. Louis City “red” soon, and the Rapids may be $12 million richer:

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/real-salt-lake/rsl-returns-to-colorado-to-right-the-wrong-reclaim-rocky-mountain-cup/576609

If watching those two matches leaves you wanting more, Real Monarchs play Tacoma Defiance, the Seattle Sounders affiliate, tomorrow (Sunday) at 3:30 p.m. MT at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman. It’s free to attend.

I’ll still be driving home from Denver, but I expect a Monarchs victory in my absence.

And if you’re wondering about RSL’s loss Tuesday, I put some thoughts down afterward. They weren’t published, so I’ll share them here.

Leagues Cup continued its habit of having the coaches speak in one room while a mixed zone for players happens in an entirely different part of the stadium, so I missed Noel Caliskan. By the time I made it to the mixed zone, Pablo Ruiz was finishing with Spanish-language media and JuanMa Sanabria was taking his place.

Ruiz was willing to step off to the side and speak with me, in English, which I greatly appreciated.

I’ll also say this: I massively appreciated the players, Ruiz included, who went over and thanked the traveling supporters after the loss. DJ and I talked about it on RSL After Dark. Ruiz was one of the players who gave away his jersey.

Top man.

Thanks very much for reading, and I’ll see you at the pitch!

RSL’s Leagues Cup run ends with 3-0 loss to León

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Real Salt Lake rested for this one.

It wasn’t enough.

RSL’s Leagues Cup run ended Tuesday night with a 3-0 quarterfinal “home” loss to Club León at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, a scoreline that looked considerably more comfortable than the match did for much of the night.

Díber Cambindo scored twice for León, opening the scoring in the 21st minute before Sebastián Vegas and Cambindo struck six minutes apart in the second half to put the game out of reach.

RSL made 10 changes to its starting lineup in Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Orlando City specifically to arrive in Colorado rested. Head coach Pablo Mastroeni said beforehand he wanted to eliminate fatigue as a variable.

Instead, another problem Mastroeni had identified before the match proved costly.

The duels.

León won 41 duels to RSL’s 21, including a 35-18 advantage on the ground.

“I just go back to the same thing that’s been kinda haunting us, in particular the Dallas game and the Minnesota game, where the structure looks great, but the structure is only as important as the duels within that structure, both offensively and defensively,” Mastroeni said.

The numbers only confirmed what Mastroeni had already seen.

“I didn’t even look at the stats about duels,” Mastroeni said. “I saw it with my eyes, and it was really clear that that’s an area where that doesn’t require technique. It doesn’t require soccer IQ. It requires a commitment for the player next to him.”

Chances without goals

The 3-0 score didn’t tell the entire story.

RSL had 53% of possession, completed 88% of its passes and had 22 touches in León’s penalty area to the Mexican side’s 20. RSL put six shots on target, three from Sergi Solans, including a pair of close-range attempts in quick succession in the first half that were both stopped.

They just couldn’t put any in the net.

RSL came out of the locker room buzzing and appeared to equalize shortly after halftime before the goal was wiped away for offside, and Solans forced another save with an acrobatic effort minutes later.

León provided a lesson in ruthlessness at the other end.

Iván Moreno got behind the defense and sent the ball across the box in the 21st minute, where Cambindo arrived to put León ahead.

RSL then lost midfielder Stijn Spierings to a right ankle injury on an uncalled tackle from behind six minutes later, bringing Pablo Ruiz into the match.

Ruiz continued the strong form he showed throughout the tournament, but RSL couldn’t turn its chances into goals.

“I think if you don’t capitalize on your chances, and again, tonight I thought we had some really clear chances on goal,” Mastroeni said. “Goals not only affect the result, but they also change the mindset and mentality and momentum, right?”

Six minutes changed everything

RSL was still one goal from changing the match when DeAndre Yedlin’s night ended in the 60th minute, removing experience and a veteran voice from the backline.

The 33-year-old veteran has been shifted to right wingback following Zavier Gozo’s transfer to Crystal Palace and Zach Booth’s hamstring injury, which Mastroeni said could keep him out six to eight weeks.

For more than an hour Tuesday, the match remained within reach.

Then it didn’t.

Vegas got away from Saba Lobjanidze and headed Fernando Beltrán’s corner past Rafael Cabral in the 66th minute.

Six minutes later, Beltrán split RSL through the middle with a ball for Cambindo. Cabral came off his line, Cambindo went around him and rolled the ball into an open net.

Three-nil.

A match RSL had spent more than an hour trying to turn became a comfortable León victory in six minutes.

León’s depth was on display throughout the night. Its starting lineup has continued to change despite a winning streak that reached seven matches Tuesday, something its manager sees as a strength.

“As you saw, the starting 11 isn’t necessarily repeated even when the team gets a positive result,” León manager Javier Gandolfi said through a translator. “And it’s that internal competition that we’re having, where everything is very even when it comes time to decide the 11.

“It’s complicated, but from my side, as the coach, having that competition gives me many more tools when it’s time to make decisions.”

Still singing

The loss ended RSL’s Leagues Cup run and extended its losing streak to three matches, but the traveling supporters weren’t ready to give up on their team.

Hundreds made the roughly 500-mile trip from Utah to Commerce City after Miller Sports + Entertainment provided complimentary tickets and bus transportation for verified RSL supporters.

They watched their team get eliminated 3-0.

And they stayed.

After the final whistle, Solans, Noel Caliskan, Ruiz, Philip Quinton, Saba Lobjanidze, Alexandros Katranis and Aidan Hezarkhani walked over to the traveling supporters. Some handed over their jerseys. Others stopped to talk.

The supporters jumped up and down, banging their drums and serenading the players.

Ruiz handed over his jersey and thanked them for making the trip.

“I say, ‘Thank you. Thank you so much for the support,’” Ruiz said. “It’s difficult, but I say, ‘Thank you for the support’ in Colorado.”

Ruiz described the mood in the locker room afterward as “so sad,” but RSL doesn’t have much time to sit with the loss.

“I need to change the chip because now I have new opportunity this Saturday with Colorado,” Ruiz said.

Mastroeni’s message was equally direct.

“This moment doesn’t call for a 3-2-4-1,” Mastroeni said. “It doesn’t call for rotations. It doesn’t call for stacking our 10. It doesn’t call for any of that.

“There’s a ball. It’s 50/50. Who’s gonna win? That’s what this moment calls for.”

RSL gets another chance Saturday, when it returns to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to face the Colorado Rapids in the Rocky Mountain Cup.

With the ink finally drying, I sat down at a hotel in downtown Denver with rookie phenom Sergi Solans to chat about his new contract, sure, but also why he came to RSL instead of staying in college in LA, where he already had a community (including some dude named Riqui Puig you may have heard of), the options his agent was lining up overseas before RSL showed up with an offer that made him very happy, and his hopes for the rest of the season.

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/real-salt-lake/im-living-a-dream-sergi-solans-earns-new-rsl-deal-after-record-setting-rookie-start/576484

And, of course, I had a preview of León, which has aged like milk.

Or has it?

Pretty much everything Pablo identified as dangerous going in, particularly transition moments and duels, was what ultimately knocked RSL out of Leagues Cup.

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/real-salt-lake/rsl-rested-and-ready-for-red-hot-leon-in-leagues-cup-quarterfinal/576502

After which, DJ and I chopped it up on our NEW PODCAST, RSL After Dark.

DJ struck an optimistic tone, forcing me out of my lane and into the doomsayer role, which was actually sort of fun. I can see why wrestling heels enjoy themselves so much. I tried to keep it grounded in reality, though.

Will we flip roles every episode? Or am I destined to become the Iron Sheik to his Hulk Hogan? (Or the Dominik Mysterio to his Cody Rhodes, if your knees don’t hurt when it rains?)

You’ll have to tune in to find out. Episodes are a tight 30 minutes, please tell your friends!

RSL After Dark, where the crazy stuff happens.

https://sports.ksl.com/watch/rsl-vs-leon-that-could-have-gone-better-rsl-after-dark/01a04425-d448-8008-f910-c43cee0871e6

And here’s our debut episode, where we break down the Orlando loss and preview León.

https://sports.ksl.com/watch/rsl-after-dark-orlando-loss-reaction-len-quarterfinal-preview-and-transfer-window-takes/01a02cde-c8a8-8008-cc1f-1727f880b29f

A couple quick tidbits before I go:

Expect some new names on the injury list when it drops later, but you can ALSO expect to see Emeka Eneli back sometime soon. He’s in the photos RSL dropped from training today.

And the transfer window closes Wednesday.

Would YOU like to see some signings before it slams shut? If so, where? Right wingback? Striker? Somewhere else entirely? LMK!

See you at the pitch!

https://sports.ksl.com/nwsl/utah-royals/weve-learned-to-win-utah-royals-return-to-san-diego-as-a-different-team/576365

Then it’s over to RSL, which heads to Orlando on very tired legs with a Leagues Cup quarterfinal against León waiting Tuesday. Pablo Mastroeni promised rotation, plus we take a shallow dive (a dip, if you will- or if you won’t) into new RSL loanee Colin Guske, who could immediately face the only professional club he’s known.

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/real-salt-lake/fresh-legs-rsl-heads-to-orlando-with-leagues-cup-quarterfinal-looming/576389

And then the lineup dropped.

The Iron Man gets a breather.

For the first time in 64 matches, Rafa Cabral isn’t starting for RSL. Mason Stajduhar gets the call instead, making his RSL debut against the club he joined as a teenager and spent more than a decade with.

So let’s learn a little about Mason.

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/real-salt-lake/back-where-it-began-mason-stajduhar-makes-rsl-debut-against-orlando-city/576397

Hey Alexa, play “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye” by Boyz II Men.

Alexa!

cough cough

ALEXA.

Siri?

Oh yeah, I don’t have any of that.

Well, here’s my take on what it means when your club sells off a star midseason: the good, the bad and the what now?

Zavier Gozo is off to Crystal Palace in a club-record transfer, a massive moment for RSL’s development pipeline and a pretty significant hole in the team’s starting lineup with plenty of season left to play.

Gozo’s Premier Move: RSL celebrates a landmark transfer, but what comes next?

That was followed by a preview for RSL’s midweek matchup with FC Dallas, who, as it turns out, have a dude who scores goals for fun.

Petar Musa scored his league-leading 15th and 16th goals of the season against RSL and became one of the 10 fastest players in MLS history to reach 50 goals.

But hey, Sergi Solans scored, too.

And if you’re not watching Diego Luna just BOSSING games lately, I pity you. He’s doing everything I ever hoped he would, and I wish more people were talking about it.

RSL with chance to climb crowded Western Conference table against FC Dallas

Someone who subbed in late against Dallas, and will hopefully start in Orlando on Saturday, is RSL’s newest player on a first-team contract, Lineker Rodrigues.

This is the guy I’ve been squawking about since he joined the Monarchs last fall, another stellar RSL draft pick and a genuinely great dude.

I spoke with his first coach in the U.S., his high school coach Michael Garcia, who told me things that blew my mind. Like the fact that, for this particular player, an MLS academy wasn’t necessarily the right path.

And honestly, this story would’ve been out days ago, but I had a devil of a time verifying that detail. None of the staffers I asked at RSL knew about it. Pablo didn’t know about it.

I finally confirmed it with Linny himself, who sheepishly looked around to make sure his teammates didn’t think he was bragging or something before admitting that, yes, he really had played in the Houston Dynamo Academy.

What a gem of a human.

‘Patience has paid off’: Lineker Rodrigues works his way into RSL’s plans

And that’s not it for the week.

Stay tuned for a Royals preview. They play Friday night against a team they haven’t beaten yet.

Then an RSL preview ahead of Saturday’s trip to muggy Orlando, where I expect MASSIVE rotation with a Leagues Cup quarterfinal looming Tuesday.

I’ll be driving to Denver Sunday morning to watch the Monarchs play Rapids 2 at 6 p.m., then staying for the León match Tuesday, then apparently continuing to live in Colorado until RSL returns next Saturday to play the Rapids.

With not a lot to do between matches, you can probably expect a lot of words. Hopefully some of them will be about new players as a few moves become official.

And maybe keep an eye on my Twitter account for a drop date on a new podcast you might like...

SEE YOU AT THE PITCH.

Reader, I was wrong.

When last I posted here, RSL had tied Tigres and lost the ensuing shootout, putting its Leagues Cup hopes in serious jeopardy. That meant a must-win against Atlante.

They won. Emphatically.

“You’ve just established a standard”: Real Salt Lake erupts for 4 goals in rout of Atlante
https://sports.ksl.com/mls/real-salt-lake/youve-just-established-a-standard-real-salt-lake-erupts-for-4-goals-in-rout-of-atlante/575998

That, naturally, set them up for ANOTHER must-win, this time against unbeaten FC Juárez.

Real Salt Lake’s new standard faces immediate test against unbeaten Juárez
https://sports.ksl.com/mls/real-salt-lake/real-salt-lakes-new-standard-faces-immediate-test-against-unbeaten-juarez/576039

(They won again.)

Then came:

MEA CULPA. MEA CULPA. MEA CULPA.

I had spent entirely too long believing RSL’s new third kit was dropping Monday.

It was not dropping Monday.

It dropped Thursday.

Fortunately, I had already spent some time with the man who designed it, so here please find my exclusive interview with Tyler Gibbons on the Black Diamond kit, the evolution of RSL’s visual identity and how a guy who came to Utah not knowing anybody wound up designing jerseys meant to represent the state.

From outsider to Utahn: The story behind Real Salt Lake’s new 3rd kit
https://sports.ksl.com/mls/real-salt-lake/from-outsider-to-utahn-the-story-behind-real-salt-lakes-new-3rd-kit/576088

Meanwhile, the Utah Royals succumbed in a weird one out in Denver and came home needing a response against Bay FC.

Spoiler alert: THEY DID.

But before they did:

“Five percent more”: Utah Royals look for finishing touch against Bay FC
https://sports.ksl.com/nwsl/utah-royals/five-percent-more-utah-royals-look-for-finishing-touch-against-bay-fc/576186

Which brings us to tonight.

RSL is back in MLS play, debuting the Black Diamond kit in a “blackout” match against Minnesota United while trying to carry its Leagues Cup form back into the league (and featuring an explanation for why RSL will play a Leagues Cup quarterfinal “home” match in Colorado).

Back in black: RSL looks to carry Leagues Cup momentum into MLS play against Minnesota
https://sports.ksl.com/mls/real-salt-lake/back-in-black-rsl-looks-to-carry-leagues-cup-momentum-into-mls-play-against-minnesota/576198

I hope to see some of you tonight.

The matches are coming fast and furious now, so I think the once-a-week experiment has already failed. I’ll try to start doing these twice a week instead.

The next one should include at least one in-depth look at a player I’ve really enjoyed watching this season. Possibly two, if the stars line up.

See you at the RioT.

I haven’t exactly kept up with the Substack since MLS All-Star Week.

In my defense, getting home from MLS All-Star Week became something of an endurance event.

By the time I finally walked back through my front door in Utah, I’d traveled roughly 4,000 miles by airplane, another 310 by train, 146 by rental car, 39 by Uber, about 20 miles on Lime scooters and somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 miles on my own two feet.

I left Salt Lake City, flew through Denver to Charlotte, spent All-Star Week pinballing around North Carolina, flew from Charlotte through Philadelphia to Chicago, worked my way onto a train downtown, took Amtrak to St. Louis, covered RSL and eventually made my way back home to Utah.

And then life politely waited for me to get home before becoming ridiculous in entirely different ways.

My bride returned from an eight-day camping trip with her brother the same night I got home. My homey Steve rolled into town for a few days.

Meanwhile, the soccer world demonstrated absolutely no respect for my need to sleep, see my wife or occasionally do laundry.

So, rather than pretend I’m going to catch you up one story at a time, here’s a week’s worth of soccer all at once.

The Royals: heartbreak, then a demolition

The Utah Royals played a match against Washington Spirit that they probably could have won.

Instead, they were undone by a moment of magic from one of the best players in the sport, Trinity Rodman, and walked away with a 1-0 loss.

The performance mattered, though.

Head coach Jimmy Coenraets wasn’t interested in moral victories, but he wasn’t particularly discouraged either.

“We could have won this one,” he said.

Then Portland came to town.

The Royals promptly conceded to Sophia Smith, another of the best players on the planet, in the opening minute.

And then they absolutely curbstomped the Thorns.

Utah scored five unanswered goals and walked away with a 5-1 victory, continuing an attacking run that has quietly turned the Royals into one of the most dangerous teams in the NWSL.

Now comes another first: a trip across the mountains to face expansion side Denver Summit FC in the first road edition of what has the makings of a genuine regional rivalry.

Denver and Utah met for the first time earlier this season, with the Royals winning 2-1 at America First Field.

Tonight they do it again, this time in Colorado.

RSL: St. Louis, Leagues Cup and one hell of a transfer saga

Real Salt Lake, meanwhile, needed a result in St. Louis.

They got one.

They also managed to snatch a draw from the jaws of victory.

RSL took a lead into the closing stages before St. Louis CITY found an equalizer, leaving Salt Lake with a point from a match that could have provided three.

Then came Leagues Cup.

RSL returned home to face Tigres UANL on Tuesday night with Zavier Gozo expected to start.

Until, suddenly, he wasn’t.

Twenty-four hours earlier, Gozo had returned to full training after recovering from the hip injury that kept him out in St. Louis. He was preparing to play.

Then Crystal Palace came calling.

Negotiations accelerated throughout the day Tuesday. Gozo was pulled from the lineup shortly before kickoff as a potential move to the Premier League became more likely seemingly by the minute.

There are moments covering young players when the journalist in you and the human being in you pull in slightly different directions.

I hate to see Zavier Gozo leave Real Salt Lake.

I absolutely love seeing Zavier Gozo realize his dreams.

A few years ago, he was a kid trying to break into the first team. A few weeks ago, I watched him become an MLS All-Star. Now he’s on the verge of the Premier League.

So here’s a picture of me wishing the very best to a human being I hate to see leave and love to see go.

RSL still had a soccer game to play, of course.

They drew Tigres 1-1 before losing the ensuing penalty shootout, meaning tonight’s second Leagues Cup match against Atlante is considerably less complicated.

Pablo Mastroeni put it rather succinctly:

“It’s sudden death for us.”

Win, and RSL keeps fighting.

Anything less, and the Leagues Cup adventure is essentially over.

Oh, and the kids are playing for a trophy

Because apparently there wasn’t enough soccer this week, the United States U-20 men’s national team has also been busy.

The Americans will face Mexico on Sunday at 5 p.m. MT in the Concacaf U-20 Championship final.

So that’s where we are.

Charlotte. Philadelphia. Chicago. St. Louis. Salt Lake City.

Planes, trains, automobiles, scooters and somewhere north of 50,000 steps.

An NWSL superstar producing a moment of magic. Another scoring in the first minute before watching Utah hang five straight on Portland. RSL dropping points in St. Louis, opening Leagues Cup against Tigres and potentially losing its 19-year-old All-Star to the Premier League. The Royals heading to Denver. RSL fighting Atlante for its tournament life.

And the U.S. and Mexico playing for a trophy Sunday.

I promise I haven’t abandoned the Substack.

I’ve just been a little busy.

Everything you missed

Real Salt Lake needed a result in St. Louis
RSL went on the road looking to clean up the mistakes that had contributed to its recent skid and came home with a point.

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/real-salt-lake-looks-to-clean-up-mistakes-halt-skid-against-surging-st-louis/575803

Leagues Cup begins with Tigres
RSL returned to America First Field to open the tournament against one of Liga MX’s biggest clubs.

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/real-salt-lake/real-salt-lake-returns-home-as-leagues-cup-opens-with-tigres-showdown/575859

Then everything changed with Zavier Gozo
Crystal Palace’s pursuit of RSL’s 19-year-old All-Star turned what had been a straightforward Leagues Cup opener into something considerably bigger.

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/real-salt-lake/crystal-palace-talks-leave-zavier-gozos-real-salt-lake-future-uncertain-ahead-of-tigres/575882

“It’s sudden death for us”
After taking one point from its opener against Tigres, RSL enters tonight’s match against Atlante knowing exactly what it needs.

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/real-salt-lake/its-sudden-death-for-us-real-salt-lake-faces-must-win-leagues-cup-test-against-atlante/575988

“We could have won this one”
The Royals came away empty-handed against Washington, but the performance suggested there was considerably more to come.

https://sports.ksl.com/nwsl/we-could-have-won-this-one-royals-turn-page-from-encouraging-loss-to-portland-test/575830

The Royals head across the mountains
After hanging five on Portland, Utah takes its surging attack to Colorado for its first road meeting with expansion side Denver Summit FC.

https://sports.ksl.com/nwsl/utah-royals-take-surging-attack-on-the-road-against-denver-summit/575987

And one more thing…

P.S. Big RSL news is dropping Monday morning.

I’m one interview away from finishing a story that I think RSL fans have been waiting to read for about as long as I’ve been waiting to write it.

We just needed one thing first:

For it to actually happen.

See you Monday.

Fair enough. Most fans see the Skills Challenge on Tuesday night and the All-Star Game on Wednesday. They see the highlights, the celebrity appearances, the big names and the fireworks.

What they don’t see are the three days packed so tightly with trainings, academy matches, press conferences, player availability, community events, media scrums, late-night writing sessions, rental cars, and just enough sleep to stay functional.

This year, the signature event fell on a Wednesday night, so I arrived in Charlotte on Sunday afternoon, checked into my Airbnb, dropped my bags, and immediately hustled over to Bank of America Stadium to pick up my credentials.

I caught up with my buddy Curt, who works communications for Sporting Kansas City and also spends All-Star Week helping MLS keep the whole circus running. Every All-Star Week has those familiar faces you only seem to see at league events, and it’s always nice to start the week by catching up before everything gets hectic.

Sunday: Toilet paper and legends

On the way back, I stopped at the MLS All-Star Soccer Celebration in one of Charlotte’s downtown parks.

Calling it a “festival” might be generous. It was about twenty sponsor booths and activations spread throughout the park, but it was still a fun way to ease into the week.

Some booths hosted autograph sessions with former players like Maurice Edu, Landon Donovan, Tim Ream and Cobi Jones.

Most were handing out free stuff. Scarves. Cooling towels. Drink samples. Air fresheners.

One giant corporate sponsor was giving away four-packs of toilet paper.

I couldn’t stop laughing as people wandered around carrying rolls of Charmin like they’d just won a carnival prize, or they’re off to some sort of party that I wish to know nothing about.

Only at an MLS fan festival.

Monday: Rubber gloves and rising stars

Monday started with picking up a rental car before making the roughly 30-minute drive to the MLS NEXT training complex.

Parking wasn’t at the fields themselves. You parked at a nearby school, hopped on a shuttle, and eventually made your way through security.

I’m not saying security was intense...

...but they were certainly thorough.

That said, the guy with the rubber glove was surprisingly gentle.

Eventually we made it to the training fields, where the organized chaos really begins.

Media watches training for a short period before the players scatter into interview stations.

The global superstars (think Son, Müller) and locally based All Stars stand in front of giant MLS backdrops while cameras from around the league jockey for position.

Meanwhile, the local MLS All-Stars get mobbed by hometown TV crews, bloggers, influencers and creators who suddenly find themselves covering soccer for a week.

Let’s just say I heard some interview questions that made me appreciate how patient Tim Ream really is.

Fortunately, if you’re lucky, your club’s communications staff will quietly pull their players aside afterward so beat writers get a few uninterrupted minutes.

And for the record...

I’m lucky.

That’s where I caught up with Real Salt Lake’s Zavier Gozo, shown here mildly surprised to see me:

We talked about how surreal it was returning to All-Star Week after playing in the MLS NEXT All-Star Game back in 2023.

That game, played inside the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, remains one of the coolest settings I’ve ever seen for a soccer match.

If you’ve never watched it, it’s still on YouTube.

Gozo starts and plays 45 at left midfield, and as commentator (and genuinely great dude) David Gass says early in the broadcast:

“Gozo is the straw that stirs the drink.”

He’s not wrong.

Virtually every dangerous West attack runs through him.

The match itself is fun, but honestly, I probably spent as much time admiring the enormous yachts and sailboats drifting past just beyond the touchline.

It’s one of the more unique soccer backdrops you’ll ever see.

(No spoilers, but if you stick around for the penalty shootout, the final kick is worth your time.)

After training it was back into Charlotte for lunch, a shower and what became a recurring theme of the week:

Costume change.

Charlotte in late July is... warm.

Charlotte in late July is also humid enough that you can feel yourself sweating while standing perfectly still.

You’ll want an AirBNB with a washer/dryer. It’s not a luxury- it’s survival.

Monday evening meant another drive, this time to a different complex for the MLS NEXT All-Star Game.

One downside of All-Star Week is that you simply can’t cover everything.

While I was at NEXT, I missed Liga MX media availability and the Hometown Heroes ceremony, where MLS honored four nonprofit leaders making a difference across the Carolinas.

It’s the constant tradeoff.

Every event you attend means another one or two you can’t.

The NEXT match has become one of my favorite events.

In 2023, it was where I conducted my first solo interview with an RSL player, midfielder Luca Moisa.

Every year, the crowds get noticeably bigger.

More media.

More scouts.

More fans.

The event keeps growing, and that’s encouraging for the future of academy soccer in North America.

After the match I spoke with RSL’s Easton Wilson and Kellen Poll, as well as Daniel “Danny” Carmona from Total Futbol Academy, who will join Real Salt Lake’s academy this fall.

Then it was back to the Airbnb.

Laptop open.

Time to write.

The result was this story on the next generation of Real Salt Lake talent:

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/gozos-journey-comes-full-circle-as-real-salt-lakes-next-generation-takes-the-mls-next-all-star-stage/575801

Tuesday: Rain, dragons and crossbars

Tuesday began with another drive to training.

Dean Smith, coaching the MLS All-Stars this year, spoke to the media before I grabbed another quick conversation with Gozo about the Skills Challenge scheduled for that evening.

Then it was off again.

Community Day.

Watching Easton Wilson, Kellen Poll and Danny Carmona spend the afternoon coaching local kids was one of those reminders that not everything during All-Star Week revolves around celebrity.

Sometimes it’s just teenagers kicking a ball around with kids who think they’re the coolest people in the world.

Honestly...

They kind of are.

After another lunch, another shower, and another costume change...

...it was off to Truist Field.

If you’ve never seen it, it’s a gorgeous minor league baseball stadium tucked into downtown Charlotte, and for one night this year it transformed into the home of the MLS Skills Challenge.

The players came out.

Warmed up.

Went back inside.

Rain delay.

Came back out.

Completed a few events.

Went back inside.

Monsoon.

Finally, they returned for the Crossbar Challenge.

And this is where Zavier Gozo stole the show.

Standing beneath a massive dragon sculpture overlooking the stadium, Gozo started smashing crossbars with ridiculous consistency.

He advanced all the way to the final.

Then...

For reasons known only to the organizers...

They switched him from the left side of the goal, where he had been automatic, over to the right.

His magic disappeared.

He still finished runner-up.

Still an incredible performance.

I also got to watch Utah native, Real Salt Lake Academy product and former Real Monarchs goalkeeper Will Mackay compete in Goalie Wars.

He didn’t win.

I still loved seeing him there.

Afterward it was into the locker room scrum.

I found a good spot.

Posted up by my buddy Caleb Pograntz, who covers both the New England Revolution and U.S. Soccer.

Collected a few more interviews.

Then finally headed “home” to steal a few hours of sleep before Wednesday.

Wednesday: The best event of the week

Wednesday morning brought another early drive into the suburbs for my favorite event of MLS All-Star Week.

Not the Skills Challenge.

Not the All-Star Game.

The MLS Unified All-Star Match.

Every year, it reminds me why I fell in love with this sport in the first place.

Standing on line for coffee I met Kenny Cooper, who may genuinely be one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in soccer, before watching one of the most wholesome moments I’ve ever witnessed at any sporting event.

That story wound up becoming my favorite article of the week.

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/goalkeepers-act-of-sportsmanship-captures-spirit-of-mls-unified-all-star-game-as-rsl-duo-shines/575778

Then...

Lunch.

Shower.

Costume change.

One last time.

The main event

Walking toward Bank of America Stadium, I got yelled at by a security guard.

Not for doing anything dangerous.

Not for trying to sneak in somewhere.

For walking on the sidewalk.

Apparently I was supposed to walk in the street.

There were no signs.

Just vibes.

Once inside, I dropped my backpack in the press box before beginning my pre-match ritual.

I walk laps around the stadium concourse while listening to music.

No phone.

No notes.

Just enough time to clear my head before kickoff.

Everyone has their own process.

That’s mine.

This year I was wearing my new AirPods.

Yes, I’m late to the party.

But my over-the-ear Beats finally broke past the point of epoxy and gaffer tape.

At some point during one of my laps, a text came through and disconnected my AirPods.

I had absolutely no idea.

Completely locked into my own head, I kept walking until someone tapped me firmly on the shoulder.

Apparently my phone had decided the entire Bank of America Stadium concourse needed to hear GZA relating an anecdote about changing a gentleman’s name to John Doe.

I briefly considered explaining that it was art. Instead, I quietly reconnected my AirPods and accepted that apparently genius isn’t always appreciated in its own time.

Circling empty stadium concourses while accidentally blasting Liquid Swords might seem strange to you.

Everyone has their own method, man.

After that...

Dinner.

The All-Star Game itself.

One final interview with the always gracious Zavier Gozo.

Then one last sprint back to the Airbnb to write before grabbing a few hours of sleep.

That article is here:

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/gozo-caps-memorable-mls-all-star-week-as-mls-edges-liga-mx-4-3/575802

Back to reality

Thursday morning I checked out of the Airbnb.

Returned the rental car.

Uber to the airport.

Delayed flight. While gathering background for a couple of previews, who should sit down across from me but one of the Unified athletes from Philadelphia.

His coach joined us and we spent the better part of the delay talking soccer, life and All-Star Week.

Honestly, it was one of the better airport delays I’ve ever had.

Landed in Philly and headed to my gate to meet- another delayed flight.

Then another 2½-hour delay while sitting on the tarmac.

I finally landed in Chicago around 10 p.m., grabbed another Uber to a motel, wrote both a Utah Royals preview and a Real Salt Lake preview, set my alarm for 5 a.m., walked to Dunkin’ for two coffees, Ubered to the train station, caught the Metra train downtown and boarded the 7:15 a.m. Amtrak to St. Louis.

Most people would’ve used the train ride to sleep.

I copy-edited both previews, filed them from my seat, and watched central Illinois roll by outside the window.

One of those previews is here:

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/real-salt-lake-looks-to-clean-up-mistakes-halt-skid-against-surging-st-louis/575803

A few hours later I was in St. Louis getting ready to cover another Real Salt Lake match.

I’ll get home after sometime after midnight, the whirlwind week officially over. I’ll turn my phone off, sleep as long as possible, then go watch the Royals/Thorns match. (From the stands, smiley face emoji.)

That’s MLS All-Star Week.

Most people watch one game on Wednesday night.

I see rental cars, media scrums, academy prospects, Unified athletes, dragon statues, rain delays, deadline writing sessions, train rides, enough coffee to concern a cardiologist, and a lot of people who genuinely love this sport.

And honestly?

I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

See you next year.

I know a lot of #RSL fans will see Santiago Morales’ name and immediately think of Javi. Fair enough. But for me, the USYNT always brings back memories of living in Florida and countless trips to Bradenton (2½ hours each way, and always worth it), where I’d meet my friend Ron to watch youth tournaments where the coaching staffs and players’ families often outnumbered everyone else in the stands.

We watched a lot of future stars before they became household names.

One of my favorite memories was the 2018 CONCACAF U-20 Championship final, when the U.S. beat Mexico 2-0 thanks to two Alex Mendez goals, both set up by Paxton Pomykal. Looking back at that lineup after the World Cup is wild: Brady Scott in goal, Mark McKenzie, Chris Richards and Sergiño Dest in the starting XI. (Sebastian Soto and David Ochoa were on the bench.)

Of course, it wouldn’t be CONCACAF without a little chaos. It was a final, and the stands were packed with about 2,000 Mexico fans, 10 American Outlaws from Atlanta in the top row, and Ron and me banging drums behind the USA bench. I was fairly convinced we were about to end up in a fight after an opposing fan repeatedly tried to steal our U.S. flag and, when that didn’t work, kept pretending to pee on it. The lone security guard looked nervous. In hindsight, probably with good reason.

Ahhh, CONCACAF.

So when I found out the U.S. U-19s were training in Utah, I jumped at the chance to spend a few minutes with head coach Gonzalo Segares and catch up with Santi Morales, a player I’ve been watching closely for years and one who seems to be edging closer to regular first-team opportunities with Inter Miami. (And if Miami ever decides he’s surplus to requirements... I know a sporting director in Sandy who might answer the phone.)

After spending so many years watching U.S. youth teams, this was the quote that stuck with me most:

“The U.S. has to start thinking about winning every tournament that we go to.”

That’s exactly the mentality you want to hear from your best young players.

I also really enjoyed chatting with Gonzalo Segares. He’s thoughtful, engaging and clearly believes this group is capable of something special. When I mentioned that Liga MX is doing away with promotion and relegation... well, I won’t say he agreed with my pet conspiracy theory that we’re inching toward an MLS-Liga MX merger (I already trademarked “MLX,” so back off), but it certainly made for an interesting conversation.

I’m genuinely excited to see what this group does in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship, and I hope you’ll be watching along with me.

But I have to admit, my favorite answer came a few moments later when Santi explained how his game has changed.

“I’m an attacking midfielder. I like to create goal chances, score goals and get assists. But over these past few years, I also realized that being physical and running back and defending is also important because it helps the team.”

The moment he said it, I couldn’t help but picture Pablo Mastroeni smiling somewhere without quite knowing why.

My latest for KSL:

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/us-u-19s-turn-to-utah-as-concacaf-championship-nears/575551

Instead of heading for the press box, I climbed up to the camera platform to spend a few minutes with Burnley minority owners Kealia Ohai Watt and J.J. Watt.

I expected to talk about Burnley.

Instead, we ended up talking about Utah.

Kealia, who won four state championships at Alta before lifting a U-20 World Cup and starring in the NWSL, spoke about coming home to a state that finally has the professional opportunities she never had growing up. J.J. talked about why Burnley felt like a natural fit for them, and why they believe soccer’s future in America is only getting brighter.

They struck me as genuinely invested owners who care about growing the game, not just in England, but here in the United States, and who love Utah nearly as much as I do.

Oh, and RSL went out and beat Burnley 4-1. Sergi Solans (draft pick) bagged a brace and hit a delectable assist to Zavier Gozo (academy product) before Diego Luna (purchased from USL) finished the night with a penalty. I should really chat with the guy who finds these guys.

My latest for KSL Sports:

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/from-alta-high-to-burnley-kealia-ohai-watt-comes-home-to-a-soccer-state/575505

I still covered Real Monarchs. I watched a lot of World Cup matches. I saw what might be the most RSL goal of all time (110 passes!), created by Algeria and scored by the player Aiden Hezarkhani modeled his game after. I drove to Los Angeles for USA-Türkiye. I flew to Seattle for USA-Belgium and laughed hysterically with a crowd when Mexico’s coach dropped an f-bomb at an Everton player. I watched some incredible football.

And if, like me, you spent 90 minutes against Belgium wondering what might have been had Diego Luna been available, I hope you caught this outstanding piece by my compadre Ryan Tolmich for GOAL. It’s one of the best interviews I’ve read with Diego since the World Cup roster was announced:
https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/diego-luna-usmnt-exclusive-world-cup-real-salt-lake/blt4bd6306fb80b46f0

But something was missing.

For the past few months, my routine has been showing up at RSL training three or four times a week. You get used to chatting with the communications staff, catching up with injured players, talking soccer with academy coaches and fellow reporters, then grabbing those quick conversations with players and staff before the day’s interviews.

Not doing that for a month felt... strange.

The players felt it too.

“I started playing football because I want to play games,” Stijn Spierings told me. “I’m happy the games, and especially the league games, are going to start soon.”

Tonight’s friendly against Burnley isn’t just another exhibition. It’s the final step in what everyone inside the club keeps calling a “mini preseason” before MLS returns.

Here’s why this match matters more than most friendlies do.

My latest for KSL Sports

When I told a few fans from around MLS at the Spain v Uruguay watch party that I covered JuanMa Sanabria, the reaction was almost universal.

“Easy meat.”

And I get that an MLS defender against Lamine Yamal sounded like a mismatch. Think of being cast into the arena and seeing Russell Crowe waiting for you, trident at the ready.

But instead of meekly accepting his fate, JuanMa turned in one of the tournament’s best defensive performances.

The third-highest rated Uruguayan player on the day had 7 tackles, 7/9 ground duels won, 1 interception, 3 recoveries, and was only dribbled past once in 70 minutes against one of the planet’s brightest young attacking forces.

Friday after his first training back with the Claret and Cobalt, he walked RSL media members through how he prepared for that assignment, why moving to Real Salt Lake accelerated his development, and how a transfer that nearly fell apart helped him become a World Cup starter.

One note: I use “Lamine Yamal” throughout because the player has said he prefers both names, which honor the two men who sheltered his family. It can read a little repetitive, but respecting that preference is a no-brainer for me.

JuanMa was generous with his time, thoughtful with every answer, and every bit as classy as you’d hope. If you haven’t watched him closely yet, do yourself a favor. I have a feeling he won’t be here for very long.

My latest for KSL sports:

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/i-trust-myself-more-how-a-transfer-that-nearly-fell-apart-changed-juanma-sanabrias-career/575456

Earlier this season I pitched a Royals story that didn’t gain much traction, so I took it as a sign to focus my reporting on Real Salt Lake, the Monarchs, and the academy. But I still attend matches, watch every game, spend time around training, and chat with players and staff. Over time, I couldn’t help but notice the little things this club is doing to give itself an edge- not just this season, but for years to come.

When I had lunch with my editor last week, one of the things I asked was whether KSL would be interested in expanding its Royals coverage. I would’ve understood if the answer was no. Instead, I got an enthusiastic green light to start chasing some of the ideas that have been bouncing around in my head.

So here’s my first Utah Royals piece of the season: a preview of Friday night’s match against the reigning NWSL champion Gotham FC.

My latest for KSL Sports:

https://sports.ksl.com/nwsl/utah-royals/get-back-to-the-team-aspect-royals-return-home-ready-to-bounce-back-against-gotham/575435

And one more reminder: Saturday’s Real Monarchs match has been moved to America First Field. You know what that means- there will be players on the pitch the organization doesn’t choose to put on turf unnecessarily.

See you at the RioT.

Palacio was always a player I enjoyed. He never quite broke through a crowded Real Salt Lake midfield, but whenever he did get on the field, there was a calmness to his game and a passing range that made you think there might be another level. His loan spell at FC Zurich only reinforced that feeling.

This is also a fascinating move for another reason: it’s the first time Kurt Schmid has been able to turn a player into a genuine bag of cash instead of the usual MLS cocktail of allocation money, roster mechanisms, draft picks and whatever other Byzantine accounting trick the league had cooked up. Much like Ron Burgundy, this is kind of a big deal.

I’m writing this in haste from a Seattle hotel room after what can only be described as a World Cup travel day.

My original hotel accidentally oversold itself. I arrived a few minutes before check-in was allowed so I stashed my bag and headed off to watch Brazil vs. Norway instead (farewell, Neymar), then lingered along the waterfront for the absolute madness that was England vs. Mexico. (So... how’d you like the Azteca atmosphere, lads?)

Returned to said hotel around 11pm after the US Soccer Night Before Party where I rubbed elbows with Brad Guzan and Joe Max Moore (!), among others, only to find out they didn’t have a room for me and flatly refused to allow me to sleep in the lobby.

I thought it would be fun to bike to my new hotel, promptly crashed said bike but avoided being run over, and can now barely walk.

If you’re watching USA vs. Belgium, look for the guy who can’t quite stand up straight and is enthusiastically talking about Flo Balogun to increasingly exhausted Belgian supporters while reminding any of them who will still listen that he’s close personal friends with Jimmy Coenraets.

See you after the match.

My latest for KSL Sports

Tuesday’s Mexico-Ecuador watch party at America First Field was supposed to be “prep” for Wednesday’s USA-Bosnia match. I wanted to see how the event worked, where people gathered, and what to expect.

But the crowd caught my entire imagination.

There was a sea of green. More than 11,000 people had come to watch another country’s national team on giant screens.

It reminded me of the watch parties in Germany in 2006, when they put up a huge screen in the middle of the Main River (pronounced MINE) with English fans on one bank and Paraguay fans on the other. It remembered getting into a “spirited debate” in a Kaiserslautern bierhaus over whether Jimmy Conrad was a good choice for the Italy match, even though he plied his trade in MLS.

Some things never change.

I was lost in those memories when I glanced around and got jarred back to the present. A few yards away from me, Nick Rimando — someone who played through MLS’s fragile early years — was happily signing autographs for kids.

I found myself wondering what he must be thinking.

Rimando was kind enough to step away for a few minutes and chat in a quiet corner. His answer became the heart of a story that isn’t really about Mexico or Bosnia or even the United States.

It’s about what soccer has become in Utah, and what it might become after this tournament.

You can read my latest for KSL here:

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/soccer-brought-them-together/575308

Attack the ball. Don’t wait for it to come to you.

Turns out Real Salt Lake’s front office wasn’t interested in waiting for the transfer window to come to them, either. They’d already moved Nelson Palacio along to Toronto when the whispers started about a new incoming player.

Tuesday morning, I heard Saba Lobjanidze would soon be wearing Claret and Cobalt. I spent the afternoon watching match recaps on my tv and highlights on my laptop while I wrote my impressions on post-it notes. (I’m well aware that my process is weird, let’s just keep it moving.)

Tuesday evening, my phone rang. On the other end was Sporting Director Kurt Schmid, grilling chicken and walking me through why RSL targeted Saba Lobjanidze, how the deal came together, and what the club believes supporters are getting in the Georgian international.

By the end, one thing stood out: this wasn’t just RSL signing another winger. It was about identifying a very specific profile, and then moving early to get him.

My latest for KSL, featuring exclusive comments from Kurt Schmid, a brief note on the unusual MLS roster mechanics behind the deal and why it looks like RSL paid a LOT when they actually didn’t, and a film-room look at what Saba Lobjanidze could bring to Pablo Mastroeni’s side.

Stay tuned, there are more moves coming.

My latest for KSL:

https://sports.ksl.com/mls/reinforcements-incoming-rsl-acquires-saba-lobjanidze-from-atlanta-united/575293

This was five hours before kickoff. No players in the building. Nobody around except a few staff members and me trying not to look like I was contemplating a low-speed pitch invasion.

The sight and smell of a freshly cut and watered soccer pitch can still overwhelm me sometimes and send me back in time. Not so much because of the matches themselves. And I don’t remember every player I’ve ever shared a field with.

But the people I’m closest to in life? A whole lot of them are former teammates, or people I’ve met through soccer.

Two of them are “brothers from different mothers” I met more than 30 years ago.

My mom still calls Tommy- now a physician, but still the best right back I ever played with- her “other son” and invites him to family dinners whether I’m home or not.

Joel turned up at a pickup game in 1995 when my ex-girlfriend brought him along. Now he has a son older than we were then, and the three of us still go to matches together in St. Louis.

(Tommy in the red Wales kit on the left, Joel rocking his Kasey Keller jersey on the right, yours truly in the middle- and you thought I was born with a beard.)

Footy just has a way of bringing people together.

It also has a way of bringing people home.

Those are themes I find myself returning to over and over again in the stories I want to tell.

Down the San Diego tunnel from behind me came a guy in an RSL top I’d seen around before at training.

We started chatting. He offered to walk me closer to the field, or maybe just loan me his top so I could get a better look without getting on the wrong side of some overzealous Paul Blart type. (I should say here that San Diego’s security staff were unfailingly friendly and polite, which isn’t always the case.)

That was my introduction to Amer Šašivarević.

An RSL academy player who lost his playing career to injury, found his way into sports performance, and eventually found his way back home to Real Salt Lake.

Not bitter in the slightest.

Just grateful to still be around the game.

I’ve wanted to tell his story ever since.

So when I learned Amer was Bosnian, and that Bosnia was bringing the world’s largest coffee pot to Utah for the World Cup...

Well.

At that point, it felt like the universe was writing this one for me.

My latest for KSL is about one of the delightfully wacky stories the World Cup always brings- and about an absolute gem of a human that soccer, in its mysterious way, brought into my path.

👇

A giant coffee pot, a World Cup team, and a journey home

More on that in a minute.

First: the Monarchs are back home this afternoon.

They host Portland Timbers 2 at 3:30 p.m. at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, and admission is free.

Seriously. Free.

Take a break from the World Cup for a couple of hours and come watch players who might feature in 2030 instead of 2026.

Watch 17-year-old Canadian attacker Van Parker, who scored four goals in three matches before the club’s most recent outing. Watch Mark Lowry pace the technical area like a man personally offended by every misplaced pass. Watch a group of young players chasing the same dream Lowry talked about after that SKC II match: becoming MLS players.

In the interim, the Monarchs dropped a 3-0 result on the road to San Jose, with all three goals coming in the first half.

Let’s see how they respond.

And if you do come out, come say hello.

The first fan I meet wearing a Haiti or Scotland jersey (or a kilt!) gets a haggis from the concession stand on me.

If, for some bizarre reason, haggis isn’t available in Herriman this afternoon, popcorn may be an acceptable consolation prize.

(And if you don't know what haggis is, here's the finest explanation in cinematic history.)

Now, about that SKC II match.

It was cold. It was wet. The Monarchs dominated possession, outshot Sporting KC II 24-15, and somehow lost 3-1. To the shock of no one, Lowry wasn’t interested in moral victories.

“No one cares about the flicks. No one cares about the tricks,” he said.

The full story from 5/29/26 is below.

“Become killers in either box”: Monarchs dominate play but fall 3-1 to SKC II

Herriman- For much of a cold and rainy Friday night at Zions Bank Stadium, Real Monarchs looked like the better team.

They controlled 68% of possession, outshot Sporting Kansas City II 24-15, recorded 58 touches in the opposition box, and forced seven saves from the visiting goalkeeper.

Yet when the final whistle sounded, the Monarchs were on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline.

For their head coach Mark Lowry, the explanation was simple.

“Should’ve been 6-0 up at halftime,” Lowry said. “That’s a fact. We had 17 shots in the first half. That’s a ridiculous amount of shots in one half, and to go in 1-0 down was a disgrace.”

For Lowry, the issue went beyond a single result.

The Monarchs coach has repeatedly spoken about the importance of winning both penalty areas, and after Friday’s loss he challenged several players by name, arguing that chances like the ones his team created are the difference between remaining a prospect and becoming an MLS player.

“No one cares about the flicks. No one cares about the tricks,” Lowry said. “You’ve got to take those chances and score them.”

“If you want to play at the top, you’ve got to score those chances. If you’re not scoring them, you might not play at the top.”

Lowry’s challenge wasn’t reserved for attacking players.

“The game’s about goals: scoring them and stopping them,” he said. “Same with the center backs. If you can’t defend that cross better, you won’t play at the top.”

The result ended a three-match unbeaten run for the Monarchs, serving as a painful reminder of a core tenet of Lowry’s coaching philosophy: winning the game in both penalty areas.

The Monarchs created chance after chance in the opening half.

Lineker Rodrigues saw a penalty saved in the 18th minute after Van Parker’s shot struck a defender’s hand. Parker later rounded the goalkeeper only to have his effort cleared off the goal line. Several other dangerous opportunities came and went without finding the back of the net.

Meanwhile, Sporting KC II capitalized on one of its few first-half opportunities when Kashan Hines looped a header over the onrushing Trace Alphin in the 32nd minute after a deflected cross created confusion in the Monarchs penalty area.

The Monarchs continued to push after halftime, but SKC substitute Tega Ikoba struck first to put the visitors in control in the 73rd minute, finishing at the back post after a floated ball from Shane Donovan.

The response was immediate.

Just one minute later, Van Parker finished a low cross from Felix Evald on the right side to pull the Monarchs back within one goal. The strike was Parker’s fourth of the season, moving him into a tie with Lineker Rodrigues for the team lead.

The goal continued a torrid run of form for the 17-year-old Homegrown forward, who now has four goals in his last three matches.

“I was really getting at everybody in the locker room,” Lowry said. “Van aside has four goals in three games. What more can he really do?”

“He gets himself in the right areas. He’s a constant threat all game. Runs, chases, presses, competes physically. Doesn’t mind going up against big center backs and using his body. If he continues this, his future’s incredibly bright.”

Any momentum from Parker’s goal lasted only moments.

Donovan chipped a ball over the Monarchs back line in the 83rd minute, sending Ikoba through on goal for his second of the night and restoring the two-goal cushion.

For a frustrated Lowry, the sequence encapsulated the night.

The Monarchs generated more than enough chances to win comfortably but were punished for profligacy in attack and costly defensive lapses.

“The silver lining is the chance creation and the attacking play,” Lowry said. “We look a real threat going forward.”

“But we need more killer mentality in either box.”

To be in the opposition penalty area as often as the Monarchs were and score only once was disappointing. To concede three goals from relatively few dangerous moments was equally frustrating.

“The goal they scored from the cross, we’ve got two defenders on him at the back post. Not acceptable,” Lowry said.

For a team that dominated possession, shots, corners, and touches in the opposition box, Friday’s loss served as a reminder that soccer matches are rarely decided by those statistics alone.

Sporting KC II finished with just 32% possession but scored three times on five shots on target.

As Lowry has repeatedly preached, the decisive moments happen in the boxes.

On Friday night, the Monarchs weren’t killers in either one.

The Monarchs return to action Sunday, June 7 on the road against San Jose Earthquakes II. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. MT.

They were defending Zavier Gozo.”

Pray forgive any split infinitives or dangling participles in this one. I found out about Zavier’s All-Star selection shortly after morning med pass at the hospital yesterday, got out late, had dinner with my long-suffering wife, and finally sat down to write around 11:30 p.m.

I spent the next couple of hours trying to explain how a teenager from Utah ended up sharing an All-Star lineup with players like Lionel Messi, Hany Mukhtar, and Son Heung-min.

By 1:30 a.m., when I submitted the story, I was closing in on 20 hours awake, and my last two misfiring neurons were chasing each other around like hamsters on a rusty wheel.

No matter how exhausted I was, though, I was just as excited for Zavier.

I first met him when he was still a Monarchs player trying to crack the first-team matchday roster. Since then, every time he’s cleared one bar, he’s immediately gone looking for a higher one.

This story isn’t really about an All-Star selection.

It’s about the offseason spent rebuilding a left foot he didn’t trust, the moments that never show up in a box score, and the habits teammates and coaches noticed long before the rest of MLS did.

My latest for KSL:

How Zavier Gozo became MLS’s newest All-Star

The first time we chatted was when he joined the Royal Riot Podcast back in January 2024. The plan was simple enough: a 20-minute interview with Mirza, Hayden, and me, followed by an hour of Hayden and I recording the podcast.

Unfortunately for Haydo, things did not go according to plan.

After the interview ended, Mirza and I spent the next hour talking goalkeepers. Favorite keepers growing up. Which keepers would or wouldn’t have succeeded under certain coaches. Who should have started for Germany at the 2006 World Cup. If one guy’s son should have played a different position. Whether Friedel deserved a red card in a 1995 friendly or if a yellow was fair.

Meanwhile, poor Haydo periodically checked in via group chat:

“Now they’re talking about THIS dude I’ve never heard of...”

“Now they’re debating whether some other guy should’ve been sent off thirty years ago...”

It was essentially an hour of Mirza and I doing what soccer people do best: dudes naming dudes.

Absolute legend, is Mirza.

So when Bosnia and Herzegovina announced that it would be using Salt Lake City as its World Cup base camp this summer, I knew exactly who I wanted to speak with.

The resulting story is about Bosnia’s remarkable path back to the World Cup, but it’s also about Mirza, RSL performance coach Amer Sasaivarevic, and what it means when a country with deep ties to its diaspora finds itself preparing for the biggest tournament in the world right here in Utah.

Amer’s story, I suspect, deserves its own article someday. Besides being a lovely human, it’s also one of the most perfectly Real Salt Lake stories you’ll find.

Enjoy.

And if you’d like to get properly fired up before heading out for breakfast at the Cafe on Main, here’s a Bosnian banger that has been stuck in my head ever since I first heard it:

My latest article for KSL:
https://www.ksl.com/article/51504060/from-penalties-to-utah-bosnias-world-cup-return-runs-through-salt-lake-city

No emotional calls. No cameras capturing live reactions. No dramatic knocks on the door.

Just:
You made it.
Or:
Sorry, see you later.

Cold. Sterile.

Kind of like some recent USMNT performances, honestly.

When I saw the early reports that Diego Luna could be left off the roster, I was genuinely shocked. I went for a long walk around Minneapolis trying to process it, then came back to my hotel room and wrote for six straight hours before finally forcing myself to shut the laptop around 2 a.m.

What started as an angry takedown of the powers that be slowly became something else. Or at least I hope it did.

Some of the texts came from friends of friends who had heard I cover RSL and the USMNT. Others came from guys I used to play with, in one case more than a decade ago. Fans of other MLS clubs I’ve met over the years at MLS Cup Finals. Other journalists hoping I somehow knew the reasoning behind the omission. (I don’t.) To say nothing of the group chats melting down in real time.

Which is probably what convinced me this story had become bigger than one player.

I’m attaching a photo from a Crossbar Challenge my buddy Jimmy and I filmed with Diego back when I was still with Royal Riot, before he had chosen between the USMNT and Mexico. Around the 3-minute mark I jokingly try to recruit him to the U.S. side. With renewed apologies for the aggressively windy audio that day.

The official roster reveal airs Tuesday at 1 p.m. MT on FOX.

It’s worth mentioning that the rosters aren’t finalized until June 1, but meanwhile, here’s my reaction piece:
https://www.ksl.com/article/51502447/if-diego-luna-is-left-off-usmnt-roster-the-backlash-wont-just-be-about-1-player