Sergi Solans recorded a brace while Aiden Hezarkhani had a goal and an assist to help host Real Salt Lake snap its club-record 13-match winless streak with a 3-0 upset victory over New England on Saturday night in Sandy, Utah.
Real Salt Lake (9-13-5, 32 points) won its first match in Major League Soccer league play since May 13 against the Houston Dynamo and picked up three points as it tries to get into playoff contention in the Western Conference.
The Revolution (14-9-4, 46 points) fell to 14 points behind Eastern Conference leader Nashville after the loss. New England also squandered a chance to assure itself of remaining in second place ahead of Inter Miami, which plays Sunday and could overtake the Revolution with a win or draw.
Hezarkhani quickly gave Salt Lake a 1-0 lead in the second minute by capitalizing on a defensive mistake by New England.
After gaining possession on a turnover, RSL’s Dominik Marczuk fired a shot on goal. Defender Mamadou Fofana blocked it, but his clearance attempt wasn’t good enough and allowed Hezarkhani to intercept the ball and fire it past Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner from close range.
It was RSL’s first goal since Sept. 9 against Houston and snapped a string of three matches without a goal.
Solans gave Salt Lake some insurance in the 62nd minute when he capitalized on a rush up the middle of the field and scored his first goal in six matches. On a feed from Hezarkhani, Noel Caliskan fired a through ball on the run to Solans, who quickly fired a shot past Turner (three saves) before he lost his dribble.
New England put together a few promising chances in the second half but couldn’t find a way to get one past Salt Lake keeper Rafael Cabral (four saves).
A header from Ethan Koehler hit the corner of the left post in the 52nd minute. A shot on target by Jackson Yueill was later stopped at close range by Cabral in the 76th minute.
Solans then sealed the match with his second goal in the 80th minute as he tapped home a great cross from Morgan Guilavogui. Marczuk had the second assist.
–Field Level Media
