In a dramatic turn of events at America First Field, Real Salt Lake (RSL) secured a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory against Austin FC on Saturday night. The match, held in Sandy, Utah, saw a late surge from the home team, culminating in a stunning debut goal that sealed the win.
The hero of the night was Stijn Spierings, a 30-year-old Dutch midfielder who joined Real Salt Lake in late January from Danish club Brondby IF. Spierings etched his name in the RSL history books by scoring the winning goal in the 88th minute, a mere six minutes after stepping onto the pitch for his Major League Soccer debut. This pivotal moment marked a significant achievement, as Spierings is the first player over the age of 23 to find the back of the net for Salt Lake this season, and he was the sole goal-scorer for RSL in this hard-fought contest, which extended their winning streak to three consecutive matches.
Real Salt Lake’s path to victory wasn’t straightforward. Their equalizer, which leveled the score midway through the first half, was an own goal. This crucial moment was precipitated by sustained pressure from RSL’s Noel Caliskan on the left flank.
Austin FC, on the other hand, had taken an early lead. Jon Bell opened the scoring for the visitors in the 18th minute from a set-piece. Despite a valiant effort from Austin’s goalkeeper, Brad Stuver, who made an impressive seven saves, he was ultimately unable to thwart Spierings’ decisive strike. Stuver’s exceptional performance was a highlight for Austin, but it wasn’t enough to prevent his team from succumbing to Spierings’ late-game heroics. Stuver could not keep Spierings’ effort from knuckling into the bottom-left corner.
A Tale of Two Halves
The match began with Austin FC asserting their dominance. The breakthrough came in the 18th minute when Facundo Torres delivered a curling free-kick from the left flank, approximately 12 yards beyond the penalty area. The ball, an in-swinging delivery, found Jon Bell, who rose above RSL defender Sergi Solans near the far post. Bell powerfully directed a header back across the goal, and after a bounce off the turf, it found its way inside the left post, giving Austin a deserved lead.
However, Austin’s advantage was short-lived. The equalizer arrived just six minutes later, a direct result of Noel Caliskan’s relentless pressure. After a neat give-and-go with Juan Manuel Sanabria down the left wing, Caliskan unleashed a threatening left-footed cross into the box. Austin defender Oleksandr Svatok, attempting to clear the danger while retreating towards his own goal line, unfortunately misjudged the situation. Instead of clearing the ball, he inadvertently hammered it past his own goalkeeper, Stuver, from close range, leveling the score for Real Salt Lake.
Late Drama and Debut Brilliance
The second half saw both teams battling for control, with RSL pushing for a winner. A significant boost for Real Salt Lake came in the 70th minute when Diego Luna made his season debut. Luna, who was RSL’s leading scorer in 2025 and is an American World Cup hopeful, had been sidelined for the first three games of the season due to a knee injury. His return injected fresh energy into the RSL attack.
Luna himself came agonizingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 87th minute. During a strong RSL offensive push down the left side, Luna unleashed an effort that was ultimately blocked off the line by Austin defender Brendan Hines-Ike. It seemed as though the match was destined for a draw.
But fate had other plans. Just a minute later, in the 88th minute, Stijn Spierings seized his moment. Receiving a perfectly weighted through ball from center-back Justen Glad, Spierings took it in stride. With a swift turn of his hips, he unleashed a shot from beyond the penalty area. The ball, exhibiting a swerving, knuckleball-like trajectory, found its way into the bottom-left corner of the net, leaving Stuver with no chance. This stunning strike was not only Spierings’ first goal for the club but also the decisive blow that secured all three points for Real Salt Lake.
Season Outlook
The victory extends Real Salt Lake’s impressive start to the season, moving them to a 3-1-0 record with 9 points. This marks their third consecutive win, solidifying their position in the league standings. For Austin FC, the loss was a bitter pill to swallow, representing their third consecutive defeat when playing in Salt Lake and their fifth loss in six matches since their MLS debut in 2021. The Verde will be looking to regroup and find their form in the coming weeks.
