Sergi Solans Brace Powers Real Salt Lake Past 10-Man St. Louis CITY SC in Playoff Push

Sergi Solans keeps turning up at the back post like it is his reserved parking spot. Twice on Saturday night he was there to finish, and by the time he left the field in the 68th minute, Real Salt Lake had turned a must-win home match into a stroll.

Real Salt Lake beat St. Louis CITY SC 3-0 at America First Field in front of 20,614, riding a Solans brace, a long-range rocket from Dominik Marczuk and a first-half red card to Tomás Ostrák. RSL outshot the visitors 20-3, and according to the club, it was the first clean sheet RSL has ever kept against St. Louis. For a team scrapping for a playoff spot, this was exactly the kind of statement the Claret-and-Cobalt needed.

RSL Lean on the Door

The hosts came out with purpose. Solans headed wide off a corner in the sixth minute, Marczuk cut inside and sent a left-footed effort just high two minutes later, and Stijn Spierings and Saba Lobjanidze both had shots blocked inside the opening 16 minutes. Juan Manuel Sanabria nearly snuck one in from a tight angle off a corner in the 17th minute.

St. Louis, meanwhile, were already living dangerously. Rafael Santos was booked in the third minute and Ostrák picked up a caution in the 29th. The visitors' best look of the half came in the 34th minute, when Rafael Navarro let fly from outside the box and Rafael Cabral saved it.

RSL nearly broke through in the 39th minute when Noel Caliskan got in alone and chipped Ben Lundt, only for St. Louis captain Timo Baumgartl to slide in and clear it off the line, per RSL's account. Two minutes later, the dam broke anyway.

Two Minutes That Ended It

In the 41st minute, Luc de Fougerolles pinched a pass in midfield and traded two quick exchanges with Morgan Guilavogui before the Guinean international drove a low ball across from the left. Solans was alone at the back post to tap it in.

Two minutes later, Ostrák was shown a second yellow card for a foul on de Fougerolles, and St. Louis were down to 10 men. Head coach Yoann Damet made a double change at halftime, sending on Dante Polvara and Mykhi Joyner for Chris Durkin and Conrad Wallem, but it barely slowed RSL down.

The Rout Is On

In the 52nd minute, de Fougerolles played the ball wide to Marczuk, who took a touch and smashed a right-footed shot from outside the box into the top right corner. RSL's player spotlight put it at 25 yards. It was his second goal of the season and easily the prettiest moment of the night.

Seven minutes later, it was 3-0. Lobjanidze burst forward on the break, reached the right side of the box and slid the ball across for Solans, who finished at the back post again. After that, the only real question was whether RSL would add a fourth. Lundt kept the score respectable with saves on Lobjanidze, Zach Booth and Kobi Henry, the last of those from point-blank range in the 80th minute.

There was also a feel-good moment in the 60th minute. Justen Glad came on for Philip Quinton, making his first appearance since an adductor injury in May, and RSL said the home crowd rose for a standing ovation.

Solans Keeps Climbing

Sergi Solans scored twice on three shots and both of his attempts on target went in. RSL said it was his third MLS brace of the season and lifted him to 14 MLS goals. According to the club, that moved him past Duncan McGuire's 13 goals in 2023 for the second-most by an MLS SuperDraft pick in his debut season, with only Cyle Larin's 17 in 2015 ahead of him. He is three shy of tying Larin's MLS rookie record, per RSL, with three regular-season games left.

Dominik Marczuk scored the goal of the night and finished with four shots, two on target.

Luc de Fougerolles was the quiet star. The center back started the first goal, assisted the second, and drew the foul that sent Ostrák off.

Ben Lundt made four saves for St. Louis and did what he could, but he had no help.

The Turning Point

Ostrák's second yellow in the 43rd minute killed the contest. RSL had just scored, St. Louis had barely threatened, and suddenly the visitors had to play 47 minutes plus stoppage time with 10 men. Damet's halftime changes were an attempt to reset, but RSL scored twice within 14 minutes of the restart.

Stats That Matter

• Shots: RSL 20, St. Louis three. On target, it was 8-2.
• Possession: RSL held 60.4 percent of the ball.
• Corners: RSL won seven. St. Louis did not earn one.
• Crosses: RSL attempted 20 crosses. St. Louis attempted one.
• Clearances: St. Louis made 30 clearances, which tells you where this match was played.

What It Means

RSL improve to 11-6-14 (wins, draws, losses) with 39 points and, per the club, sit 10th in the Western Conference with three matches remaining. RSL said it was their first set of back-to-back MLS wins since mid-May, following last weekend's 3-1 win at Sporting Kansas City. The club also said it is chasing a sixth straight postseason appearance.

St. Louis drop to 14-9-8 with 51 points but remain third in the West, according to RSL. It was their second straight defeat after a 3-2 loss at Minnesota. RSL's coverage described the visitors as newly crowned U.S. Open Cup champions, but they never looked like it in Sandy. The first meeting this season, in St. Louis on Aug. 1, ended 1-1.

The Closing Take

Solans is having the kind of rookie season that usually comes with a training montage and an inspirational soundtrack. RSL still need results elsewhere to go their way, but if they sneak into the playoffs, nobody in the West will want to see their No. 22 drifting toward the back post.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Additional match details as reported by Real Salt Lake and St. Louis CITY SC.