Real Salt Lake salvages 1-1 draw with Seattle Sounders on goal in 99th minute
SEATTLE, WA - MAY 29: Real Salt Lake midfielder Fidel Barajas (17) challenges Seattle Sounders midfielder Josh Atencio (8) during an MLS game between the Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake (RSL) on May 29, 2024 at Lumen Field in Seattle, WA. (Jeff Halstead / Icon Sportswire)
SEATTLE - Andrés Gómez scored in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time after Seattle had a goal disallowed three minutes earlier and Real Salt Lake rallied for a 1-1 draw with the Sounders on Wednesday night to extend its unbeaten run to 12.
Real Salt Lake (8-2-6) is off to the best start in franchise history and has moved to the top of the Western Conference with its 7-0-5 streak.
Albert Rusnák scored off a free kick in the 68th minute to give Seattle (4-6-6) a 1-0 lead. Rusnák became the fifth active player and the 29th in league history to reach 50 goals and 50 assists in regular-season play. Rusnák scored 41 of those goals in five seasons with Real Salt Lake before spending the last three with the Sounders.
Seattle appeared to have wrapped up a victory in the sixth minute of stoppage time, but a goal by Danny Musovski was overruled after a video review.
Gómez scored the equalizer off a rebound. It was his eighth goal of the season.
Manager Pablo Mastroeni's club has also put together a seven-match unbeaten run on the road. Real Salt Lake rallied from a three-goal deficit at FC Dallas on Saturday, scoring three goals in the final 30 minutes to pull out a 3-3 draw and keep its streak alive.
Stefan Frei finished with three saves for the Sounders. Gavin Beavers saved four shots in his fourth start of the season for Real Salt Lake. Frei had two saves and Beavers stopped three shots in a scoreless first half.
Real Salt Lake has outscored its opponents 26-13 during its unbeaten run. They have won five matches and earned two draws with goals in the final 15 minutes during the streak.
Real Salt Lake beat the Sounders 2-0 at home two weeks ago.
It was the first goal scored at home while the Sounders were at full strength this season.
Real Salt Lake returns home to host Austin FC on Saturday. The Sounders return to action on June 8 when they travel to play Sporting Kansas City.