Real Salt Lake faces a must-win as LA Galaxy hunts first victory | OneFootball

Saturday's MLS play is Real Salt Lake's return to its home, its fans, its identity, and, most importantly, to its own image. The team, still searching for its rhythm in 2025, hosts LA Galaxy in Sandy in a game that can redefine the early stages of a season already full of question marks. One team seeking to prove it still has more to give. The other, stuck at the Western Conference cellar, also on the lookout for a win. Where? Another familiar venue that's slowly no longer felt like a fortress.

A start that requires an answer

You can call Real Salt Lake's start to the season a million things — solid is not among them. They've achieved two wins and four losses in six games. They're arriving on consecutive shutouts and have given up more than a playoff-hungry team can tolerate. The offense has dried up. The team's been in a funk now that spans five straight halves since Diego Luna scored in Houston. On defense, the unit has slipped lately, giving up stoppage-time winners to San Diego and Herediano and losing last time against Minnesota. No disputing it, the team's stuck. And even with the season still having miles to go, the pressure is creeping in fast when the games just refuse to come home. At Sandy, RSL has a solitary win in 2025: a season-opening 2–0 victory over Seattle. Since then, nothing but stumbles — including last-minute losses and an ill-fated red card that cost them dearly.

America First Field no longer frightens

For years, coming to Sandy was essentially a death sentence. Real Salt Lake built one of the league's best home winning percentages. But in 2025, the magic is gone. They've lost two games in stoppage time and still haven't been able to take complete control as a home team.

What makes this match against LA Galaxy even more symbolic is their recent history. The Galaxy won both of their latest regular-season visits to America First Field, in 2023 and 2024. RSL, however, has beaten them only once in that period — in a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal last June 2023. That is, the numbers don't lie for the home team.

Galaxy in crisis, but still dangerous

All over the league, LA Galaxy has a worse disastrous beginning. No wins, two defeats, four draws, and as reigning MLS Cup champions, last in the West. But to write off a team of this size is a risk. The Galaxy understands playing RSL. They understand where to put the pressure, how to unsettle, and when to strike. Flair or no flair, they're dangerous anyway.