Real Salt Lake made a costly mistake and Cristian Arango is out for revenge | OneFootball

Real Salt Lake comes back to MLS for its 21st year, and the season-opening match couldn't have a more intriguing story. The first challenge is against a familiar rival, San Jose Earthquakes, led by no other than Bruce Arena, one of American soccer's most storied coaches. And just to top it off, the game introduces a variable — Cristian Arango, ex-RSL player, now plays for the opposing team and is ready to be the man.

With good statistics, a favorable record of season opener victories over the Quakes, and a mix of experience with newness in the team, RSL enters this season opener optimistic.

Real Salt Lake enters with a competitive pedigree and the key new components

Historically, RSL has performed well in MLS season openers, especially against San Jose. The record of three wins, zero losses, and no goals conceded in previous season-opening matches against the Earthquakes gives Pablo Mastroeni’s team confidence. Additionally, the team has typically played well in season openers away from home: in the last 15 opening road games, RSL has lost just twice.

The 2024 campaign left rich lessons, and the front office did its work. The roster brought new firepower in the way of goalkeeper Rafael Cabral, defender Kobi Henry, and forward Forster Ajago, who have already made their Concachampions appearances. These are complemented by Dominik Marczuk, Diogo Gonçalves, and Lachlan Brook in bringing flair to the attacking department, which will need to function well to pierce San Jose's defense.

One of the most important players in this configuration is Braian Ojeda, one of the midfield's motors and still very much so. He will be supported by Emeka Eneli, who led the team in their last international match, and together they will be responsible for setting the game's tempo and providing cover to the attack.

The Cristian Arango factor

If someone's hijacking the spotlight in this game, it has to be Cristian Arango. The Colombian forward, who impressed for 18 months at RSL, scoring 23 goals and providing 14 assists, now wears the San Jose Earthquakes jersey. And we all know how the legendary "law of the ex" works for soccer.

Real Salt Lake's front office decided to deal Arango in the early months of this year for $1.4 million in General Allocation Money, as well as an international slot. Right or wrong, only time will tell, but nobody is going to deny that his loss will be felt in the offense. And now, playing against his former club, he has every chance of making some kind of an impression right from the start.

The San Jose Earthquakes with Bruce Arena and the task of getting the team competitive again

The San Jose Earthquakes head into the 2025 season in search of a turnaround. Following an unsettled 2024 and a team that could not compete in the Western Conference, the front office went all in on overhauls. The biggest of them all? The hiring of Bruce Arena, one of the most highly regarded coaches in U.S. soccer history.

Arena understands that transforming the Quakes into a victorious team will not be an overnight phenomenon, but he feels reinforcements like Arango and an attacking system will contribute to speeding up the process. The team has not beaten RSL in MLS play in Utah since 2011, so this match is a crucial opportunity to change that script.

If San Jose are to get a good result, they'll need to capitalize on set pieces and quicken on the flanks, trying to make Real Salt Lake's defense uncomfortable.