real salt lake x la galaxy

Real Salt Lake won 2-1 over the LA Galaxy at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday night thanks to a 95th-minute golazo from Anderson Julio. RSL is refusing to give up on the postseason chase, having won three of their past four games, including two convincing victories against the Seattle Sounders and now the Galaxy. Los Angeles has now gone winless in their last eight games, putting them in a crucial encounter against rivals LAFC on Sunday in the third El Trafico of the season.

With three points, the hosts move up to fifth place in the Western Conference, knocking the Galaxy down to the sixth place. RSL appears to be gaining traction under interim head coach Pablo Mastroeni, who has led the team to a 4-0-3 record. The Galaxy appeared to have earned a point on the road late in the game, but RSL fought back against the odds to score in stoppage time. Anderson Julio was spotted running through the middle of the pitch into the Galaxy box by Damir Kreilach, and the Ecuadorian handled the ball wonderfully, taking it over a defender's head before unleashing a spectacular left-footed volley.

Prior to the halftime whistle, Kreilach scored the game's first goal, his 12th of the season. After Galaxy goalie Jonathan Bond got an initial hand on the ball, it just trickled over the goal line before he palmed it out of the net again. Before the Galaxy eventually hit the back of the net in the 76th minute, Ochoa put on a fantastic display in goal, making three outstanding stops.

Efrain Alvarez delivered the ball to Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez in the box on a platter, and the Galaxy striker hit the back of the net with a fast twist of the hips. The Galaxy gained momentum and began to push for a second, but Ochoa's heroics stopped them dead in their tracks.

[Photography by ICONIC photographer Abram Iman]

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