The Seattle Sounders fell 2-0 to Real Salt Lake at America First Field in Sandy, Utah, on Saturday in the second MLS contest of the season. An early own goal from Nouhou and a second half tally from Forster Ajago sealed three points for RSL.
The Sounders found the back of the net in the sixth minute when Georgi Minoungou redirected in a Jordan Morris flicked header on a corner, but it was disallowed for offside.
RSL took the lead just two minutes later when Nouhou headed a looping cross into the box past his own goalkeeper Stefan Frei in a miscommunication.
Salt Lake almost doubled its advantage in the 23rd minute when Alexandros Katranis snuck loose in behind down the left side and dropped a pass in the center for Ariath Piol, but he scuffed his attempt from six yards out over the crossbar.
Javain Brown nearly scored on a header at the stroke of halftime when he rose for a corner at the back post, but Frei dove strongly to his right to parry it away.
The Sounders had a second goal waved off in the 59th minute when Morris broke free in behind and laid a pass off for Albert Rusnák, who beat goalkeeper Rafael Cabral. Morrs, however, was deemed offside in the buildup.
Salt Lake iced the match in the 79th minute when Ajago combined in a give-and-go with Diogo Gonçalves, who played through Ajago in behind for a breakaway where he slotted in an early shot past Frei.
Seattle will have a quick turnaround with a home tilt against Liga MX’s Cruz Azul on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. PT | TICKETS) in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 home-and-home aggregate series. The Sounders will play eight matches in 25 days to open the year, with a home match against LAFC next Saturday, the away leg at Cruz Azul the following Tuesday and an away trip to St. Louis CITY SC the following weekend on the horizon.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
Kossi-Rienzi first MLS start
After scoring a memorable goal in last year’s U.S. Open Cup, Tacoma Defiance’s Kalani Kossa-Rienzi made his first MLS start at right fullback while Alex Roldan was back in Seattle awaiting the birth of his child. The Sounders signed the former University of Washington standout to a short-term loan from their MLS Next PRO affiliate.
Drought in Utah continues
Seattle has beaten Real Salt Lake away from home just once in the regular season in its existence with the lone victory coming back in 2011.
Held scoreless
After flying out the gates in 2025 with eight goals scored in three matches, the Sounders were stifled in the attacking third and kept off the score sheet for the first time this season.
