Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna (right) hugs Real Salt Lake forward Cristian Arango (9) after Arango’s third goal during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. Arango scored three goals during the game, taking RSL to a 3-1 victory over St. Louis City. Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
SANDY, Utah (AP) — Cristian Arango scored three goals from the 70th minute on and Real Salt Lake rallied for 3-1 victory over St. Louis City on Saturday night, handing the defending Western Conference regular-season champions their first loss of the season.
Indiana Vassilev gave St. Louis City (1-1-4) the lead in the 3rd minute when he scored unassisted off a set piece by sending a left-footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner of the net. It was his first goal of the season.
Arango scored the equalizer in the 70th minute with an assist from Alexandros Katranis. He gave Real Salt Lake (3-2-1) the lead in the 84th minute on a penalty kick and finished off his hat trick with an assist from Diego Luna in the first of 13 minutes of stoppage time. Arango already has five goals and four assists this season. His PK goal followed a handball on St. Louis City’s Chris Durkin.
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St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Bürki (1) blocks a kick from Real Salt Lake midfielder Anderson Julio (29) during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
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Real Salt Lake midfielder Anderson Julio (29) and St. Louis City defender Anthony Markanich (13) fight for posession of the ball during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
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Real Salt Lake midfielder Bode Hidalgo (19) reacts after his goal isn’t counted during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
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St. Louis City defender Kyle Hiebert (22) defends Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna (8) during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
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Real Salt Lake defender Alexandros Katranis (98) jumps on the back of Real Salt Lake forward Cristian Arango (9) after Arango scored his first goal during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. Arango scored three goals during the game, taking RSL to a 3-1 victory over St. Louis City. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
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Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna (right) hugs Real Salt Lake forward Cristian Arango (9) after Arango’s third goal during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. Arango scored three goals during the game, taking RSL to a 3-1 victory over St. Louis City. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
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Real Salt Lake midfielder Bode Hidalgo (19) and St. Louis City defender Anthony Markanich (13) jump up to head the ball during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
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Real Salt Lake fans cheer before a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
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Real Salt Lake midfielder Anderson Julio (29) kicks the ball during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
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St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Bürki (1) watches from the goal box during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
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Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Zac MacMath (18) catches the ball during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
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Real Salt Lake forward Cristian Arango (9) heads the ball with St. Louis City defender Joshua Yaro (15) also jumping up to try and get the ball during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
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St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Bürki (1) heads the ball during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
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Real Salt Lake defender Marcelo Silva (right) hugs Real Salt Lake forward Cristian Arango after Arango’s third goal during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. Arango scored three goals during the game, taking RSL to a 3-1 victory over St. Louis City. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
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Real Salt Lake fans cheer after Real Salt Lake forward Cristian Arango (9) scores his third goal during a Major League Soccer game between Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, March 30, 2024. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News
Zac MacMath finished with one save for Real Salt Lake. Roman Bürki saved two shots for St. Louis City.
St. Louis City is the first team in league history to start its first two seasons unbeaten in its first five matches. The club is one of five all time to go unbeaten through the first five matches in back-to-back seasons. SLC started 5-0-0 last season, becoming the first expansion team to win its first five matches. The team rallied from behind to earn draws in its first two road matches this season.
The two clubs split a pair of matches last season with both teams winning on the road.
St. Louis City returns home to play FC Dallas on Saturday. Real Salt Lake travels to play Minnesota United on Saturday.
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