SANDY, Utah — Youngsters Aiden Hezarkhani and Ari Piol powered Real Salt Lake to a 2-1 win over the Seattle Sounders on Saturday night, extending Seattle’s 14‑year winless streak in Sandy.
The victory kicked off RSL’s 2026 home slate in style, with two of the club’s youngest players delivering the goals. Hezarkhani, 18, recorded his first-ever MLS score. Piol, 21, also found the net before leaving the match with an injury.
Head coach Pablo Mastroeni praised both the skill and mindset of his youthful roster.
"With youth surrounded by really good, experienced players, it’s the perfect combination,” Mastroeni said. “You get guys like [Zavier] Gozo, who will just run, and you got Aiden, who is not scared to have someone on his back, and he’s willing to turn and meg the guy and keep going, so youth is beautiful. At times for us older guys, it seems like it’s a bit ignorant, but that’s the beauty of youth because us older guys are all jaded.”
Hezarkhani’s first Major League Soccer goal was initially credited to Zavier Gozo in the stadium but quickly corrected. Gozo celebrated with Hezarkhani like he had scored the goal, too.
"[My first MLS goal] was better in the dream to be honest," said Hezarkhani with a smile.
The Southern California native came up through the RSL Academy with many of the same players he took the pitch with Saturday at America First Field, so the win was a memorable one.
“It’s the first of many. I just have to use this momentum, take it to the next game, and keep getting three points because that’s ultimately what matters.”
RSL now heads to Atlanta on Saturday. Atlanta United FC is still searching for its first win of the season.
