Real Salt Lake struck first and never let their foot off the gas in a 2-1 win over Nashville SC at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night, extending their excellent start to the 2022 MLS season. It took only two minutes for the home team to score their first goal. Bobby Wood scored his second goal of the season after darting across the area unnoticed and heading in a corner kick at the near post. Nashville answered with multiple chances of their own, and a typical Walker Zimmerman header leveled the score in the 25th minute.

Nashville was unable to capitalize on a number of opportunities, including a Dan Lovitz effort that rocked the post. Instead, it was Salt Lake who seized the opportunity. In the 51st minute, Tate Schmitt slid to the back post, unmarked, and hammered home a decisive finish to give RSL the lead.

When midfielder Dax McCarty stamped on Bode Davis near the end of the game, Nashville was given a straight red card, reducing the visitors to ten men. Real Salt Lake took advantage of the situation, scoring on both of their attempts on target to stay one of the league's last unbeaten teams. Nashville had their greatest possession game of the season, but missed chances and troubles defending set-pieces cost them, resulting in their first consecutive loss since August 2020.

[Photography by ICONIC photographer Abram Iman]