Sang Bin Jeong scored the winning goal in the fourth round of the shootout, Dayne St. Clair made a couple stops and Minnesota United beat Real Salt Lake on Saturday night at Allianz Field to sweep the best-of-three first-round series.

The teams were tied 1-1 after regulation and penalty time.

Kelvin Yeboah and Hassani Dotson scored on Minnesota’s first two attempts in the shootout.

Chicho Arango scored on Real Salt Lake’s first attempt, but Diogo Goncalves’ shot was blocked by St. Clair, Matt Crooks sailed one high, and St. Clair dove left to block Diego Luna’s attempt.

Jeong then beat Zac MacMath and the celebration was on.

Up next for the sixth-seeded Loons, who also won in a shootout in Game 1 on Tuesday in Utah, is the Western Conference semifinal at the second-seeded Los Angeles Galaxy either Nov. 23 or 24.

Minnesota and Real Salt Lake played to four draws in four matches in 2024.

Minnesota United was leading 1-0 when Emeka Eneli tied the game in the 75th minute, converting a give-and-go with Crooks. It was just the second goal allowed by the Loons in seven games and snapped a 180-minute shutout streak.

Real Salt Lake nearly took a lead 11 minutes later, but for the second time in the match an offside call negated a Real Salt Lake goal.
Joseph Rosales put Minnesota in front in the 53rd minute.

Battling a defender down the right side on a counterattack, Robin Lod stumbled but the ball went directly to Yeboah at the top of the box. His one-touch pass went to Rosales streaking into the box unmarked.

A left-footed shot went just inside the right post for the midfielder’s first goal of the season and second in four seasons with Minnesota United. Rosales is second on the team with 11 assists behind Lod’s 16.

If not for video review, the Rosales tally would have only tied the match.

A Real Salt Lake shot by Brayan Vera through traffic in the opening minutes of the second half found the back of the net for an apparent 1-0 lead; however, the goal was waved off for an offside player after officials took a closer look.

Getting far better scoring chances in the first half, the Loons were unable to break through.

Playing its first home playoff game with fans since 2019, Minnesota United nearly gave the already amped up capacity crowd something to cheer in 12th minute at the expense of the most hated Real Salt Lake player.

Vera, in his first match back after serving a three-match suspension for spitting at Loons captain Michael Boxall Oct. 2, whiffed on a kick, setting up Yeboah just outside the box. Moments later goalkeeper Zac MacMath made a left leg save to thwart Yeboah’s shot targeted for the far corner.

It was the first of four huge first-half saves MacMath made to keep the game scoreless.

MacMath stymied Bongokuhle Hlongwane from close range in the 23rd minute off a give-and-go with Joaquin Pereyra. Yeboah deked a defender, but MacMath made another diving fingertip save as a shot trickled just wide five minutes later.

A cross from Dotson was headed just wide by Pereyra from 6 yards out in the 34th minute.

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