Rafael Cabral Named to Team of the Week
Published on October 6, 2025 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release
Brazilian RSL goalkeeper and Captain Rafael Cabral has earned selection to this week's MLSSoccer.com "Team of the Matchday" for his Saturday heroics, as Real Salt Lake earned a 1-0 win this weekend over Rocky Mountain Cup rival Colorado.
Improving to seven wins and two draws against just three losses at home since June 1, Cabral and RSL registered back-to-back wins for the first time since mid-July and vaulted itself above the MLS Western Conference playoff line with its third win in the last five games, controlling its 2025 postseason destiny with upcoming road matches at Seattle and St. Louis on Oct. 11 and 18.
Cabral and the RSL rearguard blanked the opponent for the ninth time in 37 games this season, the first-year MLS 'keeper also denying three of seven PK attempts faced in regulation this year. Late in Saturday's win, Cabral was active, coming off his line to deny Rapids danger and repeatedly saving multiple point-blank chances to hold the zero and secure the three points.
In support of Cabral and the clean sheet, RSL Designated Player Diogo Gonçalves slotted home the game-winner in the 39th minute, assisted by newcomer DP Rwan Cruz, for his first goal contribution of 2025.
Throughout the 2025 season, RSL's lone "Iron Man" has been Cabral, the Club's only player to have played all 3,330 minutes across 37 games all competitions this season - with the former Copa Libertadores 2011 winner donning the Claret-and-Cobalt Captain's armband for a 20th consecutive contest.
The Gonçalves goal - his third of the season - gave RSL the distinction of scoring first for the 22nd time in those 37 games across all competitions this year, RSL now winning 11 and tying four against seven losses when drawing first blood. In five seasons under Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni's 178 games managed, RSL has dropped just 10 games when scoring first, with 46 wins and 17 draws.
This week, RSL travels to Seattle for its penultimate MLS reg. season match of 2025, without USA playmaker Diego Luna and Paraguayan midfielder Braian Ojeda, both of whom are away on national team duty during this FIFA international break. RSL will also be without centerback Kobi Henry, who will participate in 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying for Trinidad and Tobago. All three players will return for RSL's 2025 MLS "Decision Day" on Sat., October 18 at St. Louis.
RSL can clinch its Conference-best fifth-consecutive MLS Cup Playoff postseason berth with a win in either of its two remaining matches at Seattle or at St. Louis, as it battles Dallas, Colorado and San Jose for one of the final two postseason berths in the West. Amazingly, both Austin and Portland are in RSL's sights as the sixth and seventh seeds, if they stumble while RSL wins out in its final two matches.
Major League Soccer Stories from October 6, 2025
- Chicago Fire FC Weekly Update - Chicago Fire FC
- Three Additional Sounders FC Players Called into International Duty for October FIFA Window - Seattle Sounders FC
- Seven FC Cincinnati Players Called up During October FIFA International Window - FC Cincinnati
- SDFC Fans Witness History at Pacific Beachfest Watch Party - San Diego FC
- Anders Dreyer Named to MLS Team of the Matchday 38 - San Diego FC
- Sebastian Berhalter Named MLS Player of Matchday 38 - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Real Salt Lake Centerback Kobi Henry Again Named to Trinidad & Tobago Senior National Team - Real Salt Lake
- Nine New York City FC Players Called up for International Duty in October - New York City FC
- Messi, Alba and Allende Named to MLS Team of the Matchday - Inter Miami CF
- LA Galaxy First Team, Academy Players Called up for Men's National Team Training Camps - LA Galaxy
- Rafael Cabral Named to Team of the Week - Real Salt Lake
- Defender Jack Elliott Selected to MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 38 - Chicago Fire FC
- Sporting KC Weekly - Sporting Kansas City
- St. Louis CITY SC Homegrown Defender Tyson Pearce Called up to U.S. U-19 Men's Youth National Team Camp - St. Louis City SC
- Six Nashville SC Players Competing Internationally During October FIFA Break - Nashville SC
- Colorado Rapids' Wayne Frederick Named to Trinidad & Tobago National Team for FIFA World Cup Qualifiers - Colorado Rapids
- Kamal Miller Called up to Canadian Men's National Team for October International Window - Portland Timbers
- LAFC Defeats Atlanta United 1-0; Extends Winning Streak to Five - Los Angeles FC
- Atlanta United Falls 1-0 at LAFC - Atlanta United FC
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Real Salt Lake Stories
- Real Salt Lake Centerback Kobi Henry Again Named to Trinidad & Tobago Senior National Team
- Rafael Cabral Named to Team of the Week
- Real Salt Lake Secures 1-0 Win Over Colorado to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive
- Real Salt Lake Midfielder Braian Ojeda Called by Paraguay for International Duty
- U.S.A. Star Diego Luna Named Real Salt Lake's 2025 Jordan Guernsey Humanitarian of the Year
