With a 2-1 comeback win over San Jose, RSL now sits in playoff position.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Real Salt Lake midfielder Braian Ojeda, shown during a match last season, scored the game-winning goal on Saturday night against the San Jose Earthquakes.
Real Salt Lake rallied past the San Jose Earthquakes 2-1 on Saturday night in Sandy, moving into playoff position in the Major League Soccer standings after a slow start to the season.
Midfielder Braian Ojeda drilled a shot in the 81st minute that bounced off the hands of San Jose goalkeeper Daniel and into the net, putting RSL ahead for the first time in the game.
Real Salt Lake (9-11-4), which had a five-game unbeaten streak snapped last week by FC Cincinnati, vaulted from 10th place to eighth in the Western Conference with the victory over the Earthquakes. The top nine teams in each conference reach the postseason.
San Jose (7-10-8) slipped into 10th place, behind the Colorado Rapids (8-11-6).
After a scoreless first half, Josef Martinez put the Quakes ahead 1-0 in the 51st minute, getting an assist from former RSL striker Chicho Arango.
RSL pulled even on an own goal in the 57th minute, when Diogo Gonçalves’ shot was knocked into the net by San Jose defender Jamar Ricketts.
RSL dominated time of possession in the game, 59.6 percent to 40.4 percent, but San Jose had a 10-9 advantage in shots. Each team had three shots on goal.
San Jose’s Daniel and RSL goalkeeper Rafael Cabral each made two saves.
RSL now takes a break from MLS action, with three Leagues Cup home games against Mexican teams coming up, starting Wednesday against Club América (7:30 p.m., Apple TV).
RSL will also host Atlético de San Luis (Aug. 2) and Queretaro (Aug. 6), before returning to MLS action on Aug. 10 at New York, with 10 league games remaining in the season. RSL is trying to reach the playoffs for a fifth straight year.