Eden native Zach Booth scores first home goal as RSL routs Atlante 4-0

Zach Booth pointed toward the stands at America First Field on Saturday, Aug. 8, then launched into a backflip. His friends and family from Eden, Utah, were watching from the seats.

The 22-year-old midfielder's left-footed strike from the top of the 18-yard box in the 50th minute buried into the bottom right corner, giving Real Salt Lake a 2-0 lead in what became a 4-0 rout of Atlante CF in front of 19,510 fans. It was Booth's first-ever goal at America First Field.

"It means everything to play in front of friends and family and the Utah people," Booth said after the match. "I'm super proud and super happy."

Booth grew up in Eden, a small mountain town in Weber County, watching RSL stars Kyle Beckerman, Javier Morales and Nick Rimando. He played for La Roca FC before joining the RSL Academy during the 2018-2020 seasons. At 16, he left Utah for Leicester City's academy in England, spending more than five years in Europe with stops in the Netherlands at Volendam and Excelsior Rotterdam before RSL brought him home on loan in January.

His wife Kate grew up an RSL fan too. Her grandfather, Dean Howes, was a former chief executive for the club. When Booth made his first home start in February, his mother Kelli Booth called the moment "full circle," according to the Deseret News.

Saturday's goal came in just his sixth start of the 2026 season. Head coach Pablo Mastroeni, speaking to KSL Sports after the Aug. 8 win, said the coaching staff has been working with Booth on making runs toward goal when the ball is on the weak side and finishing with his left foot.

The win snapped a five-game winless run for RSL and gave the club four points through two Leagues Cup matches. RSL now needs a victory in its Phase One finale to keep its quarterfinal hopes alive.

That match comes Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 7:30 p.m. MT when RSL hosts FC Juárez at America First Field. It's the Liga MX club's first-ever visit to Utah. The match airs on Apple TV.

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