Sergi Solans has seven goals in his first MLS season, the most on Real Salt Lake's roster, and the striker's newest connection with Georgian newcomer Saba Lobjanidze gives head coach Pablo Mastroeni a potent attacking pair as RSL launches a five-game homestand at America First Field with Tuesday's Leagues Cup match against Tigres UANL.

Solans scored in the 60th minute of Saturday's 1-1 draw at St. Louis City SC, finishing left-footed after Lobjanidze slipped a clever ball into his path, allowing him to dribble past the goalkeeper and slot into an open net. The goal was his fifth consecutive start under Mastroeni and moved him one ahead of 19-year-old Utah native and MLS All-Star Zavier Gozo (six goals) atop RSL's scoring chart.

Lobjanidze, who arrived from Atlanta United FC on July 1, has recorded two assists in just 74 minutes across three appearances. He came on at halftime against St. Louis and immediately changed the game's momentum with forward runs and deceptive dribbling that left defenders scrambling.

"It's his individual quality that got us through," Mastroeni said of Lobjanidze after the Aug. 1 match. "Brave in the moment, finding a lot of passes that others might not, facing the goal, getting the right passes through the middle or wide."

Lobjanidze's RSL debut came at LAFC, where he assisted on Lukas Engel's goal, making him the eighth player in club history to record an assist in his first appearance.

Solans, who made his RSL debut on Feb. 21, has also contributed three assists this season. His best single performance came April 18 against San Diego FC: two goals, one assist, seven touches in the opposition box and man of the match honors in a 4-2 win.

Five-game homestand

RSL (8-6-3, 27 points, fifth in the Western Conference) opened its homestand Tuesday against Tigres UANL at 8 p.m. MT. The stretch runs through Aug. 19 and includes Leagues Cup matches against Atlante CF on Saturday, Aug. 8, and FC Juarez on Tuesday, Aug. 11, plus two MLS regular-season games.

RSL is 8-1-0 at America First Field in 2026, outscoring visitors 22-9.

The club entered the Leagues Cup ranked 30th of 36 participants, placed in the West 1 pod alongside Vancouver, Minnesota, Tigres, Atlante and FC Juarez. The tournament runs through Sept. 6, with the winner earning a direct berth to the Round of 16 of the 2027 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

RSL and Tigres have met four previous times. Tigres ousted RSL from the Concacaf Champions League in 2016 and beat them 1-0 in the 2019 Leagues Cup Showcase.

As we reported Monday, RSL is without Griffin Dillon, who fractured his fifth metatarsal at St. Louis and requires surgery. Gozo also missed the St. Louis trip with a hip strain suffered at the All-Star Game in Charlotte.

After the homestand, RSL travels to Orlando on Saturday, Aug. 22, carrying a seven-game road winless streak dating to March 7.