SANDY, Utah — In an intense matchup on Tuesday night, Jefferson Diaz emerged as the hero for Minnesota United, scoring the pivotal goal in a thrilling 5-4 shootout victory after the game against Real Salt Lake ended in a scoreless tie during regulation. This win marks a significant milestone for Minnesota, as it represents the franchise’s first-ever playoff triumph in the MLS Cup that was decided by a penalty shootout.

With this victory, Minnesota United is now just one win away from securing a spot in the Western Conference semifinals, with their next opportunity to clinch occurring on Saturday against RSL. Diaz successfully tricked RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath in the crucial sixth round of the shootout, while Braian Ojeda’s attempt met an unfortunate fate, hitting the crossbar.

On the defensive side, Minnesota’s goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair had a standout performance, achieving his eighth clean sheet of the season. He faced a challenging moment in the shootout when RSL’s Justen Glad had his shot hit the crossbar after MacMath made an impressive save against Minnesota’s Michael Boxall during the third round of the penalty kicks.

In the fourth round, MacMath was unable to stop Jeong Sang-Bin’s strike, which managed to slip under him, adding another point to Minnesota’s tally. Meanwhile, Real Salt Lake has not experienced a home playoff defeat since 2019 when they lost to Seattle. Should Minnesota achieve success again in their upcoming match, they will be moving forward in the playoff bracket with high hopes.