In a thrilling display of their offensive prowess, Real Salt Lake (RSL) blanked Orlando City with a 4-0 victory under the lights at the America First Field in Sandy, Utah. The July 9, 2023 match, much anticipated by die-hard soccer fans, did not disappoint.

RSL's strong offensive performance began when Cristian Arango, assisted by Pablo Ruiz, netted the first goal of the match in the 23rd minute, marking Arango's triumphant return to the MLS. This exuberant start to this home game seemed to predict what was to come.

Before halftime, Justen Glad found the back of the net in the 41st minute, once again off an assist from Pablo Ruiz, propelling RSL to a comfortable 2-0 lead. This marked Glad's fifth goal for the season, a feat celebrated on social media by fans.

Despite some commendable efforts from Orlando, they seemed to be playing on the back foot, a sentiment echoed by supporters online, who noted that Orlando appeared to be 'playing scared.'

Maintaining their momentum into the second half, RSL's Jefferson Savarino, assisted by B. Oviedo, added another goal to the tally in the 78th minute. RSL's aggressive and intelligent play was on full display, solidifying their dominance in the match.

The final nail in the coffin came late in the game when A. Julio, once again assisted by Pablo Ruiz, completed the 4-0 rout in the 88th minute. This capped a stellar performance by Ruiz, who bagged three assists on the night.

Despite the blow, Orlando's supporters showed sportsmanship, encouraging RSL to 'win the west' while expressing mild annoyance at references to Orlando's less successful past seasons.

With the win, RSL positions themselves nicely as second in the West and successfully established a positive goal differential.

Looking forward, RSL will face Sporting KC on July 13, 2023, while Orlando City will face Atlanta United on July 15, 2023, as both teams will look to build on their performances. Judging from fan anticipation, these matches promise to continue the excitement of this thrilling season.