Twenty-nine players were taken before Sergi Solans in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft. In his first MLS season, the Spanish striker scored 15 non-penalty goals for Real Salt Lake, the most on the team. According to MLSsoccer.com, that is the second-highest total for a SuperDraft pick in his first season out of college. On Thursday, he leads RSL into Lumen Field for the Western Conference Wild Card against the Seattle Sounders (10 p.m. ET, Apple TV).

The goal that got RSL in

Neither team was above the playoff line going into Decision Day. RSL needed a win against the LA Galaxy, and goals from Solans and Zach Booth gave them a 2-1 victory. A Luc de Fougerolles own goal kept it tense untill the final whistle. That result gave Pablo Mastroeni's side a sixth straight postseason, the longest active run in the West.

Solans has 15 goals and four assists overall. RSL gave him a long-term contract extension in August, and the club has leaned on him harder since losing Diego Luna to injury and Zavier Gozo to a transfer during the season. Morgan Guilavogui and Saba Lobjanidze round out the attack.

Mastroeni's Wild Card problem

Making the playoffs hasn't been RSL's issue. Getting through Round One has. They haven't done it since 2021, Mastroeni's first season, and last year they went out in the Wild Card game at Portland. This time it's a single game with no extra time: if it's tied after 90 minutes, it goes straight to penalties.

Seattle's experience against a rookie

Seattle have reached the postseason in 17 of their 18 MLS seasons and have 26 playoff wins since 2009, both league bests over that span. Albert Rusnák leads the team with 16 assists, and Cristian Roldan, Dejan Joveljić, Jesús Ferreira and Paul Arriola give Brian Schmetzer plenty of experience. Andrew Thomas has replaced Stefan Frei in goal this season. Jordan Morris is out injured.

The winner moves on to a best-of-three Round One series against top-seeded Vancouver, starting Nov. 22. For a striker drafted 30th, it's a chance to get RSL past the first round for the first time since 2021.