Real Salt Lake Asma Mastrowini Permanent Director

Herriman, Utah, USA (AP) – Pablo Mastrowini has been named permanent manager of Real Salt Lake at MLS after three and a half months in charge of taking over on a temporary basis.

The 45-year-old coach and former United States midfielder coached Colorado between 2014 and 2017, when he was sacked amid a losing streak that season.

He was an assistant for the Houston Dynamo in 2020 and was hired by Salt Lake on January 5 as an assistant to Freddy Juarez. Mastrowini was appointed interim coach on August 27 after Juarez was sacked when the team was sixth in the Western Conference.

The nationalized Argentine led the team to eight wins, eight losses and a draw in the remainder of the regular season. Colorado finished last in the playoffs, beating Seattle and Kansas City on the road before losing 2-0 to Portland in the conference final.

On Monday, Salt Lake confirmed Mastrowini as permanent manager.

Mastroini played for the United States in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, and played 65 matches for the national team between 2001 and 2009. He played with Miami (1998-2001), Colorado (2002-13) and La Galaxy (2013) in the MLS.