HOUSTON, Texas (Saturday, May 6, 2023) – Real Salt Lake earned its second consecutive clean sheet and its first on the road since last April with a 0-0 draw Saturday night against Houston Dynamo FC, becoming the first team to earn a result at Shell Energy Stadium in five attempts this season. RSL’s active MLS shutout streak is now at 221 minutes, entering Saturday’s home match against LAFC.
Amidst the heat of Houston, Texas, Real Salt Lake looked to become the first team to score at Shell Energy Stadium this season, with **Jefferson Savarino** getting a chance at goal inside the first minute. Cuban midfielder **Maikel Chang** looked to open the scoring in the 9th minute, connecting on a ball from midfielder **Scott Caldwell**, but Steve Clark was able to easily wrap up the shot. As the half progressed, Houston began to gain momentum, content to sit back and maintain possession, but despite having the ball the Dynamo struggled to put an opportunity on target.
Near the end of the first half rookie **Bertin Jacquesson** was inches away from netting a wonder-goal, taking a bicycle-kick shot on goal, and despite the goalkeeper bobbling the shot, Clark was able to push it out of danger. Moments later former RSL Homegrown Corey Baird almost had a goal against his former side, but his shot slammed the crossbar, sending the two teams into the halftime break deadlocked at 0-0.
At the start of the second half, Real Salt Lake overtook possession, maintaining control through the first 10 minutes of the half, but in the 55th minute Houston looked to have a sure goal as Hector Herrera slotted a deflected shot towards goal. Goalkeeper **Zac MacMath** was able to get a paw on the ball from his position on the ground, barely pushing it out of bounds for a corner. In the 66th minute, second-half substitute **Andrés Goméz** forced Dynamo’s goalkeeper into a point-blank save with a close-range shot, but the opportunity was snuffed out.
As the match wore on and fatigue set in, the two teams traded opportunities, but none clear enough to break the 0-0 stalemate. In the final moment of stoppage time, Goméz looked to have the go-ahead goal, but his shot was pushed just wide by Clark and the match ended in a 0-0 draw. The scoreless draw marks RSL’s first on the road since April 23, 2022, at Portland Timbers. It also extends the Claret-and-Cobalt’s unbeaten streak against the Dynamo to 11 matches (5W-0L-6T), the longest against any single opponent in Real Salt Lake’s history.
UP NEXT: Before returning home to America First Field for its regular-season match against LAFC, the team is set to face Portland Timbers at Providence Park in the Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup this Wednesday, May 10 at 8:30 p.m. MT.
NOTES:
- Real Salt Lake was without Axel Kei (ankle), Zack Farnsworth (thigh), Erik Holt (shoulder), Anderson Julio (hamstring), Tomas Gomez (knee), Jasper Löffelsend (ankle), Marcelo Silva (back), Pablo Ruiz (suspension) and Bode Hidalgo (hamstring).
- Rookie Generation Adidas forward Bertin Jacquesson made his first Major League Soccer start
Lineups:
Real Salt Lake (4-4-2): Zac MacMath; Bryan Oviedo, Brayan Vera, Justen Glad, Andrew Brody; Scott Caldwell (Emeka Eneli 46’), Braian Ojeda, Maikel Chang (Andrés Goméz 62’), Jefferson Savarino (Diego Luna 84’); Rubio Rubin (Damir Kreilach 69’), Bertin Jacquesson (Danny Musovski 70’)
Subs not used: Gavin Beavers, Moses Nyeman, Ilijah Paul, Delentz Pierre
Houston Dynamo (4-3-3): Steve Clark; Franco Escobar (Brad Smith 88’), Ethan Bartlow, Daniel Steres, Micael dos Santos; Artur, Hector Herrera, Coco Carrasquilla; Ivan Franco (Sebastian Ferreira 69’), Amine Bassi (Nelson Quinones 81’), Corey Baird
Subs not used: Andrew Tarbell, Griffin Dorsey, Luis Caicedo, Chase Gasper, Thor Ulfarsson, Brooklyn Raines
Stats Summary: RSL/HOUShots: 13/16
Shots on goal: 5/4
Saves: 4/5
Corner Kicks: 9/4
Fouls: 12/8
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:RSL: Justen Glad (caution) 45’
HOU: Franco Escobar (caution) 57’
RSL: Bryan Oviedo (caution) 83’
HOU: Nelson Quinones (caution) 90+1’
