By Isabella Rubis
The Claret-and-Cobalt return to the Wasatch Front for a midweek Western Conference clash. In its second of a congested three-match week, RSL will look to continue its home dominance, posting a 5-1-0 (W-L-T) record in 2026. Wednesday’s showdown at America First Field sees Real Salt Lake welcoming a familiar foe in the Houston Dynamo, marking the 12th meeting between the two sides in just the past four years. No other Western Conference matchup has occurred more frequently in that span.
The Utah side will look to return to its home fortress with dominance and earn an important three points under the lights following the disappointing 3-1 loss in Dallas last Saturday, May 9. In this edition of storylines, we will dive into key players for RSL as well as its storied history with the Dynamo.
Young Talent Powering the Claret-and-Cobalt
Real Salt Lake started its 2026 season on a tear, unbeaten in six straight matches, scoring two or more goals in eight of its first eleven and surging up the MLS standings. With key players bursting onto the MLS scene and young talent showcasing skill early on, the Claret-and-Cobalt put the league on notice as one of its strongest squads.
Young RSL talents like rookie FW Sergi Solans and 19-year-old Zavier Gozo found early success, with Solans tallying five goals in as many matches along with two assists and catapulting himself into the lead of RSL’s 2026 Golden Boot race. Along with Gozo, fellow Academy product 18-year-old Aiden Hezarkhani has showcased the positive effects of RSL’s strong developmental pipeline system, tallying multiple goals for the squad this season and producing high-quality minutes throughout multiple matches.
RSL star Diego Luna continues to impress, netting four goals in his last six matches, along with three assists. The 22-year-old is a key factor in Real Salt Lake’s success, the playmaking ability to create on the ball and his movement throughout the middle of the pitch bringing creativity and attacking opportunity. The Claret-and-Cobalt will rely on the skill of the young star dubbed “Moon Man” to drive the attack against a historically tough opponent.
While the Real Salt Lake attack holds immense importance to earning three points at home, its defense will need to hold strong to thwart off a surging Houston attack. RSL Iron Man and Captain, GK Rafael Cabral, has been a constant between the posts - playing every minute of the Club’s last 51 games - throughout the last two seasons, looking to secure his second clean sheet of the 2026 campaign.
The Claret-and-Cobalt will need to work as a cohesive unit to bounce back yet again - only 19 times in the 194-game Pablo Mastroeni history since August, 2021, has RSL dropped back-to-back games - following the tough 3-1 loss in Dallas, reestablishing the dominant “never give up” mentality that has kept it competitive all season.
A Rivalry Built on Tight Margins
Looking back at the hard-fought rivalry between RSL and the Houston Dynamo, the Claret-and-Cobalt’s success last season is a testament to its grit and determination. Sweeping the Dynamo for only the third time ever in a regular season in 2025 (2012, 2014), the home side will look to continue its strong form against a team that has proven difficult in the past. RSL’s 2-1 victory last March at Shell Energy Stadium marked its first triumph over Houston in 10 previous meetings across all competitions dating back to 2023, before the squad returned home to complete the sweep in a tightly contested 1-0 victory on July 12, 2025.
As the rivalry between Real Salt Lake and Houston Dynamo carries weight for the club as a whole, it holds an added layer of significance for defender Sam Junqua. The versatile fullback spent four seasons with the Dynamo, developing as a professional and making over 50 appearances before joining RSL. Now on the other side of the rivalry, Junqua brings valuable insight into Houston’s system and added motivation to perform against his former club.
While typically a tough opponent, RSL has the weight of its home fortress behind it, with Houston winless at AFF since August 2023, earning points only once in its last 13 trips to America First Field (one win in its last 10). However, the visitors are on a hot streak, unbeaten in its first two matches of May and dominating the star-studded roster of LAFC on Sunday in a 4-1 victory, where Houston midfielder and USMNT regular Jack McGlynn earned a brace. If the Claret-and-Cobalt hope to extend Houston’s struggles in Sandy, its defense must rise to the challenge and operate as a brick wall to contain a Houston attack arriving in red-hot form.
