Real Salt Lake 0 vs Houston Dynamo 0
August 5, 2017; Sandy, Utah; Rio Tinto Stadium
Real Salt Lake (7-12-5, 26 points); Houston Dynamo (9-7-7, 34 points)
Man of the Match: Real Salt Lake forward Joao Plata continued his hot month of July that saw him score four goals with one assist, registering a goal or an assist in all four matches in the month. On Saturday, he led both teams with six shots and four chances created. Although RSL was unable to put a shot on goal, the consistent creation of chances from the attacking group – and namely Plata – leave optimism for the upcoming stretch of road matches against D.C. United and the Montreal Impact.
Telling Stat: One. Between the two teams, there were 30 shots – 21 for Real Salt Lake and 9 for the Dynamo. However, there was just one shot on goal, with Rimando making a solid save on the effort from Memo Rodriguez in the first half. With Houston playing in a defensive posture the entire match, it broke down lanes for RSL to attack and left nine blocked shots.
What You Missed: Saturday’s match was Real Salt Lake’s first official match to use Video Review – Major League Soccer’s newly implemented system utilizing a Video Assistant Referee in addition to the four on-field officials. Although the full video review wasn’t instituted, referee Robert Sibiga did utilize the VAR to issue a yellow card to Houston forward Alberth Elis in the 81st minute.
So What: Though RSL’s unbeaten streak was extended to five matches, the club still feels like it left points on the table with draws in three straight home matches. Even still, with nine points from the last 15 possible, the team is trending in the right direction as the playoffs draw nearer. Whether those points lost will make the road too steep the climb won’t be known until Decision Day is nearly upon us, though, so there is still plenty of intrigue left in a topsy-turvy season.
