I thought we had a good game, and what's even more exciting is that we can get better. – RSL head coach Jeff Cassar
SANDY— Real Salt Lake go the full three points it had hoped for Saturday evening with a well-deserved 2-0 result over visiting Houston at Rio Tinto Stadium.
"I thought we had a good game, and what's even more exciting is that we can get better," said RSL head coach Jeff Cassar. "Right now, the team is very unified, we're working hard for each other, and when everyone is contributing, we're going to have a lot of success. That is what I'm most proud of right now."
The first half featured an attack-minded RSL in search of the early goal. Its seven shots on frame compared with a whopping zero for the Dynamo said it all for the Claret and Cobalt in the first half.
Attack-heavy RSL was rewarded 10 minutes before the half after a slew of opportunities evaded the home team.
Javier Morales came through when it mattered most for RSL, burying a 36th-minute goal with a beautiful strike off the post. Morales stood over the bouncing ball, laid off by Joao Plata near the top of the box before getting his laces onto a perfectly weighted ball past a diving Tyler Deric.
"(Javier) shows no signs of slowing down at all. He's hungry, and he wants this team to do well," said Cassar. "He's really putting everything out there for the team right now."
It was the 200th career MLS appearance for the RSL maestro in the midfield, who now has four goals and seven assists in an already stellar 2015 season.
RSL nearly took a two-goal advantage heading into the break, but Dynamo keeper Deric prevented a Houston own goal. Abdoulie Mansally’s dangerous pass across the face of goal took a deflection off Dynamo defender Raul Rodriguez that had to be parried up and over the crossbar by Deric.
Things turned in favor of RSL just minutes into the second half when Houston’s Kofi Sarkodie was shown straight red after going studs-up on a challenge into Mansally.
RSL has been on the unfortunate side of the red card this season, having amassed seven red cards in the first 21 MLS matches this season.
RSL buried 10-man Houston in the 65th minute after Plata notched his first goal of the MLS season. Plata set up his goal with a give-and-go pass to Morales in the box, who in turn found the feet of the streaking Plata for his seventh assist of the season.
"I think it's going to be great for his confidence," said Cassar. "Today was great because he took somebody on and had a fantastic finish. We're really happy for him, and hopefully there's a lot more to come."
With Houston and RSL jockeying for position in the Western Conference standings, Saturday’s victory over the Dynamo was a huge step for RSL in climbing the ranks in the West in search of a playoff spot.
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