Houston Dynamo vs. Real Salt Lake | MLS Match Preview

#HOUvRSL: Three points a must for playoff chasers (Sat., 8:30 pm ET; MLS LIVE)

Houston Dynamo vs. Real Salt Lake, September 12, 2015

HOUSTON DYNAMO vs REAL SALT LAKE
BBVA COMPASS STADIUM, Houston, Texas
September 12, 2015 (WEEK 28, MLS Game #277)
7:30 p.m. CT (ROOT-SW; KMYU-12)

Two teams trying to haul themselves back into the postseason positions in the Western Conference meet when the Houston Dynamo play host to Real Salt Lake at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday evening. Both teams sit outside the top six in the division, the Dynamo six points back of sixth-place Portland, with Real a further three points back at the foot of the table. The Dynamo ended a three-game winless run with a 2-0 home win against Vancouver in their last match, while RSL dropped a 2-0 decision at FC Dallas last time out.


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  • The Dynamo put an end to a three-game winless run in their last match, with Ricardo Clark and Raul Rodriguez netting goals in a 2-0 win against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Aug. 29 at BBVA Compass Stadium.
  • Real Salt Lake had their road losing streak extended to eight matches – the longest since a club-record 14-game road losing run in their inaugural season of 2005 – following their 2-0 loss at FC Dallas last time out, Aug. 29 at Toyota Stadium.
  • The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Javier Morales and Joao Plata each scored a goal and assisted on the other’s as Real claimed a 2-0 victory July 18 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
  • RSL have won the last three meetings between the teams. RSL have taken points from their last six home games vs. Houston, with three draws in that time.
  • Real won the only meeting between the teams a year ago, a 5-2 victory May 11 at BBVA Compass Stadium – their first win ever in Houston. They suffered eight defeats and one draw in their first nine visits to Houston.


REFEREE: Robert Sibiga. AR1 (bench): Ian Anderson; AR2 (opposite): Eric Boria; 4th: Ismail Elfath
MLS Career: 2 games; FC/gm: 24.5; Y/gm: 1.5; R: 1; pens: 0


SUSPENDED: RSL: Tony Beltran (caution accumulation; through Sept. 13); Luke Mulholland (caution accumulation; through Sept. 13)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: HOU: Ricardo Clark, Luis Garrido, Kofi Sarkodie, Jermaine Taylor, RaulRodriguez, … RSL: Olmes Garcia, Demar Phillips
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: HOU: Will Bruin, Giles Barnes, Tyler Deric, David Horst, Sheanon Williams … RSL: Jordan Allen, Kyle Beckerman
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none


HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (20 meetings): Dynamo 9 wins, 28 goals … Real 6 wins, 30 goals … Ties 5
AT HOUSTON (10 meetings): Dynamo 8 wins, 24 goals … Real 1 win, 19 goals … Ties 1


  • The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Javier Morales and Joao Plata each scored a goal and assisted on the other as Real claimed a 2-0 victory July 18 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
  • RSL have won the last three meetings between the teams. RSL has taken points from their last six home games vs. Houston, with three draws in that time.
  • Real won the only meeting between the teams a year ago, a 5-2 victory May 11 at BBVA Compass Stadium – their first win ever in Houston. They suffered eight defeats and one draw in their first nine visits to Houston
  • Coaches record: Jeff Cassar vs. HOU: P2 W2 L0 D0 … Owen Coyle vs. RSL: P1 W0 L1 D0


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CHECK OUT THE INJURY REPORT HEADING INTO THE MATCH
CHECK OUT THE DISCIPLINARY REPORT HEADING INTO THE MATCH


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