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Morales hat trick caps wild win for RSL over Houston

Javier Morales

By TYLER GRAY

It only took sixteen seconds for Real Salt Lake midfielder Javier Morales to score his first goal on Sunday, and when the dust finally settled, he had secured a hat trick to make his goal-less drought a distant memory.

Morales’ three goals, and a goal apiece from Luke Mulholland and Alvaro Saborio, helped RSL  secure a 5-2 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Sunday.

RSL scored just 16 minutes after kickoff when Morales tried a chip from 22 yards out. It seemed like Houston ‘keeper, Tally Hall, saw it late and the shot floated into the goal giving the visitors a dream start.

Morales doubled his tally just 16 minutes later off a corner kick. Grabavoy headed the entry ball towards the goal where Morales got a boot to it to steer it past Hall and into the net. Alvaro Saborio contributed a goal of his own in the 32nd minute, heading in a pinpoint cross from midfielder Luke Mulholland.

Morales would secure his hat trick in the 89th minute after a penalty was called on Houston ‘keeper Tally Hall for grabbing at RSL forward Devon Sandoval’s leg. Morales stepped to the spot, got Hall guessing the wrong way and slotted it home.

There was a lot of action in the first 45 minutes of the match. Four total goals were scored as well as a red card being shown to Houston midfielder Servando Carrasco. RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando was also able to save a penalty kick, stopping the ball with his knee as Giles Barnes’ shot was straight down the middle. Heading into the break RSL up a man and leading 3-1 over the Dynamo.

Houston came out of the break with a lot of energy, pressuring RSL all over the field and forcing a number of sloppy turnovers. Sherrod’s goal in the 56th minute made things very interesting for the next 22 minutes until Mulholland stretched the lead back to two.

It’s easy to get lost in Morales’ hat trick and the historic win in Houston, but Houston rookie Mark Sherrod scored the first two goals of his MLS career in place of the injured Will Bruin. Sherrod was active all night giving RSL’s backline all it could handle for 90 minutes.

RSL and head coach Jeff Cassar are still undefeated, sitting at 5-0-5 and 20 points. They will return home to face the Colorado Rapids next weekend. The Dynamo play host to the  LA Galaxy next Saturday.

Comments

  1. Great game by RSL. Still to flat to start the second half even though they were playing a man up. Houston plays with a lot of heart but RSL has too many smart veterans combined with newcomers like mulloland who keeps playing very well on both sides of the ball.

    Reply
  2. Trying to stir controversy where there is none? Still early. We do need another center mid to join the team. Rico will be back soon to help as well.

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  3. Houston has become the laughing stock of MLS.

    Their lack of recruiting efforts during the offseason is showing. While the rest of the league is working hard to improve their teams, Houston is content with hand me downs like Cascio and Cummings. Houston has officially joined the club of has beens whose members include DC United and New England.

    Bruin should have been riding the pine months ago. Sherrod surprised us all with his talent, he is a much better player than Bruin. Coach Kinnear doesn’t like change, but he will have a hard time playing Bruin ahead of Sherrod.

    Empty stadiums are becoming a common sight in Houston. 2015 will bring less season ticket renewals. Alex Lopez, their star young DP, will continue to ride the bench enjoying a comfortable salary while only die hard fans will continue to attend. If you think the Dynamo are sad in 2014, wait to see 2015.

    The Dynamo are officially a failure.

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    • The Dynamo have made it to the playoffs every year since 2006 except for one; out of those seven trips, they have made MLS Cup five, yes FIVE, times. They have won it twice, albeit in the first two years. They have done all this using the exact same formula as they do every year. So, at this point, I am going to dismiss your comments as a complete overreaction with a nice dosing of ignorance.

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      • Nice try Mrs Canetti.

        The flaw of your argument is in your own statement They are USING THE EXACT SAME FORMULA AS THEY DO EVERY YEAR.

        Yup. That’s exactly the problem. It used to work, but just look at the results this year. That formula is NOT working.

        RSL wins 5-2
        NY wins 4-0
        NE wins 2-0
        DAL wins 4-1
        VAN wins 2-1

        I realize you may be a loyal fan. You may be one of the few in 2015.

        With an attack composed of Bruin, Cummings, Barnes, and Driver, Houston is going not reaching the playoffs this year.

        This club is now a failure.

  4. That tackle was absolutely brutal. And then for the announcer to defend it? Really?

    Get your sh*t together, MLS.

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    • Wait.. I didn’t watch the game, but are you blaming the league as a whole for the off-base opinion of an admittedly homer broadcaster employed by a local television station who negotiated their deal with the team, not the league?

      Reply

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