Costa Rican striker Alvaro Saborio netted a pair of goals while U.S. national team call-up Robbie Findley scored his first goal of the season to help Real Salt Lake topple the Houston Dynamo, 3-1, on Thursday night.
Findley opened the scoring in the third minute, finishing off a Kyle Beckerman pass. Saborio finished Houston off with goals in the 24th minute and 60th minute to put the match out of reach. Houston pulled one back on a Brian Mullan strike in the 72nd minute, but it was too little, too late.
The win moved RSL into a tie with Houston for second place in the West with a game in hand on the Dynamo.
Here are the highlights:
What did you think of the match? Impressed with Saborio? Worried about Houston's inconsistency?
Share your thoughts below.
I thought findley was largely useless. how many 1-on-1’s did he squander? or giveaways deep in Houston territory that promptly led to a counter. CD9 at 80% is better than findley…
Wow did Serioux look bad in the highlights. Someone remind why he’s in the league still?
Sorry but football lee is right with Movssian RSL would be the all out favorite to repeat. I am very pleased with Saborio but really, he is our only striker right now, imagine Yura and Saborio on the pitch together and RSL would even more dangerous.
You mean Beckerman, and Morales right? Morales alone can seriously make or break a game when it comes to RSL. He is arguably the best midfieler in the league. I cant wait to see what him and Sabo create in the near future.
Im an RB fan, but it is so fun to watch RSL play.. they mesh well with each other and score some nice goals.
Houston has not “overachieved” for years. They may not have had a Donovan, Golden Balls, Blanco, McBride, Keller, Ljungberg, Montero, or Angel, but for years they have had the best “team” with giant hearts. Expansion drafts, moves to Europe, and returns to native lands, have finally reduced the Dynamo to something nearer to an average team.
Yura can stay at Randers. I’ll take Saborio and Findley over any lineup with Yura in it.
I thought Ching looked relatively invisible for the better part of his time on the field. I had to look at my friend and ask “when did Ching come in” at about the 80th minute because I hadn’t noticed him at all.
The saddest part about Findley is his touch was better than I’ve seen from him all season in this game. He controlled the ball with his first touch well except for a couple times. His one on ones with Onstadt need to be finished though. That’s what separates him from a world class striker
Creamsicles sucked it up and so did findley! he should have had a hattrick last night. one on one with onstad and put it 8 feet wide of the post.. If RSL still had Movsisyan they would be favorites for MLS cup 2010. RSL stil has one of the best home field advatages in MLS and have gotten unlucky on the road. 2 loses simply on bogus PK calls when houston and columbus didnt have a shot on goal in the run of play. The ref let them play last night which was somewhat refreshing to watch
That ESPN3 is all jacked. I was trying to watch it there last night with no luck. I emailed their tech support a nasty letter. They responded with an apology and told me they are aware of the issue.
Is it still overachieving after five years? Really?
Two strikers picked by Bob Bradley were on the field. We should all be worried.
Brian, Houston simply does have the horses to compete. You have overacheived for years but you have now lost DeRo, Holden, Clark and others and you simply don’t have enough difference makers on the pitch.
Also, I am not sure why you think that RSL’s backline is suspect but you are wrong. As was mentioned various times on the ESPN broadcast last night, Olave and Borchers are the best centerback combo in the league and it is not close, imo. The outside backs are not bad either. Outside of giving up a lot of bad luck penalties this year, RSL has been just about as stingy on defense as any team out there.
I think Houston supporters have too high of expectations for this team. I know that they have overacheived for years and they have a good system. It is terribly ugly soccer to watch and consists of persistent fouling and flopping, but it has worked for them.
However, just take a step back and look at the talent on the field. Houston in not in the same league as RSL and was thoroughly dominated in both matchups this season. I understand they won the first one but they did not have a single shot on goal and were bailed out at home by terrible reffing and a mistake by RSL defenders.
So honestly, Houston fans, if I were you I would be thrilled that you are 2nd in the West right now. You simply are not that good and I still think that you are overacheiving. You simply don’t have the talent of LA, Seattle, RSL, the Crew or other title contenders.
I think Morales had a most excellent game. He flopped a bit, but he was very creative and solid in the midfield.
How can you say Houston is inconsistent? They follow a strict, predictable cycle: (1) Win in convincing fashion, (2) Lose in convincing fashion (or embarrassing fashion, see Dallas), (3) Repeat. Very consistent, I’d say!
RSL’s speed dominated Houston’s back line, but oddly it wasn’t that which did the Dynamo in. No goal resulted from a fast break (although several should…Onstad is still pretty good). Goals came from poor marking on a set play or “near-set play” (goals 3 and 1) or from poor marking on a busted play (goal 2).
Finley = Oduro. Both have impressive speed offset by pathetic finishing, but I give the edge to Oduro because he at least sets up others with some nice passing.
On a side note I just traded chris seitz for Onstad…. FML
Lets cross our fingers and pray that RSL offer Saborio DP Money
He is 28 and in the prime of his career….. MLS needs to jump on players like this RSL please dont be fools Saborio=wins and lots of exciting soccer MLS is better because of players like him
I was at the game last night and several things stood out:
1) The Houston back line was truly awful. They were constantly burned by RSL’s pace and when they were passed the ball, they flubbed it just about every time, especially the left back. If you’d had a drinking game everytime he let a ball go out of bounds when it was passed to him, you would have been passed out on the floor.
2) Saborio is an incredible player. Not just for the goals he scored, but everytime he was passed the ball, even in tight spaces he controlled it perfectly and created space and passed the ball brilliantly. Plus he is really fast, I think as fast as Findley.
3) Even though Findley might have scored a goal he was truly awful (again). He has a touch of a high school player. In contrast to Saboria, everytime Findley received the ball, he gave it up. His touch improved a little last year which gave me hope, but I don’t think he will ever be a world class (World Cup level) striker.
4) I can’t wait for Espindola to get healthy. Espindola paired with Saborio is going to ravish some MLS defenses.
5) Believe it or not, RLS’s midfield actually had an off game (with the exception of Beckerman). There were a lot of balls that they gave up. Will Johnson and Andy Williams especially were not at their best. Watch out when they are actually clicking on all cylinders.
Dom quit before the game started. He implemented a 4-5-1 which is destined for failure. Having one forward put no pressure on a suspect Salt Lake defense in the first half which allowed the Salt Lake midfielders to apply lots of pressure and take more chances going forward. I am a Dyanmo fan but was really impressed with Salt Lake’s composure on the ball in their own half. Got to love Jason Kreis and the type of players he collects for his attack.
Yeah Beckerman has been very good lately. If it could only translate to the International level, but it’s always too fast for him. Still the rock of Real Salt Lake. A move to Scandinavia would benefit him.
The differences between Findley and Saborio are so huge one could say they are playing different sports. How can Findley play striker for 15 years and not know how to round a 40 year old keeper?
Twente had huge success with Ruiz and are losing N’Kufo, perhaps Saborio will go to Holland.
Houston had a few chances they should have finished. But they were thoroughly outplayed by Real Salt Lake. Saborio is very good, but so is the rest of the team. Funny how they had a losing record last season, won the MLS cup, and now they look like a completely different team.
Decent turn-out for the game as well.
Hey Scott I feel your pain! The Dynamo’s inconsistency is driving me crazy. Win one lose one win one… I still hold out hope for Landin and was surprised he did not start. I feel he and Oduro work well together. Davis needs to stay in midfield where his work rate both offensively and defensively is better served. I could not agree with you more on Serioux. He had a bad game…could not mark anyone. On a positive note I thought Ching looked good in the limited time he was out there. He was involved in several scoring chances in the second half and overall looks leaner and a little quicker then I recall. His ability to set others up and his work rate is why he will probably be on the U.S.’s final 23 man roster.
I knew Houston was going to lose when the put the line-up out there. Waibel over Hainault, Serioux at CB. That is hardly a back line that will beat the speed of RSL. Serioux was at least partially at fault on all 3 goals. He was terrible. Back to the bench in my opinion. Houston’s roster is frustrating. Landin is a bust-when can we get rid of this fatty? When, if ever, will see Cam Weaver and/or Ngwenya? Oduro is fast, but always seems to dribble away from the goal and kill his angle for a shot -there are no finishers out there. Cruz has promise, but barely gets on the field. Ugh, I still believe in this team, but man, this is frustrating.
I wonder why the game isn’t on ESPN3.com? I didn’t DVR the game, planning on watching it at work. Weird.
Totally agree. Saborio will be gone from MLS this year. I also think Beckerman will be next. He seems to be in complete control of that midfield and provides some great balls to the attacking front.
It’s huge that they even got him this season, he can be the next JPA if he stays, but I’d definitely say that he’s gone after this year. Good thing CR didn’t make the WC this time, there’s a lot of their guys coming to the MLS these days
Man, Saborio is a beast. With the right kind of service (which I think Javi and Andy can provide), I think he can be as big as he wants to be for RSL. He’s just going to keep getting better. I hope RSL can hold on to him for a couple of years, but I’m pretty certain he’s gone after this year.
This club is sure fun to watch. When they’re on, they play as close to jogo bonito as any team in MLS, IMO.
So many weapons.
Some highlight…a Saborio shot off the post?
(SBI-Highlights are updated.)
You posted this at 2:34 in the morning? Somebody is up late!