Real Salt Lake scored two goals in the first half and successfully held on to defeat the Houston Dynamo 2-1 for a road victory Saturday night.
Diogo Goncalves and Diego Luna each punched in goals to lead the offensive attack for RSL (2-2-0, six points).
Despite earning a 18-10 shots advantage, Houston (0-1-1, one point) could only muster one goal against RSL goalkeeper Rafael Cabral.
Real Salt Lake wasted little time in finding the back of the net.
Goncalves scored his first goal of the season just 43 seconds into the match for a quick 1-0 lead for the visitors.
Luna started the possession with a takeaway to ignite the transition surge, which included a series of crisp passes. With the Dynamo rushing back, Emeka Eneli perfectly set up Goncalves for the quick strike with a well-positioned centering pass.
Houston responded 15 minutes later on a set piece. Jack McGlynn placed the ball in prime position for a Ezequiel Ponce header that evened the score.
The Dynamo appeared to take a one-goal lead a few minutes later, but Amine Bassi’s goal was called off after a VAR review.
Luna put RSL up 2-1 later in the first half, snapping a header home during stoppage time. Luna, who will join the U.S. national team for Thursday’s CONCAF semifinal, connected on his first MLS goal of the season after redirecting Dominik Marczuk’s left-footed cross pass with a header shot.
The go-ahead goal came seconds after Luna hustled to keep the ball alive.
Tempers flared a bit just before halftime, with Houston’s Franco Escobar and RSL’s Bode Hidalgo each receiving yellow cards.
Houston dominated possession in the second half and kept the pressure on the RSL defense, but just couldn’t execute a successful equalizer. Cabral made a big late save to thwart a header.
Goncalves’ opening-minute goal got RSL off to a great start in its first road win of the season.
Houston only managed to get two shots on goal compared to five for RSL.
–Field Level Media
