Frequent foes RSL, Dynamo renew rivalry

Two teams that are anything but strangers to each other will take to the pitch this Saturday night when the Houston Dynamo host Real Salt Lake.

This will mark the 10th meeting between RSL (1-2-0, 3 points) and the Dynamo (0-2-1, 1 point) in the past three years. In that time period, they've played each other more than any other Western Conference teams.

Houston has enjoyed these frequent encounters more than their foes. Real Salt Lake boasts just one 90-minute win in the past two seasons -- a 3-2 come-from-behind in Utah last July -- along with a playoff penalty shootout in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs that technically counted as a draw.

The clubs' most recent matchups included Houston's 3-0 win in the 2024 Leagues Cup and a 4-1 drubbing in September during the regular season.

RSL are coming off a disappointing 3-1 home loss against San Diego FC last Saturday. It was the expansion club's first-ever victory.

Real Salt Lake led early after a goal by striker Ariath Piol, but that was all the offense they could muster and they eventually gave up a pair of scores in stoppage time.

"We had control for large parts of the game, but we let it slip in stoppage time," Real Salt Lake coach Pablo Mastroeni said. "It's frustrating because we created chances but couldn't finish, and then we got punished on the counter. We need to be sharper in those decisive moments."

The outcome was bittersweet for Piol, who registered his first MLS goal in the 17th minute.

"It felt good to get the goal, my first in MLS, but it doesn't mean much when we don't win," he said. "We started well, but we couldn't hold it together at the end. We have to learn from this."

The Dynamo picked up a point by lulling the Columbus Crew into a scoreless draw on the road.

"It's a tough place to get a point," Houston coach Ben Olsen said after the result against the 2023 MLS Cup champions. "We showed character."

Amine Bassi and Nicolas Lodeiro have scored Houston's two goals this season.

Real Salt Lake hold a slight 14-13-11 advantage in regular-season action against Houston. The Dynamo come into this one with the upper hand, though, especially considering RSL only has one win in its last 10 road games in the series.

--Field Level Media