Road Implosion

If there is anything that Real Salt Lake has down, it's frustrating road losses and this is no different. Coming out the better team in the first half, with a one goal advantage to show for it, RSL let a golden opportunity slip away with a few mind lapses in half number two.

And it all started so perfectly. Minute16, when Beckerman slid that ball through Houston's D right on to Javi's run, Real Salt Lake looked as if they just were picking up from where they left off last week. But they got ahead of themselves. They started waiting for balls instead of attacking. And by the end on the first half, momentum had been captured by the home side.

Houston grabbed the better part of play right away in the second-half, and they were making nice probing runs from the word go. Something had to give for RSL, and it finally did. Geoff Cameron was running onto a through ball, with Jamison Olave chasing. Cameron cut Olave off and they got tangled in the box. A penalty was given (very questionable call) and Brad Davis had no problem converting. 1-1 53rd minute.

Before Salt Lake could respond, the referee was lining up another penalty kick and again the call was on Olave. Full disclosure: I did not see the foul but a good source (Ryan of The RSL Report - totally unbiased) said that it was more questionable than the first. Regardless, Davis stepped up and converted once again.

The game was sloppy from whistle one, but it got exponentially sloppier after Houston's go-ahead strike (by design, I'm sure, for Houston). A lot of chippy play, with some scattered chances for RSL, led to frustration painting the face of the away team. All of this came to a boil, as Fabian Espindola pulled a move resembling something Stone Cold Steve Austin would have invented on Houston defender Boby Boswell just before the final whistle. Boswell was innocently shielding a ball as it was carrying out of play when wild-eyed Espindola lept onto Boswell's back, grabbed his face and rode him into the corner flag. Both players received a caution...go figure.

Final score: 2-1 Houston.

Final thoughts: RSL has to take advantage of these games. They were by far the better team for 50-60 minutes of this match. However, ZERO killer instinct + TWO mental mistakes=empty trip to Houston again.

Man of the Match: Geoff Cameron - Houston. He controlled the midfield and kept Javi and Beckerman in check all night.

Game Notes: Along with Espindola's card, Olave and Chris Wingert were also booked; Brian Ching went off early in the first half because of, what is being call, a hamstring strain; Chin up Real, Houston has only lost twice at home in the last two years...that's sick.