Real Salt Lake's players and coaches never doubted themselves. Even though the home team in Saturday's match against the Houston Dynamo had the worst record in the league, was playing without a pair of valuable starters and faced the league's best team and defending champion, Real Salt Lake battled to the end and got the winning goal in the 85th minute.
Credit Robbie Findley with the goal. He capitalized on a probing pass from Chris Lancos that was deflected by the Dynamo defense and was quick enough to latch onto it and race it at goal. Findley made the most of it, tucking the ball inside the far post, and Real put an end to Houston's 11-game unbeaten streak.
Real were aggressive from the start. In the first minute, Kyle Beckerman made a late run after Findley won the ball in the midfield and took a shot from the right side of the penalty area. The shot hit the outside netting, but the early shot gave Real some hope in the early moments.
Real had another good look moments later when Findley was fouled just above the left side of the box. Beckerman took the restart, but it bounced of the wall and was cleared. In the fifth minute, Findley took a long ball forward and took another shot, but it the ball flew just to the left.
Houston had a fine chance in the 12th minute when Brian Ching was able to get a weak shot on goal towards Real's Nick Rimando. But Real remained the aggressor when Jean-Martial Kipre crossed the ball from the right into the penalty area where Beckerman redirected it towards the goal, but Houston 'keeper Pat Onstad was up to the task.
Real faithful worried for a moment around the 20th minute when Eddie Pope was tended to off the field. Pope returned to the field with his wrist wrapped up, a relief after Real was able to fend off the Dynamo's attack.
Real's offense continued to show some potential in the 35th minute after Chris Wingert took his third corner kick in short order; his first two were from the left, but the third from the right found Pope inside the box. Pope's header looked good, but did not go in.
Real's best opportunity of the first half came in the 42nd minute after Findley came in on a tackle and kept the ball to get past Houston left back Wade Barrett. Findley drove deeper into the box, then centered the ball to Kyle Brown who had a golden opportunity, but could not put the ball on frame from point blank range.
Early in the second half, another beautiful opportunity was lost after Beckerman played the ball high over the top to Findley. Findley had defender Dynamo center back Eddie Robinson beaten and was running goal-side of the defender, but Robinson fell to the ground under dubious circumstances, yet referee Jozef Batko whistled for the foul.
Real kept fighting for a look, and Findley had a great try at the goal in the 63rd minute from above the penalty area, but his shot flew over the crossbar. Shortly afterwards, Real coach Jason Kreis put Jamie Watson into the game in exchange for Chris Brown in a move designed to ramp up Real's offense.
Houston had a beautiful look in the 74th minute when Joseph Ngwenya drew a foul just outside the top of the penalty area. From 19 yards away, Richard Mulrooney's free kick attempt hopped over the wall and over the crossbar.
Kreis, playing for the victory at home, inserted Atiba Harris and Lancos into the lineup in the 78th minute. Harris came in for Kyle Brown up top and Lancos replaced Kipre on defense.
It worked out well, as in the 85th minute, Lancos sent the ball forward from deep on the right side into the Dynamo end. Barrett tried to play the ball as Robinson cut behind him, but a poor touch allowed Findley to push past the defense and into the penalty area. With a shot from the right side of the area, Findley found the inside of the left netting past Onstad's dive and gave Real the eventual game-winner.
