Albert Rusnak scored a brace in second-half stoppage time to lift Real Salt Lake to a 2-1 win over the Houston Dynamo Saturday at BBVA Compass Stadium.
Rusnak leveled with a left-footed blast that caromed in off the post in the 93rd minute and then scored the winner from the penalty spot seven minutes later after DaMarcus Beasley fouled Sebastian Saucedo inside the box. It was a call upheld by Video Review.
Against the run of play, Boniek Garcia scored his first goal since 2015 in the 36th minute. The Honduran pounced on a ball that bounced back off the Real Salt Lake wall from a free kick and put in a shot that deflected off Nick Besler.
Just when it looked like the Dynamo would snap a four-match losing streak, Rusnak stole the three points with two late goals.
Goals
- 36’ — HOU — Boniek Garcia | WATCH
- 90’+3’ — RSL — Albert Rusnak | WATCH
- 90’+10’ — RSL — Albert Rusnak (PK) | WATCH
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Both teams were playing their third game in eight days, and doing so in the Houston heat and humidity. Just when Real Salt Lake were going to rue not taking their chances, Rusnak delivered. For the Dynamo, its absolute devastation as the winless streak extends to seven and the losing streak to five.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: It’s got to be Rusnak’s winner from the penalty spot, which is tied for the latest game winner in MLS history. Kaká also scored in the 10th minute of stoppage time for Orlando against Toronto FC on June 25, 2016.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Andrew Putna, take a bow. Filling in for the injured Nick Rimando, the 23-year-old goalkeeper made two huge saves to give RSL a chance to win it late in his first MLS start.
​Next Up
- HOU: Thursday, August 23 vs. FC Dallas (9 pm ET | UniMás, Twitter — Full TV & Streaming info)
- RSL: Saturday, August 25 at Colorado Rapids (9 pm ET | TV & Streaming info)
