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MLS Houston Dynamo FC

Dynamo Fall 5-2

May 11, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Houston Dynamo FC News Release


Dynamo rookie Mark Sherrod scored his first two professional goals, but Javier Morales recorded a hat trick to lead Real Salt Lake to a 5-2 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Sunday evening at BBVA Compass Stadium.

The Dynamo (4-5-2; 14 points) are tied for third place in the Eastern conference, three points behind Sporting Kansas City and the New England Revolution.

Houston concludes the three-game home stand on Saturday against the LA Galaxy.

Real Salt Lake took a 1-0 lead in the game's first minute. Morales collected a bouncing ball in midfield and played a short pass to Álvaro SaborÃ-o, who quickly returned to the ball to Morales. The Argentine curled a shot from 25 yards into the far side of the net for his first goal of the season.

Real Salt Lake, searching for its first-ever win in Houston on its tenth all-time visit, doubled its lead in the 17th minute. A corner kick from Joao Plata was headed towards goal by Ned Grabavoy, and Morales volleyed home from five yards for a 2-0 advanatage.

The Dynamo answered five minutes later from a corner kick. Brad Davis curled his delivery inside the six-yard box and Sherrod used his left instep to volley into the low corner, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

It was Sherrod's first professional goal. The Dynamo rookie out of the University of Memphis was making his first MLS start.

It was Davis' fifth assist of the season, tied for second in MLS. The Dynamo captain has a goal or an assist in six straight appearances.

Houston's momentum was halted five minutes later when midfielder Servando Carrasco was issued a red card for a sliding challenge on Morales in the center of midfield.

It was Carrasco's first red card in 50 career MLS regular season games.

Playing with a man advantage, RSL made it 3-1 ten minutes later. Luke Mulholland delivered a quality cross from the right flank and SaborÃ-o headed past Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall from six yards for his sixth goal of the season.

The Dynamo sought an immediate response and three minutes later gained a penalty kick as David Horst was pushed in the back by RSL defender Aaron Maund on a corner kick from Davis.

Giles Barnes took the penalty, but RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando dove to his right to block it and kept it out.

The Dynamo opened the second half with tremendous energy and were rewarded in the 56th minute. With several players pressing deep in the offensive half, including Corey Ashe and AJ Cochran, Barnes intercepted a square pass from SaborÃ-o on the edge of the penalty area and quickly slid a pass to Sherrod. The Dynamo's 2014 second-round draft pick drove a low shot past Rimando at the near post, cutting the margin to 3-2.

After an excellent diving save from Hall on a low shot from Plata, the Dynamo pressed forward, committing numbers despite playing down a man, gaining several corners kicks and service from the flanks.

Omar Cummings entered as a substitute in the 71st minute and moments later nearly gained an assist. The forward collected a ball from Boniek Garcia on he right flank and drove into the area before sliding an accurate past to Garcia. The Honduran used one touch for his shot from 10 yards, but it went wide of the near post.

Real Salt Lake calmed the Dynamo momentum seven minutes later, as Morales slid a through ball for Mulholland, who dribbled around Hall and finished from a tight angle for a 4-2 lead.

Morales completed his first career MLS hat trick from the penalty spot. Hall tripped substitute forward Devon Sandoval near the goal line and Morales finished the resulting spot kick into the bottom corner for a 5-2 win.

It was Real Salt Lake's first win in Houston in ten all-time visits. The club was 0-8-1 at Houston before Sunday's victory.

Dynamo Milestones:

Sherrod's two-goal night was the first two-goal game from a Dynamo rookie since Will Bruin recorded a hat trick against D.C. United on April 29, 2011.

It was Tally Hall's 117th career regular season game to pass Geoff Cameron for eighth on the club list.

It was Boniek Garcia's 50th career MLS regular season game.

Next Game: Saturday, May 17, 7:30 p.m. CT, Houston Dynamo vs. LA Galaxy, BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, TX

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