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MLS Real Salt Lake

RSL Looks to Extend Unbeaten Streak to 4 with First-Ever Win in Texas

September 5, 2012 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


SANDY, Utah (Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012) - Just a few days removed from Saturday's important 1-0 victory over D.C. United, Real Salt Lake (14-10-4, 46 points, West #2) gets back into it on Thursday, Sept. 6, when the Claret-and-Cobalt will take on the Houston Dynamo (11-7-9, 42 points, East #4) at BBVA Compass Stadium at 6:30 p.m. MT. The match will be broadcast live on CW30/ESPN700 and on Juan 1600 AM/La Gran D 102.3 FM.

RSL - which is currently riding three-game unbeaten and shutout streaks - has never won in Texas, posting a 0-17-3 mark across all competitions in the Lone Star State, including a 0-7-1 mark in Houston.

Thursday's game will be the Claret-and-Cobalt's first-ever match at BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston's new stadium that opened in early-June.

If Real Salt Lake is to pick-up its first win in the heat and humidity of South Texas, it will have to do so without a trio of important players. Captain Kyle Beckerman (U.S.), leading scorer Álvaro SaborÃ-o (Costa Rica) and MF Will Johnson (Canada) all departed Salt Lake on Sunday to play in World Cup Qualifiers with their respective national teams and will miss Thursday's game. Though he was called up to the U.S. national side, GK Nick Rimando will be available in Houston, joining the American team in Columbus following Thursday's match.

Thursday's matchup is the first -and only - time RSL will meet the Dynamo in the 2012 regular season. Houston has been struggling a bit lately, going winless in their last three games across all competitions, including a 3-1 loss at Chicago on Sunday. The Dynamo last won a MLS game over a month ago, beating New York 2-0 way back on Aug. 3, a span of four league games. It's worth noting that Houston has won a CONCACAF Champions League game since then, beating Salvadoran club C.D. FAS 3-1 on the road on Aug. 22.

Like RSL, the Dynamo will also be without several key players on Thursday due to international duty. Designated Player Boniek Garcia (Honduras), regular DF's Andre Hainault (Canada) and Jermaine Taylor (Jamaica) as well as part-time starting MF Je-Vaughn Watson (Jamaica) will all be with their national teams and will miss Thursday's match.

Real Salt Lake will go on an extended break following the Houston match, likely getting a few days off before resuming training ahead of the club's next game, a Sept. 18 CONCACAF Champions League Group 2 encounter at Panamanian club Tauro FC.

How to Follow Real Salt Lake at Houston Dynamo

- Kickoff : 6:30 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah

- TV : CW30 with Glenn Davis and Brian Dunseth

- English Radio : ESPN700/ESPN700Sports.com (pre-game coverage begins at 5:30 p.m. MT)

- Spanish Radio : La Gran D 102.3 FM & Juan 1600 AM with Nelson Moran & Fernando Hortal

- Online : The @RealSaltLake Twitter Feed will provide match updates

RSL History v. Houston

Thursday's game will be the 17th all-time league meeting between Houston and RSL. The Dynamo has dominated the series, with RSL posting a measly 3-8-5 MLS record against Houston.

RSL struggled against Houston in 2011, tying them 0-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium on May 14 and giving up a 90th minute goal to fall 3-2 on the road on Aug. 20.

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