This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Sandy • When pushed at home by the worst team in Major League Soccer, Real Salt Lake responded with a sturdy shove back.

Despite going down 1-0 early in the second half to the visiting Houston Dynamo, RSL answered with two goals in eight minutes by Jordan Allen and Yura Movsisyan as RSL topped the Dynamo for a fifth straight time, improving to 5-1-2 (17 points) ahead of its looming five-game road trip.

The two goals preceded what will go down as another legendary save by Nick Rimando to preserve RSL's victory. In springing off his line, the goalkeeper protected RSL's 2-1 lead in the 80th minute when a close blast by Andrew Wenger struck Rimando directly in the face and rolled away.

Rimando lay motionless on the pitch for a few minutes while the RSL training staff attended to the star goalie. While doing so, the 19,950 in Rio Tinto Stadium cheered his name continuously until he rose off his back and eventually to his feet.

"At that junction of the game, it was just huge," RSL coach Jeff Cassar said. "A lot of keepers make big saves when the score's 3-0 or something like that."

Not Rimando. Not Saturday night. Once the three points were sealed, Rimando said his instincts were to "just make myself as big as I can" in order to protect the RSL net. Which is, to those who've watched Rimando, simply second nature.

"I'm not even surprised anymore," right back Tony Beltran said. "Nick's incredible. He's the greatest goalie this league has ever seen, and probably will ever see. That's a perfect example of why. He really keeps us in games sometimes."

Movsisyan's first home goal since 2009 came in the 70th minute when the striker connected with a cross by left back Demar Phillips, burying the shot into the near post to put RSL up 2-1. Eight minutes prior, Allen scored his second career MLS goal for RSL to even the game at 1.

Center backs Jamison Olave and Justen Glad — in the attacking third following an RSL corner kick — dispossessed Houston's Boniek Garcia atop the box after the corner was poorly cleared by the Dynamo. Glad then played a simple ball to an unmarked Allen, who fired it by Houston goalkeeper Joe Willis.

"[The ball] fell to Justen's feet, and to be honest, he had a shot," Allen said. "He had a good look at a shot and he had the vision to find me and play me a ball that I was able to finish right in stride. All credit to him."

Houston took the lead in the 54th minute when Leonel Miranda's shot from outside the box ricocheted off the right arm of Olave, who subbed on for Aaron Maund after the RSL center back exited in the 35th minute with a right hamstring injury. The Dynamo were awarded a second chance after Rimando couldn't corral a left-footed shot by Ricardo Clark and capitalized.

Burrito Martinez had two point-blank shots saved by Willis in a six-second span in the 16th minute. An errant pass by midfielder Colleen Warner allowed Martinez to evade Dynamo right back Sheanon Williams and dribble nearly 30 yards in on goal. A slight touch created space from onrushing defender Raul Rodriguez, but Willis stood his ground, deflecting Martinez's shot wide.

The ball rolled to Sunday Stephen who quickly reset the RSL attack by finding Javier Morales. The RSL midfielder chipped a ball through four Houston defenders back to Martinez, whose volley was again stopped by Willis.

RSL also survived an early scare of its own in the sixth minute.

A long ball over the top in search of Houston striker Giles Barnes tested Maund, Glad and Rimando. RSL's goalkeeper sprinted 35 yards off his line to meet Barnes. The Dynamo forward tried to touch the ball around Rimando, but put too much on it as it rolled out for a goal kick.

In the locker room postgame, Beltran summed up Saturday night with a hint of the obvious: This 2016 version of RSL has a different attitude, a different mentality.

"Credit to our response," he said. "I think last year we end up losing that game [when] we end up tying that game, but not this year."

Twitter: @chriskamrani —

Storylines

R RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando makes spectacular point-blank save in 80th minute after Jordan Allen and Yura Movsisyan score twice in eight-minute span to propel RSL.

• RSL hits the road for the next five matches as the Rio Tinto Stadium field is replaced.