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Houston • When it rains, it pours.

An occasion delayed by a day because of Saturday night storms in southeast Texas was not worth the wait for Real Salt Lake, which fell to a second consecutive 1-0 defeat on Sunday afternoon at BBVA Compass Stadium. A team that did not lose this season until April 23 suddenly has the number three in its "L" column.

RSL's sole victory away from home this year came against Sporting Kansas City on April 2. Salt Lake will visit Kansas City on Saturday for the third in a five-match run of road games.

Perfect at home with four wins from four, the testing travel stretch threatens to undermine RSL's strong start to the year. "We've got to get results on the road, we know it's going to be a long run and we've got to find a way," said goalkeeper Jeff Attinella.

RSL coach Jeff Cassar said that the unusual circumstances did not explain the poor performance. "The whole experience that we've gone through wasn't easy for the players. It's an excuse, it's not why we didn't have a good game. We just weren't good enough in any of the areas today," he said. "I just spoke to the guys and we're going to have a competitive week because at the end of the day, this wasn't good enough."

RSL began sluggishly in front of a meager crowd and never hit its stride. The team did not muster a shot on target, coming closest to scoring by accident when Joao Plata almost found the net direct from a corner in the 10th minute. Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis just managed to catch the ball and extend his arms to stop it crossing the line as he backpedalled.

In contrast, chances piled up for the Dynamo, who remain at the bottom of the Western Conference. Six minutes before the break, striker Erick Torres missed a simple chance, heading DaMarcus Beasley's cross so firmly into the ground that the ball bounced over the goal.

The home side was dominant in the second half and defender David Horst crashed a header against the crossbar from a corner, four minutes after Attinella scrambled to deny Giles Barnes as he raced clear on goal.

The outcome pivoted on two plays in quick succession. In the 64th minute, Yura Movsisyan beat the offside trap to race clear but never looked in full control of the ball. He lifted his shot over Willis and over the bar. That leaden touch proved costly for RSL a minute later. Jamison Olave and Tony Beltran failed to deal with a long Willis goal kick, allowing Barnes to glide past and coolly slide a low diagonal shot beyond Attinella.

That meant the goalkeeper was credited with an assist, a rarity in MLS. "It should never happen. It's not good," Cassar said.

Though the Dynamo's vulnerable defense has made a habit of conceding late goals this season, a tired-looking RSL rarely looked close to finding the equalizer. "Of course it was tough circumstances," said midfielder Kyle Beckerman of the postponement, "but it was there for us to get a result and we just didn't take it."

At least there was one positive: Despite overcast skies that threatened rain at any moment, a new burst of showers held off until after the final whistle. —

Storylines

R RSL is lackluster in a game delayed for a day by bad weather and falls to its second straight 1-0 defeat.

• With Nick Rimando resting, Jeff Attinella has a solid afternoon in goal, but RSL's attack never sparks into life and the defense has some slack moments.

• This is the second in a five-game road stretch; RSL visits Kansas City on Saturday.