Real Salt Lake’s late-season struggles continued on Saturday, as RSL fell to the host Houston Dynamo, 4-1.
RSL (13-7-8) is now 1-4-1 in its past six Major League Soccer matches, with six games left to play, and has not clinched a playoff spot as it sits in third place in the Western Conference.
RSL has not won in Houston since the 2018 season, and the Dynamo now hold an 11-3 edge in the past 14 meetings over all competitions.
After the two teams fought for possession of the ball for several seconds, Houston’s Amine Bassi got a touch at the top of the 18-yard box and scored on a step-up from the left side in the 27th minute.
Houston’s Griffin Dorsey added a goal in first-half-stoppage time to make it 2-0.
Real Salt Lake benefitted from an own goal in the 49th minute, as Houston’s Erik Sviatchenko, battling with RSL’s Chicho Arango, knocked the ball into the net to make it 2-1.
Sebastian Kowalczyk scored an insurance goal for Houston in the 75th minute, and Ezequiel Ponce scored in the 80th.
Houston (12-8-8) had a 16-15 advantage on shots against RSL, including an 8-6 edge in shots on goal.
Houston goalkeeper Steve Clark made six saves, while RSL’s Gavin Beavers had four.
Real Salt Lake now returns home for two matches in the coming week, against Dallas on Wednesday, and against Portland next Saturday.