Who: Houston Dynamo v. Real Salt Lake When: Monday, August 5 @ 8:00 pm CDT Where: Shell Energy Stadium; Houston, TX Records: Real Salt Lake (12-5-8), 3rd, MLS West Houston Dynamo (10-7-7), 6th, MLS West TV: Apple TV Radio: Local Stream via Apple(English)/93.3 (Spanish) This is the second 2024 Leagues Cup game for both teams. This game is free on MLS Season Pass. The group winner will advance to face the winner of group W4 (Toluca, Kansas City, or Chicago). The 2nd place team will advance to face Club America. Houston has to win in regulation to advance in the tournament. Houston lost to RSL up in Utah in early July, 3-2, in the only meeting so far this year. The last time they came to Houston was in game three of the first round of the 2023 MLS playoffs where the Dynamo advanced over RSL, 1-1 (pks 4-3). The teams will play again in MLS here in Houston on September 14. Real Salt Lake is 2-2-1 in their last 5 games overall, scoring 10 goals and allowing 10. Their most recent game was a 2-1 win against Atlas on August 1. RSL is 4-3-7 in away league games this year. Their next MLS game is hosting San Jose on August 24. The Dynamo are 2-2-1 in the last 5 games overall, scoring 8 goals and allowing 8. Houston is 5-4-6 in home games in all competitions so far this year. Houston will either advance in Leagues Cup or get a long break until the regular season resumes with a home game against Toronto on Saturday, July 24.
RSL @ Dynamo, all-time: 03/22/06 HOU 2-1 RSL 06/17/06 HOU 2-1 RSL 09/08/07 HOU 4-3 RSL 08/16/08 HOU 4-3 RSL 06/20/09 HOU 1-1 RSL 09/19/09 HOU 3-2 RSL 04/01/10 HOU 2-1 RSL 08/20/11 HOU 3-2 RSL 09/06/12 HOU 1-0 RSL 05/11/14 HOU 2-5 RSL 09/12/15 HOU 1-3 RSL 05/15/16 HOU 1-0 RSL 05/31/17 HOU 5-1 RSL 08/18/18 HOU 1-2 RSL 03/02/19 HOU 1-1 RSL 07/31/21 HOU 0-0 RSL 02/27/22 HOU 0-0 RSL 05/06/23 HOU 0-0 RSL 08/23/23 HOU 3-1 (aet) RSL, Open Cup 10/29/23 HOU 2-1 RSL, MLS playoffs 11/11/23 HOU 1-1 (pks 4-3) RSL, MLS playoffs That's 12-3-7 overall with 39 goals scored and 29 goals allowed.
I think this is right. Dynamo beat RSL by 2 or more, Dynamo win the group. Dynamo beat RSL 1:0 then Dynamo eliminated and, - If RSL get no cards then RSL 1st, Atlas 2nd. - If RSL gets 1 yellow then a draw determines 1st and 2nd between RSL and Atlas. - If RSL gets 2 or more yellows or a red then Atlas 1st, RSL 2nd. Dynamo beat RSL by 1 and score 3, the RSL wins group, Dynamo 2nd. Dynamo beat RSL 2:1 then RSL wins the group: - If Dynamo don't take a card, Dynamo finish 2nd; - If Dynamo take 1 yellow card, then 2nd place is determined by a draw; - If Dynamo take 2 or more yellows or a red, then Atlas is 2nd. Dynamo lose to, or draw RSL, the RSL is 1st place and Atlas is 2nd.
Dynamo start with two goals, but not much game control. This thing could get wild. 2:0 has the Dynamo winning the group, Atlas in 2nd, and RSL out.
RSL just gets a goal and loses 2:1 then they win the group. If in that scenario, Houston remains without a yellow then Dynamo take 2nd. One yellow? Coin flip with Atlas. 2 yellows or a red? Atlas takes second.
Ok. 3:0 at the half. RSL needs two goals or they are out. Dynamo will be 1st. Atlas 2d. If it goes 3:2 — then RSL wins the group, and Dynamo 2nd. Only way the Dynamo don’t go through either first or second is to choke up the points. RSL would have to at least tie it up. 3:1 is Dynamo 1st, RSL 2d. 3:2 is RSL 1st, Dynamo 2d. 3:3 is RSL 1st, Atlas 2d.
I swear, Ponce is an Argentinian Brian Ching. Big. Lumbering. Hard worker. Good runs. Does Dirty work. Defends. A guy who scores one touch goals. A bit of a banger up top.
He even has that same foul drawing move that Ching used so well. Let the ball in deep into your feet … put your weight up over your feet, when the defender comes in reaching for the ball and contacts your back he knocks you down like a bag of fruit. Foul.
Game got testy at the end. Sviatchenko and Arango had something going. Ref was letting it start to overboil. Toluca beat SKC — so Toluca comes to Houston. Clean sheet? Nice. 3 Goals? Super Nice. Eliminating RSL from a competition? Priceless.