RSL eliminated from Leagues Cup in 3-0 shutout in Houston

HOUSTON — There was only one scenario in which Real Salt Lake didn't advance out of the Leagues Cup group stage: losing by two or more goals on the road to the Houston Dynamo.

That scenario happened Monday in a 3-0 Houston win, extending RSL's winless streak at the home of the Dynamo to six years.

"It's easy for me to say that the weather has an influence," head coach Pablo Mastroeni said of the team's struggles in Houston on a common 95 degree, 70% humidity day. "But again, Atlas came here and got a result, so it's obviously something that you can overcome."

Houston scored all three of its goals in the first half and withstood the return of RSL MVP candidate Chicho Arango in the second half to take first place in Group H, despite a loss to Atlas last week at home.

The Atlas win and one-goal loss to RSL gives the Liga MX side second place in the group on goal differential, putting RSL in last place and outside of the knockout stage with a -2 goal differential.

Houston knew it needed to win by two goals and got a two-goal lead just 24 minutes into the match. RSL had several chances from Andres Gomez, Anderson Julio and Justen Glad following the second goal, but it was an own goal by Glad in the 42nd minute that slammed the door shut on the road team before the halftime break.

"When your teammates start to lose the ball, then you start to be frustrated as a player on the field and then it becomes, you know, a downward spiral," Mastroeni said. "Just looking at those goals: One of them was a deflection, one was a set piece that was very poorly dealt with, and the other one was an own goal.

"We just weren't sharp, and we conceded goals at inopportune times. We weren't able to bounce back. Anything can happen, but I do know one thing for sure, that goals change games, and tonight we weren't able to score."

The Claret and Cobalt now have a 19-day break before resuming MLS play on Aug. 24 at home against the San Jose Earthquakes, where they hope to have the full selection of summer signings available.

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