RSL back on track and ends Dynamo’s unbeaten run

Andres Gomez scored his 11th goal and had two assists, Braian Ojeda gave his team the lead for good in the second half and Real Salt Lake held on for a 3-2 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday in Sandy, Utah.

Diego Luna also scored a stunning long-range goal just before halftime as Salt Lake (11-3-7, 40 points) preserved its seventh win in 10 home games and moved into a tie on points atop the Western Conference with Los Angeles FC and the LA Galaxy, who meet Thursday.

RSL overcame an early deficit one game after the Galaxy ended their 15-match unbeaten streak on June 22.

The hosts finally secured a 90-minute victory over the Dynamo (8-7-6, 30 points) after failing to do so in six meetings in 2023 between the regular season, US Open Cup and MLS Cup playoffs.

Ibrahim Aliyu scored his team-high sixth goal for Houston, who saw their six-match unbeaten run come to an end, and Hector Herrera was involved in a second-half equaliser that was eventually credited as an own goal.

After Aliyu started the scoring in the eighth minute, Gomez started his big night in the 22nd minute by seizing the opportunity to surprise the Dynamo defense.

RSL’s Bode Hidalgo got a header in midfield but appeared to head the ball toward the Houston penalty area. As Dynamo goalkeeper Steve Clark and his defenders tried to figure out who should get the ball, Gomez slipped between them to score.

Luna gave Salt Lake a 2-1 lead in the 42nd minute when he received a pass from Matt Crooks near the left end of the penalty arc, cut to his right to avoid a Houston defender and unleashed a powerful strike from 22 yards that beat Clark’s dive toward the far post.

Houston equalized nine minutes after halftime when Herrera served up an inbound cross from the left that defender Andrew Brody redirected past his own goalkeeper, Zac MacMath.

Ojeda responded with the winning goal in the 67th minute on one of RSL’s best offensive sequences.

Cristian Arango broke down the right and tried to play a give-and-go with Gomez in the penalty area. On the return pass, Arango missed his shot attempt. However, Ojeda was behind, took his time on the pitch and guided an equally controlled finish into the bottom right corner.