RSL shuts out Dynamo 3-0 in Savarino's return to Rio Tinto


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SANDY — Real Salt Lake put on a show at Rio Tinto Stadium for Jefferson Savarino's return to Salt Lake Saturday, scoring three goals and allowing none in a dominant showing against the Houston Dynamo.

"When you match the team's intensity, when you match their effort, your quality will shine through," RSL head coach Pablo Mastroeni said. "And today I thought our quality shined through."

RSL had a chance to go up in the opening minute on a cross from Justin Meram, but the header from Bobby Wood was sent well above the goal. The home team had a couple more promising chances in the 19th and 21st minutes, first with another header from Wood that went straight up and then down into the keeper's arms, and then a point-blank shot from Marcelo Silva on a rebound from a free kick that went straight into the keeper.

Zac MacMath was called to action for the first time in the 27th minute with a diving save. RSL finally got its goal soon after in the 29th minute when Wood capitalized on his third in-the-box header of the game on a cross from Maikel Chang to put the home team up 1-0.

RSL had a flurry of chances in the box right at the end of the half, but they were all thwarted by the Dynamo. Tempers flared a bit between the teams with some pushing and yelling heading into the break, but the referee and players were able to break things up before it escalated too far.

The home team led 8-5 on shots, with all eight coming inside the box, and 57%-43% on possession at the half.

Sergio Cordova nearly put RSL up 2-0 to start the second half, but his shot off of a ground cross from Chang went just wide to the right of the goal. The Venezuelan finally got his goal in the 57th minute, his second consecutive week scoring for RSL. He got the ball into the box, nearly lost it, and then sent a slow-roller that barely crossed the goal line as Houston defenders looked on.

"Savarino" chants began to ring throughout Rio Tinto in the second half, and the pleas were answered in the 70th minute when Savarino officially returned to Rio Tinto and entered the match for Chang.

Savarino nearly had an acrobatic goal within five minutes of making his re-debut, but the shot was saved and then he was called offside anyway. Rubio Rubin replaced Cordova in the 76th minute and the RSL offense really started to fly, with Savarino leading with pace on the wing and Wood and Rubin ready to strike in the box.

The chants from the supporters section of Rio Tinto picked back up again in the final minutes, this time with the words, "Start the bus!" directed at the Dynamo.

Justen Glad dealt the final blow to Houston in stoppage time to go up 3-0 and seal what was arguably RSL's best win of the season to this point.

RSL heads north to Canada for the second time in three weeks, this time taking on the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday, June 4, at 5 p.m. MDT.

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Caleb Turner covers Real Salt Lake as the team's beat writer for KSL.com, in addition to his role where he oversees the sports team's social media accounts.

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