RSL gets back to gritty roots in 1-0 home win over Houston

SANDY — How did Real Salt Lake go from a seven-game run without a win to three wins in four matches?

"Grit, determination and the ability to defend well in and around our box," head coach Pablo Mastroeni said. "I think as we head toward the end of the season, these performances should build confidence when the game isn't going your way."

The game didn't go RSL's way for much of Saturday's match against the Houston Dynamo at America First Field, with the visiting team owning 56% of the possession; however, the one moment that mattered the most went the home team's way in a 1-0 win.

Pablo Ruiz, who made a return to his pre-ACL tear form, delivered a pinpoint corner kick to William Agada's head in the 42nd minute. The initial header was blocked, but the ball fell back to Agada's feet, and the 25-year-old Nigerian hit it home for his second goal in Claret and Cobalt after arriving in April from Kansas City.

"Shout out to my boys — they fight really hard," Agada said when asked about his goal. "Without them, the goal would not be possible. I'm always waiting for this opportunity, so thank God today I found one in front of the crowd. So grateful for that, and hopefully we keep scoring."

Houston didn't go away quietly, delivering 18 total shots and four on goal for an eventual 1.9 expected goals to RSL's 1.8. Goalkeeper Rafael Cabral came up with four saves on the shots on target, and RSL's defense held on to hand Houston its first goalless performance since May 3.

It was RSL's fifth clean sheet of the season, with two coming during the team's current four-game unbeaten streak. Diego Luna said the biggest difference he noticed from afar during the club's turnaround was their "fight," with Mastroeni and Agada agreeing with the young star during Saturday's postgame comments.

RSL has long been known as a "grit and grind" team, with MLSSoccer.com's Matt Doyle coining the term "xDAWG" to describe the team's style of play, as a play on the xG (expected goals) stat.

"We played some really pretty games early on the season, and we lost on the margins," Mastroeni said.

When the "pretty" football isn't serving you, the grit and determination seem to be a decent backup for an RSL squad still on the outside of the playoffs looking in. The win brings them within 2 points of the final playoff spot, however, with two matches next week to potentially make up ground quickly.

The week starts on Wednesday on the road against the Portland Timbers before returning to Sandy on Saturday, July 19, against Cincinnati. Both teams are in the top five of the respective conference standings, presenting legitimate playoff tests for an RSL team on the rise.

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