Real Salt Lake vs. Houston the details
August 19, 2008 by f4denz.
So as I prepare to watch the match again, I am struck by how the injury and suspension bug really impacted the quality of the team we could field. Out are Joy, Olave, and Kovalenko and in are Cutler, Horst, and Russell. I am sure one or even two people being out has a huge impact on teams, but with three players who are a critical part of the Real Salt Lake defense would be the difference in this match.
I expected a slow start by RSL, the weather, the 18 day layoff, and being on the road all things that I thought would affect the first few minutes. Wow, I was wrong as RSL would take control quickly as the first shot would come less than 39 seconds in as Findley played a ball into the box and a open Javi took a shot that deflected of Barrett, but should have been better taken and the goal should have been scored. Just seconds later in the 3rd minute another ball played in by Findley to Yura, who gets open and puts the ball into the back of the net and RSL is up 1-0.
Houston gets a little possession after the goal but RSL is closing down quickly on the ball, but DeRo gets the ball into the box but it is cleared by Borchers who runs into Rimando, but the ball is cleared out for a goal kick for RSL. Houston is doing a good job of getting the ball into the RSL half of the pitch, RSL is playing very controlled football when they have the ball. Right at the start of the 7th minute another ball from Findley played into the box and the feet of Yura, but a Dynamo player deflects the ball out for a RSL corner kick. Nothing threatening from the corner, as Houston gets the ball back and goes on the attack, RSL is still doing a good job of closing on the ball quickly making it hard for the Dynamo to get a good look at goal. A long ball from Williams to Findley, and a great tackle gets the ball away from Robbie at the edge of the box, Houston dodges a bullet.
10 minutes in RSL is playing well as they try to control possession but Houston really is showing their talent as they are right on the ball every time RSL touches it, so far that hodge podge defense has stood up to the test. A foul gives RSL a free kick from about 5 yards outside of the box and Javi steps up for the free kick, and Nat heads the ball, but it goes just wide of the left post. Borchers has broken up about 5-6 Houston attacks already in the first 14-15 minutes of the match, but Houston is able to get deep into the RSL end of the pitch.
As the camera pans to Jason, I wonder why he has a security guard right behind him? Houston looks like they are getting their act together and Horst is lucky that the foul is called on Ching and not him, or it would be a PK for Houston, we dodged a bullet that time. A bad give away by Cutler, but no real damage comes from it, but the action is getting a bit rough in the midfield. Houston plays a ball to Mullen, who gets past Rimando and scores, on a play that looks like Houston is offside, but the two offside players are not Mullen, so the passive offside call goes Houston’s way. So 16 minutes in the score is tied at 1-1, as the Dynamo give their home fans something to cheer about. RSL is quick to get back into the attack, Wingert plays a good ball in and a shot by Andy is deflected over the net, or it may have been a goal. RSL gets a corner and this time it is cleared out and no threat from the set piece, you have to imagine that if we had Olave and Deuchar that set pieces could be a bit more productive. RSL play a good ball into a onrushing Findley, but it is just a bit too strong and goes out for a Houston goal kick as we move past the 20 minute mark.
Both teams are playing some long balls into the box and hoping for players to rush into the attack, it is an interesting style of play that may have a lot to do with the heat and humidity, which is impacting play. Houston gets a good ball in from Waibel, to Ching but Horst stands him up and allows Nick to scoop up the ball and restart the RSL attack, but RSL gives the ball away and a horrible shot by Ching goes very wide. RSL is back on the attack, Yura fires a shot that Onstad stops but it deflects out and RSL gets the ball back to the feet of Javi Morales and he finishes it easily and puts it into the back of the net and RSL takes the lead 2-1, as we enter the 26th minute of play.
Houston gets a free kick from about 35 yards out but it is cleared without a shot being taken, Houston is getting great possession in the RSL end and on a great ball played to Ching by Mullen and Ching puts the ball into the back of the net. Ching beat his man; I couldn’t see who his man was, maybe on the halftime highlights. Well the match is tied at 2-2 as the clock hits 30:00, and Borchers gets a yellow card on a hard foul on Ching. Houston gets another chance as Barrett plays a great ball in, but Ching’s header goes wide and RSL gets a goal kick.
Houston is doing a great job at keeping the ball and playing on the RSL half of the pitch, as RSL continues to give the ball away way too easily. Mullen tires a shot from 25 yards but it is cleared easily, but Davis follows it up with a rocket that Rimando punches out, but Houston keeps the ball and from 35 yards out Clark fires a shot that beats Nick to the far corner of the net, and now Houston is up 3-2. Not sure where the breakdown was on it, but Clark had way too much room. Houston isn’t done as DeRo puts a shot on goal that deflects of the post, but the offside flag was up. Houston has really gotten a boost of energy from the goals, and Jaqua almost makes it 4-2 but RSL dodged a bullet. There is clearly some problems with communication on the RSL defense, as Houston is finding cracks in the RSL defense and taking full advantage of them. As the clock hits 40 minutes, RSL is on their heels and despite taking the lead twice in the first half, Houston is the team that looks like they are on fire, and RSL looks confused, tired and in need of the halftime break.
Houston is really controlling the match, and even when RSL gets a counter going Houston shuts it down quickly. The RSL defense looks very confused as often they are putting two men on a guy and leaving someone open. Houston makes a great play Davis to Ching, who lays it at the feet of Jaqua who finishes it and now Houston is up 4-2 with 2 minutes left in the first half. Way too many RSL players standing and walking for the last 15 minutes, but RSL get the ball deep in the Houston end but Javi’s shot is deflected and then cleared out the side by Onstad. RSL get a free kick from the side of the box, but the ball is cleared out by Houston and DeRo on the counter and he flies by Cutler, but Yura comes all the way back on defense to save the day. Houston gets the ball deep in the RSL end again, but the header by Ching is caught by Rimando. RSL counters, Yura fires a shot from the edge of the box, that is deflected off a Houston player and just wide of the net, but the corner is cleared easily by Houston. Borchers is having to say back on defense, so there is only Yura and Horst for size on set pieces and the rookie looks lost. RSL gets another free kick deep in the Houston side and Javi lines up for the shot, it is played well into the box but the RSL shot goes over the top of the goal as Houston is up 4-2 at the half.
So in looking at the halftime highlights, the entire RSL defense is to blame for the Mullen goal, they all stood around with their hands up as their keeper got beat, the second goal it looks like it was Morales who got beat by Ching, and the fourth goal it was Borchers who got beat by Jaqua.
As the second half starts RSL has pulled Cutler and put in Espindola to try and boost the offense and gain some possession of the ball, Beckerman moves back to the D-mid position and is marking DeRo, a much better matchup than Cutler trying to cover DeRo. Well the second half is starting with both teams playing in the center of the pitch finally RSL gets into the attack, Wingert plays a great ball into the box and Findley gets a head on it and forces Onstad to make the save, but at least RSL looked dangerous for the first time in the second half.
As the clock hits 50 minutes both teams are playing a much more deliberate pace to the match, I am guessing the heat and humidity has drained the energy of everyone one the pitch. Houston moves the ball into the attacking third and RSL is just standing around watching the ball and the shot by Davis goes high and just wide of the goal. I am not sure how RSL expects to get back into the match if they are playing this slowly and failing to close on the ball quicker. Houston plays a long ball into a fresh Kamara, but it is too strong and Rimando cleans it up easily. RSL plays the ball into the Houston half of the pitch a long ball played in goes to Espindola, who plays it in the box, but it is cleared out, but RSL gets it back and again Espindola plays it into the box and again it is cleared by Houston. A lazy shot by Houston is caught easily by Rimando, and RSL counters and Wingert plays another ball into the box and Findley got clear of his guy, but his header goes wide of the goal. A long ball played in to Findley who is fouled, but the official calls it the other way, this official has really made a number of questionable calls (this is only the 3rd MLS match for Paul Ward), and missed even more calls. Houston counters and DeRo is flagged offside but his shot goes wide anyhow, and just after the 60th minute RSL brings in Clint Mathis (signed earlier in the week) for Andy Williams (who headed off to national team duty after the match).
OK, I have to admit I find a great amount of humor in Clint naming his son Maximus, listen I like Gladiator, but I wouldn’t name my kid after a character in a movie, and while Max Mathis isn’t bad, I imagine growing up he will hear a good number of MM jokes. I do like that Clint picked his new jersey number 84 to mark Max’s birth on the 4th of August. Well Houston has done a better job over the last couple minutes of controlling possession of the ball and they get a free kick from about 35 yards out, but DeRo’s shot goes high and wide. I have no clue how but RSL botches the goal kick and almost gives up a goal as they lose the ball to Houston off the kick, deep in the RSL third of the pitch. Wow Ching puts a ball into the box, but it goes just wide of the feet of Kamara and RSL dodges a bullet, it is clear that the RSL defense is out of gas and Houston is like a cat playing with a mouse. A hard foul by Mathis in the 67th minute and the yellow card is out, at least he got more time in before his first card than last years Richie “red card” Kotchau who only saw two minutes of action before getting sent off.
With all the available defensive subs out due to injury or illness, the back line is going to have to really suck it up for the last 25 minutes as their will be no fresh legs for the RSL defense. I have to say I am confused how a team that has shown such great fitness can be standing around and making very little effort to attack the ball, it really looks like all RSL is doing is staying in their half of the pitch and trying to catch Houston as they attack. Yura and Findley are trying to get the attack moving but Yura looks like he is out of gas, and some strange conflict between Wiabel and Espindola. Yura fires a shot but it goes right to Onstad and Houston counters and DeRo gets fouled just on the edge of the box but the official misses the call, but Houston plays a great ball into the box but it is cleared by Russell. The following corner kick gets bounced around and back out for another Houston corner kick, and after the ball bounces around some more it is cleared to the midfield by RSL. Yura makes another good run and plays a ball to Findley, but there is simply too many Houston defenders, RSL mounts another attack and Findley does a great job and delivers the ball on the penalty spot for Morales, but he blows it and gets nothing on the ball and it is cleaned up by Houston. Damm, it really should be 4-3, there is no excuse for Javi to miss that one, if he wants to live up to the role and the hype he has to finish those shots. We are most likely going to pay a big price to get the rights to Javi this off season and rumor is that his full salary will likely make him our DP, he really has had two great chances tonight that he hasn’t been able to finish, I can’t put too much blame on him, but I expect more.
With 15 minutes left in the match Kenny Deuchar comes on for Yura, who played a great match. RSL is trying to keep possession of the ball, but Houston is taking advantage of RSL trying to attack and they are countering very well, and Kamara got clear of his man and headed the ball wide of the net. RSL dodges another bullet. RSL gets a quick goal from Deuchar on a super ball played to him by Findley and Kenny puts the ball past Onstad and now we are closer to getting some points on the road as the score is now 4-3. There are under 10 minutes left for RSL to try and get another goal to tie up the match, but Houston a fresh Holden counters, but RSL does well to get the ball back. Wow, Kamara just went past 3 RSL defenders (Wingert, Russell, and Borchers) and RSL is getting peppered by Houston shots and attacks, with just a couple minutes left RSL is getting desperate and playing long ball. I am not sure why with 5 minutes plus stoppage left that RSL would go to that style, but with little energy and the fresh legs of Deuchar perhaps it isn’t as unwise as it seems, but with Houston playing 8 men behind the ball I am not sure what RSL will have to do to get more chances.
Again Kamara beats his man (Borchers) and he plays a great ball to Ching, who puts it over the top of the net. Wow that is the 4th or 5th bullet that RSL has dodged in the last 10 minutes since Kamara came into the match. RSL is trying to play the ball in but Houston has so many bodies in the box that the RSL attacks are not getting any decent looks, there are 3 minutes of stoppage time and Houston is holding the ball in the RSL third of the pitch and simply playing keep away from RSL. Ching gets upset and gets a yellow card for dissent, but the free kick by Beckerman is nowhere near a RSL player and Houston comes back in attack, but RSL get the ball and again Kyle plays a long ball that is nowhere near any RSL players, what the hell. Espindola makes a huge run back to stop a Houston counter after Horst got beat, and now Horst is down with what appears to be a cramp, that is twice tonight that a striker has run almost the entire pitch to get back and prevent a Houston shot on goal.
Well that is the final whistle and the match ends 4-3 in a very exciting match, it was never going to be easy to get a win on the road against the two time defending champions. That task got harder when Jamison Olave picked up a yellow card against Toronto that make him ineligible for the Houston match, then add in injuries to both Ian Joy and Tony Beltran, and Dema Kovalenko being out due to illness and this really became mission impossible. To beat Houston with only two of our normal defenders available and relying on Robbie Russell who has only been with the team a couple weeks, and David Horst a rookie getting his first action with the first team is not going to be easy. RSL came out attacking and looked like they would be up to the task, but the Houston offense is simply too strong and was able to take advantage of a defense that wasn’t used to playing together, and despite gutsy efforts by almost every RSL player it was simply more than they were up to on this given day. If RSL should have to face off against Houston again this season, they should be able to look back at this match and be very confident that they can play with Houston and if at full strength they have what it takes to beat the defending champs.
OFF MY SOAPBOX