Real Salt Lake 0 – Houston 0 (match review)
August 18, 2009 by f4denz.
There are times that rewatching matches is painful, knowing what will happen in the stoppage time of the first half is difficult but if at the start of the year you would have told most RSL fans that they would have played Houston twice and not have lost either match they would have been satisfied. However after outplaying Houston in Houston and giving up a late goal to allow Houston to earn a draw, many fans expected a win at home where RSL has suffered just a single loss this season. Well the starting lineup had one change from last week as Chris Wingert was feeling ill and Robbie Russell was able to get back into the lineup, so it was Rimando, Russell, Olave, Borchers, Beltran, Johnson, Beckerman, Morales, Mathis, Findley, and Espindola that took the pitch for RSL.
0-10 Minutes
Well it was a cool night, shame that RSL hasn’t been able to get some help from the heat that would be the norm for August home matches. One upside was coverage on FSC so hopefully no technical issues like with 2.2, but the coverage will be neutral as Fox won’t pick a sides, it is just a shame that we couldn’t expect that same professionalism from the officials.
I always love how most matches start with the ball being given back and forth, an early run by Fabi which Findley fails to get a touch on but Clint fires a shot that goes high over the goal but I like the early chance. Both sides are doing a good job of attacking the 50-50 balls with RSL getting the better of them in the first couple minutes. An early corner kick for RSL as Javi lines up to take it, but it is cleared away by Houston, I didn’t know that Javi has taken 88 corner kicks this year and leads MLS. Clint gets a quick yellow card, not sure if that would count as a yellow in most matches, as Beckerman and Beltran do a good job of breaking up the Houston counter.
Houston gets the ball into the RSL final third but it is broken up quickly and RSL is back in possession, a couple possible fouls as RSL players go down but as soon as Javi makes a similar tackle he gets called for it, a hard elbow by Hainault earns him a yellow card. I thought FIFA and MLS said elbows like that was a straight red card, oh well.
10-20
Well in the first 10 minute RSL has kept the ball in the Houston half for a good dose of the action, so Davis makes a run and Olave breaks it up but the official calls a foul on Mathis further back. Holden takes the free kick and it misses everyone and everything and out for a RSL goal kick. Russell does a nice job of taking the ball back for RSL but it is turned back over in the midfield, a great run by Javi, to Mathis, to Johnson but it is picked off by Houston and as neither team is doing a good job of keeping possession as the battle in the midfield is causing a lot of turnovers.
Wow Tony had a good opportunity, but nobody was at the far post, followed up by a run by Johnson who hits a shot into the side net, it looks like he might have had a chance to get it to Robbie but there were a lot of Houston bodies in the area. Houston makes a run but the cross is broken up by RSL and it is back to RSL, but when Findley is fouled by Cameron yet another no call by Paul Ward. Houston is really slowing down the match, so far I love the energy of Fabi but unless it results in shots on goal or assists he is working really hard and not getting much in return. Interesting how Hainault doesn’t get called for the clear push but Fabi gets called right away for the jersey pull.
20-30
A great back heel by Fabi but it is turned over by Javi as Houston moves forward with some numbers but they play it long and it goes out for a goal kick. Another ball played on the ground by Houston but it goes long and another goal kick, the pace has slowed for both teams. A nice move by Kyle catches Holden flat footed, and eventually a shot by Tony but it is blocked out for another RSL corner kick which is cleared but played back in but Finley’s header goes off the post but it doesn’t matter as the offside flag was up. Too many times RSL is being slow getting back into an onside position on plays like this.
A long ball played to Fabi but it is a bit long and kicked out by Onstad but RSL keeps possession but do little with it and eventually it is back into the midfield and then back to Onstad who gets Houston back on the attack. Another Fabi pass is just off a little and it goes over to Houston and they move forward in the attack, RSL counters and a long ball for Findley forces Onstad to come out of the box and use his head to get the ball out of danger and a long distance shot by Geoff Cameron is high and out for a goal kick.
30-40
A yellow card for Olave on a foul from behind on Ching and now both Mathis and Olave will miss the match against New England. Houston makes a run but again RSL breaks it up without Houston getting a real look at goal or a shot off, while the possession is slightly in favor of RSL but the real offensive chances are clearly in RSL’s advantage as Kyle fires a shot from distance but it is directly at Onstad. Nice replay of Holden throwing a bit of an elbow on Mathis, but no call again. Another foul on Fabi and this time it gets called for a free kick about 30 yards outside of the area, and it is Javi taking the free kick which is headed out for a RSL corner kick. The kick is decent and Findley gets on it but his effort is just off and it goes wide of the net but Pat was there and had it covered.
Barrett is issued a yellow card for a foul from behind on Mathis as both sides now have 2 yellows and RSL has possession again, wow another bad elbow by Hainault and he is gone with his second yellow card. Kamara is getting in the face of Fabi about it but both were clear fouls that deserved yellow cards. Well since the sending off neither team has done much with the ball, as Houston is trying to figure out what their formation will look like with 10 men.
40-halftime
Funny how they are talking about the US bid to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, Beckerman fires a shot but Onstad is able to get there, RSL is pushing forward and two fouls on Findley at the edge of the box aren’t called but as he is getting up after being taken down the foul is called against Robbie. You have to wonder how many make up calls Houston was going to get as a result of being a man down, Houston gets a nice cross but Ashe is unable to get to it and it goes out for a goal kick.
Two minutes of stoppage time is indicated, Findley fires a shot but it is wide and it looks like the defender may have gotten a touch on it but a goal kick was called. RSL is back on the attack Javi’s shot is deflect out for a throw in, findley’s shot is saved and then he is fouled, and fouled again and then Mathis throws down the ball and the make up call as he is given a yellow and now both teams are at 10 men. You have to wonder where the call was on the fouls in the box, a couple penalty calls is what the broadcaster called it. Both of them agree that Clint didn’t do anything worthy of a second yellow, so at the half you have to ask yourself why there is no call on the clear takedowns of Findley in the box and why a yellow card for Mathis to give him two. It simply is unbelievable that the official would blow two huge calls that bad in the matter of 15 seconds.
Halftime
So the numbers are 6 yellow cards, 3 for each team with two to Mathis and two to Hainault as both teams are now down to 10 men, 9 fouls on RSL to 6 for Houston, shots 8 to 2 for RSL and shots on goal 3 to 0 again for RSL, but the scoreboard is 0-0.
45-55
Well neither side made any changes at halftime, funny even the announcers noticed that the officials got boo’ed off and when they came back on to the pitch. This one is getting a bit chippy early in the second half as neither team seems happy with what happened in the first half. Early on in the second half it is a lot of back and forth a good run by Espindola and a great cross but the header by Findley goes off the cross bar and the follow up shot for Johnson goes directly to Onstad. Houston regroups and is back on the attack but they are only moving limited numbers forward and you have to believe they are simply looking for the draw which will make it hard on RSL to get a lot of quality chances on goal.
So no matter the calls, it is about the fact that RSL hasn’t finished their chances, oh for those critics of Kreis you may want to listen to what the announce team say about the way the formation was adjusted after going down a man. Boswell milking an foul and it is clear when he comes back on that it really was a bit of time wasting. Once again I have to say I am impressed with the work rate of Fabi, he has been all over the pitch and working hard and getting some good chances, and he earns a corner kick for RSL as his cross is blocked out. The corner is way long but it is fired back in by Beltran and Olave was clearly held in the box but again no call and eventually Johnson’s shot goes wide and out of play.
55-65
RSL is doing a nice job of keeping some possession and building their attack on the ground, very impressive but eventually the passing lanes were too tight and Houston counters and RSL dodged a bullet as Kamara played a great ball across the area but nobody from either side was there and Houston get their first corner kick. It looks like Russell is gassed as Kamara went right past him, Ward is delivering a message to Borchers and Ching as they were pushing each other in the box. A good ball by Boswell but Nick is right there to catch it and get RSL back on the attack. A ugly foul from behind as Findley goes down and RSL gets a free kick from 30 yards out but it is pushed out of danger but RSL keep possession and Onstad goes over the top of Borchers to break up the RSL attack.
I do agree that the tempo and pace of RSL isn’t what it needs to be, the pace of the home leg of the Chivas playoff match last year and even the Western Conference final was what I expect a lot more this year but it just hasn’t been there too often. Fabi plays a good ball deep in the area and yet another corner kick for RSL, this time it goes out off Espindola. Another good play by Beltran as he works with Beckerman to break up a Houston attack and eventually Fabi is called for offside and RSL makes a change with Yura coming in and Fabi going off, I really did like the energy of Espindola in this match, much, much better.
65-75
Wow RSL is doing a nice job of keeping the ball in the Houston half of the pitch and a foul on Beckerman gets RSL a free kick from 25 yards out and straight on goal. Javi hits the wall and a hand ball is called on the wall and now the shot is just a couple yards out of the box and when he tries to quick start Ward calls it back despite the clear advantage RSL had gained, but the second shot also hits the wall and then it goes out for a goal kick. Houston brings in Mullan for Ashe as they move to a more defensive look with just 20 minutes left in the match.
Yura takes the ball away from a Houston defender but Robbie is unable to get around his defender and it goes back over to Houston and they work it into the box but it is cleared out of danger by Olave but Houston keeps possession of the ball. Houston is looking much better in the last 5 minutes than they have all night so you have to wonder how RSL will respond. A nice push up by the defense but then a long ball to Findley but it goes out for a throw in, Johnson fires a shot that Onstad deflects but nobody is there to follow up and it is cleared out but RSL keeps possession of the ball and are working forward in the attack as the RSL backline was playing at the midfield stripe, but eventually it goes back over to Houston and somehow Beckerman gets a yellow card as Houston sets up for their free kick. Rimando clears it but RSL turn it back over at midfield.
75-85
I really was expecting Rachid or Andy to come into the match about now to give RSL some new energy and offensive punch but with 15 minutes to go and a foul by Beltran gets him a yellow card as Kamara goes down easy and wastes some time. I worry a bit that we are starting to push forward with long balls, which are not working and when Houston has such a huge height advantage it will be hard to do much on long balls. I have to say that Olave has been impressive as well, it is nice to see him get back to what he does best, which is saying “No” to opposing offensive players.
RSL is still controlling a majority of the possession but Houston is getting their chances and a good ball played to Kamara but his header across the area finds nobody Houston keeps possession. Wow I am clueless on why bringing in Wingert in this late is the change, I get that Russell is out of gas but why not bring in someone to boost the offense and Houston takes out Davis and brings in Chabala. I simply don’t get it you are at home with 10 minutes left and you have been controlling possession why not bring in a midfielder and go with the 3-4-2 for the final 10 minutes? A great effort by Javi but it goes just wide of the goal but RSL is really controlling the possession. Yura gets a good ball in the box but can’t finish it and eventually he is called for offside. Campos comes in for Beltran as finally we move to a more offensive formation with 5 minutes left in the match.
85-final
A bad pass by Yura stops a great run by Javi but RSL is still controlling the possession and have everyone in the Houston half of the pitch, a shot from distance by Olave but nobody is there to redirect the ball as Houston takes possession and move forward in attack. So funny that slight contact on the edge of the box gets called and the officials are talking about it, but how strange that they will call that and none of the contact in the box when RSL players are taken down. Sorry if that is called, then how can the hold of Olave and the multiple fouls of Findley not have been called? Pure crap is all I can say, but Holden doesn’t do much and it goes of Ching and out for a goal kick. Waibel is on for Cochrane as both sides have used all their subs and we enter the 4 minutes of stoppage time.
Houston gets a corner and Cameron gets his head to it but it is wide of the goal and Houston still doesn’t have a shot on goal tonight. A bad first touch by Johnson but Houston fails to do anything with it again. Funny that the announcers mention the energy of the Chivas playoff match last year and wonder where that is this year. A couple balls into the area but none of them find a RSL player and the final whistle blows and we end tied at 0-0. Horrible and I stick with my UGLY statement, but RSL had their chances and didn’t finish and while it would be easy to lay this loss on the head of Paul Ward for some horrible calls, you have to look at the chances RSL had and simply couldn’t finish as the real reason for the loss.
I did notice a lot of hard work but also it seemed like there simply has been a lack of urgency and energy that we saw at the end of last year, if RSL has a shot at the playoffs they will need to dig deep and find that energy that was there last year at the end of the season.
OFF MY SOAPBOX
“Audentis Fortuna Juvat” (Jason the time to get bold is now)