• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Dynamo-Real Salt Lake Preview

Aug 14, 2009 - 7:43 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Houston (11-6-5) at Real Salt Lake (7-8-5), 9:00 p.m. EDT

The Houston Dynamo have struggled to close out opponents lately. Facing a Real Salt Lake club that hasn't lost at home in nearly three months could make that a difficult task on Saturday night.

The Western Conference-leading Dynamo look to hold onto the league's best record as they face RSL at Rio Tinto Stadium for the first time.

With 39 points, Houston (11-6-5) has a one-point lead over Columbus for the top record in MLS. Looking to extend their home unbeaten streak to 20 matches, the Crew will play host to last-place San Jose earlier on Saturday.

Houston improved to 7-1-3 at home with Sunday's 3-2 victory over Chicago. The Dynamo led 2-0 at halftime behind goals from Kei Kamara and Ricardo Clark, but needed a penalty kick by midfielder Stuart Holden in the 83rd minute to hold off the Fire.

"That's two home games in a row where it's been a bittersweet victory," Houston goalkeeper Pat Onstad told the teams' official Web site.

Onstad - second in MLS with a 0.91 goals-against average - made three saves in the Dynamo's previous home game, a 4-3 victory over D.C. United on Aug. 1 when Houston held on after leading 3-0 at the half.

With Sunday's victory, though, the Dynamo took a seven-point lead over Los Angeles for the West lead.

"We've been up by ourselves for a while, and then Columbus jumped over us last night with a good win (3-0 versus San Jose) and L.A. is on a bit of a roll," said Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear, 7-2-4 versus RSL. "For us to come out with a win is huge because it pushes us a little farther away."

Houston re-acquired a key piece to their back-to-back MLS Cup championships in 2006-07 on Friday by bringing back Ryan Cochrane from San Jose for an international roster spot. The 26-year-old defender will be available to play against RSL.

"He had a good two years with us, helping us win two MLS Cups in the process," Kinnear said. "I like him as a player, and I am happy to see him return. I look forward to seeing him play in orange again."

Real Salt Lake (7-8-5), meanwhile, is looking to extend its home unbeaten streak to six following Saturday's 1-0 win over visiting Seattle.

Back in the lineup for the injured Yura Movsisyan (strained right rotator cuff), forward Robbie Findley scored his team-leading eighth goal of the season and franchise-record 20th off a goal kick from Nick Rimando as RSL improved to 3-0-2 at home since a 2-0 loss to Kansas City on May 16.

"Robbie's always looking to get behind the defense with his pace, and I saw two of their defenders with their backs to me and an opportunity to hit Robbie through," Rimando said after recording his third career assist. "I just hit it over them and Robbie did the rest."

Findley, acquired from the Galaxy in June 2007, moved past forward Jeff Cunningham as the team's all-time leading goal scorer.

Findley missed the 1-all tie at Houston on June 20 with a sprained right ankle.

RSL acquired Argentine midfielder Nelson Gonz??lez on loan from Quilmes Atl??tico this week. The 20-year-old will be available Saturday.

Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis will return after serving a two-game suspension for a verbal confrontation with officials during a 4-2 victory at FC Dallas on July 24.