Houston, TX (My Sportsbook) - The Houston Dynamo host Real Salt Lake in an important Major League Soccer Western Conference tilt on Saturday night.
The Dynamo (11-8-7) are currently tops in the Western table, but have lost two straight and are winless in four, meaning it's imperative that they find their form over their final four games of the regular season.
The most recent setback was a 2-1 loss at Columbus this past Sunday, with a late penalty being the difference.
"We were the better team. We created more chances and fight hard and then to have it in the 90th minute given to the other team is extremely disappointing and frustrating," Dynamo forward Brian Ching said. "These points all matter. For it, in our eyes, to be unfairly taken away from you, it's not hard to have that emotion bubble over. You see guys frustrated. You put so much energy into the game and come away with nothing when you deserve so much more than that."
While the Dynamo are in a solid playoff position, they realize they need to
"We're fighting for points. We've got 40 points but we want to get ahead of the group," Houston defender Geoff Cameron said of the cluster of teams close behind them in the standings."It's important to create a gap between the teams behind us. It's a disappointment we lost three points but we have to look ahead to the next game coming at us. We have four games left. We're going to try and get as many points as we can. If we can take that last 45 minutes of play and use that [vs. RSL] we'll be cruising."
RSL (9-9-7) would love to be in the position the Dynamo are in after a home draw vs. Chicago last weekend left them two points out of a playoff spot with just five games remaining in their schedule, including three of the next four on the road.
"It's do or die at this point on the road," RSL defender Tony Beltran said. "Although we've struggled a little bit at times on the road this season, I think we've in the last game at Kansas City that we can do it. We know can do it, so we'll go out there and give it our best. We got nothing to lose."
Beltran will miss Saturday's fixture because of yellow card accumulation, while midfielder Clint Mathis is doubtful and midfielder Javier Morales and defenders Jamison Olave and Robbie Russell are probable with injuries.
The Dynamo will be without midfielder Ricardo Clark because of suspension, while defender Richard Mulrooney is out with injury, and defender Eddie Robinson is probable after preseason knee surgery has forced him to miss the previous 26 league fixtures.
