Real Drops Road Match in Dallas

In case you are wondering whether home field advantage will matter in the playoffs, just watch this match.

Real Salt Lake kept it close but succumbed to the heat late and lost 2-0 at Dallas Saturday.

“We did fairly well for the first 65 minutes and let up a goal that we shouldn't have,” Chris Wingert said. “We'll learn from our mistakes and look to get some points next week.”

Real tried out a new 4-5-1 defensive formation in preparation for CONCACAF, but it didn't work very well.

“I'm a bit critical of myself right now. My feeling is we may have made the wrong decision by switching formations tonight,” Coach Jason Kreis said. “We're still looking for solutions for how to play in different weather situations.”

This match is a stark reminder why RSL needs to push for home field throughout the playoffs. While the side is nearly unbeatable at home, they look average on the road.

Scoring

Brad Shea of Dallas scored in the 69th minute rebounding a Nick Rimando save. The goal snapped Rimando's scoreless streak at 567 minutes, which is the third longest in MLS history.

Dallas scored again in the 76th minute in the aftermath of a corner kick. Real has struggled mightily on set pieces in the last two matches. This night was no exception.

Game Notes

Kickoff temp: 99 F, 35% humidity.

Real started the match in a 4-5-1. It was a defensive move and allowed them to save energy in the hot humidity of Dallas:

• FORWARD: Findley (60' Saborio for Findley)
• MIDFIELD: Espindola, Grabavoy, Morales, Johnson, Alexandre (60' Williams for Alexandre) (81' Warner for Johnson)
• DEFENSE: Borchers, Olave, Russell, Wingert
• KEEPER: Rimando

In the second half, Real moved Fabian Espindola up front to play an attacking role.

Nick Rimando came into the match with a 498 minute scoreless streak. Prior to this match, the last time RSL had given up an MLS goal was in May.

RSL started the match playing in an uncharacteristic defensive style. As a result, some of the early plays left Findley and Morales waiting for help to get forward.

An early Dallas corner kick was headed well but hit the crossbar. The woodwork has been good to RSL in the last two matches, despite bad defense on set pieces.

Javier Morales put a shot off the bottom of the crossbar in the 17th minute. His shot bounced past the Dallas keeper but hit the bottom of the bar.

Dallas' Ferreira went down twice in the box early on incidental contact. The second was a complete flop while the first actually included some contact. Credit to the referee for not giving out a cheap penalty kick.

Will Johnson received a yellow card late in the first half for a slide tackle that defused a counterattack.

RSL nearly scored late when an Alvaro Saborio pass found Andy Williams in the box and behind the defense. Williams crossed the ball to Nat Borchers, who headed the ball just over the net.

Real has failed to earn a single point at Dallas in franchise history (eight tries).

Man of the Match

Javier Morales was at the front of every major chance for Real and did a great job.