Real Salt Lake beats Dynamo 2-1, clinches playoff berth
SANDY, Utah (AP) — Jefferson Savarino and Corey Baird scored and Real Salt Lake beat the Houston Dynamo 2-1 on Sunday to clinch a playoff berth.
Real Salt Lake (15-13-5) snapped a three-game winless streak and, heading into next Sunday's regular-season finale, can finish as high as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Savarino put away a side-netter from just outside the area to give Real Salt Lake a 2-1 lead in the 75th minute.
Corey Baird stole the ball at midfield, raced downfield and blasted a right-footer from the top of the area that bounced off the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Tyler Deric into the net to give Real Salt Lake a 1-0 lead in the opening seconds.
The Dynamo's Tomás Martínez tied it in the 32nd minute. Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando parried a shot by Alberth Elis but Martínez ran onto the rebound and, from the end line, slipped a side-netter between the Rimando and the post.
Houston (11-18-4) lost for the eighth time in its last 11 matches.
