The Dynamo expect a tougher test against an improved Real Salt Lake.
The last time the Dynamo faced Real Salt Lake, the result was predictable.
Playing at home for the first time in three weeks, the Dynamo started strong and never let up on their way to a 5-1 victory over their slumping visitors, who had lost five of their previous seven games.
The teams will meet again Saturday night in Utah, but RSL’s form has improved drastically. They are unbeaten in their last four games and have scored 13 goals during that span.
“We know that it is going to be a tough game,” Dynamo coach Wilmer Cabrera said. “They have been playing outstanding lately, with very good results. It looks like they are clicking, and that’s important for them. It’s going to be tough for us because it’s going to be at their home.”
On the attack
The spark for RSL’s recent success is midfielder Joao Plata. He has four goals and one assist in the last four games. The 5-2 Ecuadorian is widely regarded for his quickness and dribbling skill.
Plata is far from the only tough-to-handle attacker. Albert Rusnák and Luis Silva have impressed recently as well.
“They have a very dynamic attack right now,” Dynamo goalkeeper Tyler Deric said. “We have to be glued in for the entire 90 minutes to get a good result.”
The Dynamo (9-7-6) are also in good form. They are riding a four-game unbeaten streak for the first time since September 2014. That streak includes their first road victory, so playing away from home will not come with the negative chatter that had surrounded them.
Depth ready to return
The Dynamo will be boosted by the healthy return of Alberth Elis, Romell Quioto, Boniek Garcia and Erick Torres from Gold Cup duty. Elis and Quioto were beat up when they came back ahead of last weekend’s home game, but they should be fully recovered this week and have a higher possibility of returning to the starting XI.
“We feel good,” Quioto said through a translator. “We feel ready to keep helping the team whenever (Cabrera) needs us. Hopefully we can keep earning points.”
Three of those four were part of the squad that made it look easy against Real Salt Lake on May 31. Each one had either a goal or an assist.
Two months later, however, the Dynamo expect a more difficult challenge as they try to remain in a good spot in the standings.
“We have 12 games left and we are in the thick of things in the Western Conference, but you are four or five points from being out of the playoff contention,”
defender A.J. DeLaGarza said. “We know that every game is important and that makes it that much tougher, especially against a team on the outside looking in. It’s critical to get three points and distance ourselves.”