(Sports Network) - Real Salt Lake and the Houston Dynamo clash at Robertson Stadium on Saturday to see who is the best in the West through the first 21 weeks of the Major League Soccer season. RSL (7-6-6) is one point up on the two-time defending MLS Cup champs at the top of the table, but Houston (6-4-8) has a game in hand.

Both teams are coming off extended breaks from league play, with the Dynamo last playing on Aug. 2 and RSL last playing on July 28, meaning both teams have had plenty of time to prepare for this top-of-the-table clash.

The Dynamo are in pretty good form, as evidenced by their 2-0 win over Eastern power Columbus in their last fixture. The team is currently on a five-game unbeaten streak with just one loss in its last nine league fixtures.

"I think we played a real good game tonight, even thought the heat and all the games we have played recently, kind of caught up with us at the end there," Houston coach Dominic Kinnear said. "But we scored a couple of good goals, and Brad [Davis'] first goal was really excellent, and that was really enough for us. They had a couple of really good chances in the second half, but Pat [Onstad] came up with two big saves when he had to and we held them off from there."

RSL is actually on an even better streak, with just one loss in its last 10, but is just 1-6-1 on the road this season.

RSL will be without one of its best players, defender Jamison Olave for the game because of yellow card accumulation, which will make a huge difference on the team's backline. Olave actually contributed to the offensive end in the last game, but Kries will RSL coach Jason Kreis will have to find someone else to fill the defenders massive role vs. Houston.

"He has been nothing short of spectacular, and defensively he was spectacular as well," Kreis said after RSL most recent fixture, a 2-1 win over Toronto FC. "I was very excited to see him score a goal because I have known all along that he could be dangerous for us on attacking corners. The interesting part of that is that we can't get him to go up on all the corners. I guess he feels a little bit tired when he has to get back. So to see him rewarded for one, maybe he will go up for all the corners coming up, and that will really help us out."

Robbie Russell made his MLS debut, playing the final 17 minutes after coming on as a substitute.

RSL will have two very versatile players added to the mix this week, however, with Clint Mathis and Robbie Russell joining the mix.

"He's athletic, he's versatile, he'll play several positions for us," Kreis said of Russell. "It's always nice to have players like that to give you options and choices in tactics."

Mathis was acquired after RSL obtained his rights from the Los Angeles Galaxy in exchange for a conditional fourth round pick in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft. Mathis last played for Ergotelis FC in Greece, scoring one goal in eight games, after making 26 appearances (19 starts) for New York last year.

"Mathis' veteran experience in both MLS and international arenas bolsters our roster," Kreis said. "He has performed on huge stages, in MLS, in the Bundesliga, and in the World Cup. Clint gives us options at multiple positions and will immediately add depth, skill, and another set of intangibles to our emerging team."



Copyright 2008 The Sports Network
All rights reserved