Anderson Julio scores in 88th minute as Real Salt Lake edge Houston Dynamo

Justin Meram scored early and Anderson Julio scored late to help Real Salt Lake edge the Houston Dynamo 2-1 on Wednesday night in Sandy, Utah.

Julio's 88th-minute goal gave Salt Lake (7-6-6, 27 points) its second consecutive home victory. It was also RSL's first victory over the Dynamo this season after the clubs battled to draws in their previous two meetings.

Fafa Picault scored his third goal in four games for Houston. It wasn't enough to keep the Dynamo (3-8-9, 18 points) from losing their fourth straight match, during which they have been outscored 10-4.

Houston's franchise-record winless streak is now at 13 matches.

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Meram scored his first goal of the season in the sixth minute. Bobby Wood found him on a counterattack and laid the ball off to him in the center of the box. Meram immediately blasted a right-footer toward the right post and threaded the ball inside the post to put RSL up 1-0.

The quick start yielded to offensive sluggishness on both sides through the first 45 minutes. Houston and Salt Lake each generated four total shots before halftime and RSL had the lone shot on goal.

The Dynamo came to life offensively in the second half and equalized on Picault's goal in the 51st minute. Darwin Ceren served up a cross to Picault off a corner kick, and Picault headed the ball home amid traffic to get Houston on the board.

Houston nearly took its first lead in the 63rd minute when Matias Vera clanked a right-footer off the right post.

Salt Lake finally broke the deadlock on Julio's tally. Rubin tapped it to Julio inside the top of the box. Julio turned and immediately blasted the ball, knocking it inside the right post for RSL's second go-ahead goal of the night.