Nine minutes after Sequeira's first goal in a Real Salt Lake uniform, the Dynamo pulled a goal back at 2-1 as defender Adrian Serioux headed home a Brad Davis corner. It was short-lived hope for Houston as Cunningham regained RSL's two-goal cushion thanks to a give-and-go with Andy Williams in the 82nd minute.

"How can you argue with a goal and two assists?" said Real coach John Ellinger. "What's that, nine assists and 14 goals? That's not a bad year and we still have nine games to go."

Cunningham's 14 goals are tops in MLS as well.

Thanks to a pair of draws by Chivas USA and Colorado on Saturday, fifth-place Salt Lake only trails Chivas by two points in the Western Conference standings and Colorado by three. Houston, the West's second-place team, is only six points in front.

During the first half Saturday, it didn't appear that RSL would be making up any ground in the standings. Ellinger wasn't pleased with his players' effort on 50-50 balls, not to mention how they were tracking Houston's players around the field.

"They had us under siege at times," said Ellinger about the first half. "Thank goodness we kept it tight at the back."

By enduring the difficult stretch, RSL was able to turn a fortunate call into a one-goal lead, and then outstanding fitness helped it pull away down the stretch.

Real will take the week off before returning to action next Saturday at the New York Red Bulls.

ENDLINES: Scott Garlick's yellow card in the 78th minute for time wasting means RSL's keeper will be suspended for next Saturday's match because of an accumulation of yellow cards.

---

E-mail: jedward@desnews.com