Updated

Real Salt Lake preserved its place at the top of the overall MLS table on Saturday thanks to a 1-0 defeat of the Houston Dynamo at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Scoring chances were at a premium throughout the match as the only difference between the two sides was a penalty kick in the 37th minute.

Real Salt Lake was awarded a spot kick after Adam Moffat tripped up Olmes Garcia in the box, and Alvaro Saborio made no mistake with the ensuing attempt as he sent Tally Hall the wrong way to slot home his ninth goal of the season.

It was enough to see Salt Lake improve to 41 points on the season, two points better than Sporting Kansas City in the race for the MLS Supporters' Shield. It was the first league win for the Claret and Cobalt since July 13.

The result also snaps Houston's four-game unbeaten run, leaving the Dynamo in fifth place in the Eastern Conference on 33 points.