The Houston Dynamo played to a draw for the seventh time in their past nine matches, notching a scoreless tie with visiting Real Salt Lake on Saturday night.

The result stretched Houston's winless stretch to nine games. The Dynamo last won on May 22 against the Vancouver Whitecaps.

The Dynamo (3-4-9, 18 points) took 15 shots but only placed four on target.

Real Salt Lake (5-4-6, 21 points) put four of 11 shots on goal while increasing their unbeaten stretch to three matches (1-0-2).

Real Salt Lake's Zac MacMath and Houston's Marko Maric each made four saves.

The Dynamo played without leading scorer Maximiliano Urruti (six goals) as well as Ariel Lassiter and Darwin Quintero due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Corey Baird made his Houston debut in the 62nd minute one day after being acquired from Los Angeles FC. Baird spent the previous three seasons with Real Salt Lake.

Baird had two huge opportunities to score against his ex-teammates.

The first was when Tyler Pasher delivered a cross to his right foot in the 71st minute. But Baird lifted the close-range shot over the net.

Baird's second solid chance occurred in the fifth minute of the second-half stoppage time. The ball came his way and he sent a right-footer on net that MacMath used his right hand to knock over the net.

Real Salt Lake had a solid chance in the 78th minute but Anderson Julio sent a right-footed shot over the top right corner of the net.

Salt Lake's Rubio Rubin kicked a left-footer over the net in the 82nd minute.

Salt Lake's Justen Glad was given a red card in the 87th minute, leaving his team with just 10 players for the rest of the match.

Earlier, the Dynamo had a big chance in the 33rd minute but Memo Rodriguez's right-footed blast hit the right post.

RSL's Albert Rusnak had opportunities in both the 40th and 51st minutes. His right-footed shot was saved by Maric and he later hit the left post with a left-footed shot.