Sep 9, 2007, 4:02 GMT
Houston, TX - Nate Jaqua scored his second career hat trick Saturday night to lead the Houston Dynamo to a 4-3 victory over Real Salt Lake in a Major League Soccer fixture.
Jaqua got three big assists from Corey Ashe, who tallied assists on all three of Jaqua's goals, to help the Dynamo keep control at the top of the Western table.
The Dynamo are now unbeaten in four, snapping RSL's two-game winning streak.
The Dynamo took the early lead in the game, just six minute sin, when Jaqua one-timed an Ashe pass in the penalty area past Real goalkeeper Nick Rimando.
Real equalized 10 minutes later when Fabian Espindola scored a goal for the second consecutive game. The Argentinean forward stole the ball from Houston defender Richard Mulrooney and fired a tough angle shot into the net.
Ten minutes later, Houston defender Eddie Robinson gave the home side the lead back when he headed a free kick into the net. It was his first league goal of the season.
Houston made it 3-1 three minutes after the break when Jaqua one-timed an Ashe cross with his left foot before completing the hat trick by heading home another Ashe cross in the 58th minute to give Houston a three-goal advantage.
RSL scored two goals late by Carey Talley and Kyle Brown, but it was to little to late as the team dropped its 12th game of the season.
Houston will be back in action Sunday when it travel to Los Angeles to take on the Galaxy while RSL travels to D.C. Wednesday to face United.
© 2007 The Sports Network
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