Real Salt Lake have got the better of Portland Timbers 2-1 at home in their Major League Soccer clash.

The hosts took the lead in the 14th minute, when Javier Morales and Fabian Espindola combined for a free kick that the latter struck hard with his left foot to steer it past Joe Bendik in the Portland goal.

Portland could have equalised just minutes later at the Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, had Nick Rimando not made a brilliant save from a Rodney Wallace header from close range.

Salt Lake doubled their advantage in the 36th minute when Morales scored from a free kick that he had himself earned.

Portland, though, came back strongly after the interval and halved the deficit in the 61st minute.

Sal Zizzo whipped in a cross from the right that Bright Dike headed home from close range.

Espindola then went close on a number of occasions for Salt Lake but failed to provide the finishing touches.

Portland almost made him pay for his missed chances in the 84th minute when Dike's header came off the Salt Lake crossbar, as the home side saw off a tensed final minutes of the match for a 2-1 victory.