HOUSTON - Houston Dynamo finally put together back-to-back wins this season, getting a goal from Stuart Holden midway through the second half to break a 1-1 tie and holding on for a 2-1 victory against the Colorado Rapids on MLS Primetime Thursday at Robertson Stadium.
The teams had traded goals within the opening 12 minutes before Holden scored mere seconds after coming on as a substitute. With the victory, Dynamo closed to within two points of the second-place Rapids in the Western Conference.
Joseph Ngwenya started things right for Houston with a goal in the third minute. Brian Mullan sent Ngwenya clean through on goal, and his angled shot from the right side beat a diving Bouna Coundoul for his second goal in as many games.
The Rapids tied the score in the 12th minute on a penalty kick by Jose Cancela. Colorado won the spot kick after Eddie Robinson tripped Conor Casey in the box, and Cancela sent Dynamo goalkeeper Zach Wells the wrong way in putting the penalty into the right side of the goal.
Houston had a couple of opportunities to add to their lead before the Colorado penalty as Brad Davis missed a shot wide in the fifth minute, and Ngwenya was called offside negating a breakaway attempt in the seventh minute. Then almost immediately after the Rapids pulled level, Ngwenya came back with a shot but Coundoul denied the forward his second goal of the game.
Colorado had several opportunities as well, as Herculez Gomez shot around two defenders from the left side in the 21st minute and had the effort stopped by Wells, but not before he nearly bobbled the ball away before scrambling to clutch it to his chest.
A minute later Kyle Beckerman had his shot from the restraining arc stopped by a diving Wells. Gomez had one last chance in the 43rd minute, but put it well over the bar.
The game was being played at a breakneck pace, and with a bit of an edge as well, as the Rapids were whistled for 21 fouls and 13 were called on Dynamo. In all, three yellow cards were issued, to Colorado's Beckerman (35th minute) and Chris Wingert (61st minute) and to Dynamo's Ryan Cochrane (84th).
The second half continued at the same pace, with both teams coming close. Mullan and Craig Waibel both had shots from the edge of the area that sailed wide of the goal, while Brandon Prideaux found the target with a header in the 57th minute, but Wells batted it away.
Holden came into the match in the 64th minute for Chris Wondolowski and provided instant offense. Having just come on the field, he was completely free for a pass from Kelly Gray, and launched a high drive from just outside the area that when into the left upper corner of the goal off the fingertips of Coundoul.
After Holden's goal, Terry Cooke tried to make a similar impact for Colorado as three minutes after entering the game, he had a good look at goal, but put it high.
Houston nearly tacked on some insurance in the 78th minute when Gray received a pass from Corey Ashe in the middle of the box, but his shot was denied by a diving Coundoul.
The Rapids had one last gasp in stoppage time when Wells spilled a desperation cross sent into the area. But despite a number of Colorado attackers around, the Dynamo 'keeper was able to fall on the ball and preserve the victory.
