For the first time since the first week of their inaugural season in Houston, Dynamo are in first place in the Western Conference.
With their seventh win in eight games, the Orange extended their unbeaten streak with a 1-0 win against D.C. United, who came into the match leading the Eastern Conference. But it wasn't an easy victory.
In the 33rd minute, Houston got the lone goal of the game when Richard Mulrooney's shot from outside the box was redirected by Brian Ching into the left side of the goal. The redirection by Ching turned out to be the game-winner as Houston held on from there for the 1-0 win.
The goal was Ching's second in as many games.
"It feels a lot better than two goals in 10 games," Ching said. "Things are turning around for me personally and for the team, they are continuing to play good. Guys are stepping up when we need to, and we are getting shutouts. The defense is playing phenomenal. Pat (Onstad) made a great save. If it weren't for Pat, we'd be down 1-0 and chasing them."
The save that Onstad made to keep the game scoreless came in the 29th minute when Luciano Emilio had a short breakaway denied by the Houston goalkeeper. Emilio broke free from Eddie Robinson, and had a short breakaway into the box, but his shot to the right was saved by a diving Onstad.
From there, Houston's team defense took over as Onstad had three saves, and D.C. took only six shots. Dynamo's defense has not allowed a goal in 515 minutes, the third-longest streak in league annals, and just seven minutes shy of the second-longest.
"We tighten it up as a team," said defender Craig Waibel of the defense. "I think Brian Ching said it best on TV last week. He said that we start defense with the front two. That's why we are so solid. When we lose the ball, you'll see immediate pressure on the ball, then 11 people behind that. I'd love to say it's all the backline, but its not the backline, it's everyone. Pat makes some great plays every games."
A nice sight for Houston fans was midfielder Ricardo Clark returning to the team after missing six games due to U.S. national team duty for the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa America. Clark played the final 18 minutes.
Even though Clark missed the majority of the streak so far, he took solace in knowing that his goal and assist against FC Dallas on June 3 started the eight-game unbeaten streak.
"It's good to be back, especially with the team with a positive vibe," Clark said. "A lot of wins while I was gone. A lot of people stepping up, and the team has a lot of confidence.
"I guess it makes me feel better that I started the streak. Watching the few games I could with the national team, I saw the guys playing with confidence and looking good. Today was another of those games where everyone was playing with confidence and everyone was solid from the back, the midfield and the forwards."
But Dynamo wouldn't have gotten their seventh win in eight games had it not been for Ching's redirection.
"It's a great goal," said Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear. "Eddie (Robinson) said he was going for it, but Pat (Patrick Ianni) called him off. Pat sort of hit it into Eddie, and it went out to Richard, who got a good strike on it, and Brian was alert. Two games in a row now (he's scored a goal). Against New York, he kept his feet moving, and he was alert in the goalmouth."
Houston still has two MLS games left before the All-Star break, and they play on Tuesday at Charleston, S.C. in the U.S. Open Cup, but on Sunday night, the Orange were happy to be in first place.
"Looking back at where we were before this streak, it's great," Mulrooney said. "But, at the same time, we have to remember that before the streak, that was a bad time, and it can happen, so we can't let our guard down. To be on top is a nice pat on the back for tonight."
Jeremy Rakes is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
