missing key starters of their own through international duty, injury and suspension -- finally broke through in the 68th minute. A ball was swung out wide to Geoff Cameron, and he curled a rolling, early cross into the goal area were Brian Ching came sliding in to poke home his third goal of the season, all in the last five games.
• Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear made four changes to the team that came back for a late 2-2 draw against FC Dallas at midweek. Tony Caig came in for Pat Onstad in goal and Corey Ashe replaced Dwayne De Rosario in the midfield as both were away on international duty. Patrick Ianni came in for the suspended Eddie Robinson in central defense and Ricardo Clark returned from international duty, taking the place of Kyle Brown.
• Here's Kinnear's team (4-4-2): Tony Caig - Richard Mulrooney, Bobby Boswell, Patrick Ianni, Craig Waibel - Geoff Cameron, Ricardo Clark, Stuart Holden, Corey Ashe (Brad Davis 46) - Brian Mullan (Kyle Brown 82), Brian Ching. Substitutes Not Used: Chris Wondolowski, Franco Caraccio, Mike Chabala, John Michael Hayden, Corbin Waller
• "A win is a win. We created some chances and I don't think they created much. It was a hard fought, physical game," Kinnear said. "I think we knew after the result that they got last week that they were going to come with a different mentality, and they did. We got a good effort from a lot of our guys, and I think we should be happy with the three points that we got."
TEAM NEWS
• With all the changes in the team, Kinnear was pleased with how the group he had on the field responded to the challenge.
• "I think our young guys really worked hard tonight and ... the average age of our midfield was something like 23. You had Corey (Ashe), Geoff (Cameron), Stuart (Holden) and then Rico (Ricardo Clark) was the elder statesmen of the group at 25. Just the effort we got from them tonight was great."
• Equally credited were the changes in the back, where Patrick Ianni made his first start in four games in place of the suspended Eddie Robinson and Tony Caig made his first start since April 19. Ianni will likely again figure in central defense with the suspension to Robinson extended by a match in a decision by the MLS Disciplinary Committee.
• "After halftime, I think we needed a little bit more composure on the ball, and we did that in the second half. Pat Ianni was good tonight, Tony (Caig) was good and all of the guys that came in had a positive effect on the game," Kinnear said.
• The game was the second in a stretch of four games for the Dynamo in less than two weeks. After the United match, Houston will return home for a Sunday evening match against Toronto FC, then turn right around and face the New England Revolution on MLS Primetime Thursday next week.
• "The games are adding up, but I think we are doing a good job of rotating some guys and getting our rest off the field and making sure we are prepared for the games," said midfielder Stuart Holden. "We go out every game and give it 100 percent. At the end of the day, it all comes with the job."
• The trip to D.C. United will close out a difficult early part of the season for the Dynamo, where they have not played in front of their Robertson Stadium faithful much at all. Eight of their next 11 games will now be at home, and the trip to Washington is third road game in their last four.
• "If you look at our first 10 games, we had seven on the road, and in this league that is very difficult to play in," Ching said. "The way we started off, I think we were a little disappointed in how we started the season. But since then, we just put our heads down and have gotten back to playing how we are capable. Now we are working as a team and battling for results. I think in the past few games, you have really seen that."
